Review: The Stolen One

The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley 

Can you believe I let this book sit on my shelf for over six months?  Yes, I bought this book back in September and just recently was able to pick it up and read it.  I tend to buy books weekly, and so there are plenty of books still waiting around for me to read…I’ve actually started a book today that I’ve had since July 2009!!  And how do I know it’s been that long?  The receipt is in the book (mocking me with the date).  Are you the same?  Do you have books on your shelves that have been waiting for you  for a very long time…hoping, and waiting for you to choose them?

The Stolen One is about a young girl named Kat (Katherine) who is tired of the mystery which surrounds her life in Humblebee Wood.  Shrouded in secrets, Kat is cared for by Grace and lives with Anna, her sister, but like all orphans, Kat is curious about her mother; who was she and what happened to her?  Grace is very tight lipped about the whole story, making Kat’s heritage even more puzzling.  Knowing there has to be more than what she sees in front of her…a life of embroidering for the rich and an engagement to a pear farmer, Christian, Kat decides to leave her uneventful life in search of some answers.  Before she can commit to her plan of escape, a mysterious woman appears, plagued with fever; her name is Jane and she comes to Grace for healing and closure.  Grace cannot help her body, and Jane dies.  Soon after, Grace is taken ill and dies also.  Now Kat is alone with Anna.  This is her time to venture out; to discover who she is.  Taking what little possessions she has, she heads to London with Anna.  She hopes the answers to the questions she has so often asked will be there.  The Stolen One is about seeking those answers…as Kat will soon discover, home is not always where you’d expect it to be.

What a fun story to read.  Right from the beginning I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding Kat.  Several times I found myself guessing at what the answer would be regarding Kat’s past, but Suzanne Crowley did a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing throughout the book.  I’d be so certain one moment…then doubtful of my sleuthing skills the next, but through it all the story didn’t disappoint me and I quickly read through the 400 pages.   I also liked the way Suzanne Crowley wrote.  She did a fantastic job of choosing her words to bring forth the story in a fun and vivid way.

Part of what made this book so interesting to me was the historical side of the story.  I love reading stories about the past and Kat’s adventure was a perfect fit to my historical side.  Set in the mid 1500′s the enchantment of that time helped in bringing Kat’s story to life.  It was fun to read about Kat’s small village, the big town of London, and the people of that day and age.  Plus the story included Queen Elizabeth, and who doesn’t like to read about royalty and scandal…both of which were included in the story.  Yes, this book was befitting of my personal tastes.

But don’t worry, The Stolen One is PG13, written for the younger audience between the ages of 12 through 18 (and for those, like me, who enjoy reading this genre).  There were no inappropriate language or situations, although there were a few lines that implied certain people had relations with one another; since the story was about an orphan who was trying to solve the mystery of her birth/heritage.

The book also includes a family tree of The House of Tudor.  While reading about the Queen, it was fun to flip to the back of the book and find the names and dates (birth/death) of those mentioned in the story.  If you are a fan of history, this feature will help bring the historical side of the story to life.  It would also make a fun teaching tool for those readers who are still in school and learning about the royal family timeline.

My reader recommendations for this book – those who love history and historical fiction, are interested in the time period of this book (the 1500′s), and for those who are intrigued by mystery.  No matter what your age, if this review has peeked your interested, I am sure you will not be sorry you bought or borrowed this book to read!

Hey, look what I found…still on the ledge of whether or not you want to read this book?  Check out the video below.  It might help you decide.

2 Comments on “Review: The Stolen One”

1. Suzanne Crowley

   July 13, 2012

   

   Thanks for your really sweet review!

   Reply
2. M.E.

   July 20, 2012

   

   Thank you! I’m glad you came by and read it. It was a fun book to read and I’m definitely a fan of yours now!

   Reply

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