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ccerpa's review against another edition
2.75
This was a cool introduction to a community I know nothing about, and while I am fascinated by the premise, the story itself feels very rushed and forced. A lot of conversations start and finish really suddenly and with little subtlety. The main antagonists (animal killers, racist townspeople, and cops) felt very one-dimensional. I also found the ending frustrating; not letting either sibling have a "direct" hand in his death or the animal abuse feels like an attempt to absolve them, rather than having the difficult conversation of what retaliation does to someone.
but lol who am I to be a hater
but lol who am I to be a hater
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
mildwoman's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
nadiamasood's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Speedy kicksleds, snowmobiles, the herding of reindeer, and a wintry Scandinavian forest! I found myself completely engrossed in this book, enthralled by the Sámi way of life. Laestadius’ writing style makes the story so visual on the page.
There are, however, dark but important messages in the book that we all need to be aware of. Issues that Sámi is still dealing with today. Laestadius is part of a growing number of Sami authors who are taking a stand against the way their histories have been told by outsiders. The Indigenous Sami, for example, have faced persecution and racism for centuries, and to this day are a target of discrimination. And then there's the torture and killing of reindeer, none of which had been properly investigated or led to prosecution.
There are, however, dark but important messages in the book that we all need to be aware of. Issues that Sámi is still dealing with today. Laestadius is part of a growing number of Sami authors who are taking a stand against the way their histories have been told by outsiders. The Indigenous Sami, for example, have faced persecution and racism for centuries, and to this day are a target of discrimination. And then there's the torture and killing of reindeer, none of which had been properly investigated or led to prosecution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Suicide
nialiversuch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
hnebel's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
meroth07's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide
sowall's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Jag har läst ett av Laestadius tidigare verk och hatade det - jag var därför sådär lagom livrädd för detta. Men herregud. Vilken bok.
Som en person från majoritetssamhället så var det en ögonöppnare - visst visste man att det var tufft, men inte såhär.
Jag tyckte ibland att Laestadius skrev för många och långa beskrivningar av situationer (liksom, jag behöver inte veta hur Mattias åt sin ostsmörgås), men det är nog den enda invändningen jag har.
Vilken bok, alltså. Alla borde läsa den här.
Som en person från majoritetssamhället så var det en ögonöppnare - visst visste man att det var tufft, men inte såhär.
Jag tyckte ibland att Laestadius skrev för många och långa beskrivningar av situationer (liksom, jag behöver inte veta hur Mattias åt sin ostsmörgås), men det är nog den enda invändningen jag har.
Vilken bok, alltså. Alla borde läsa den här.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide
mweis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I usually don’t put a lot of faith in comp titles, but in this case calling Stolen “Louise Erdrich meets Jo Nesbø” is very accurate. The book follows Elsa, a Sámi girl and who witnesses the murder of her reindeer when at the start of the book. As the plot continues we see the struggle of the Sámi people as they battle racism and hate crimes and climate change and other factors that are threatening their way of life. While Elsa is the main character, we do get chapters from other POVs including of the man who is torturing and killing reindeer so major trigger warning for animal cruelty here as there are some graphic depictions.
I think what this book does well is immerses the reader into the Sámi way of life and the struggles they face due to the other people’s hatred, an indifferent police and government, climate change, and more. The writing is also very immersive and well suited to such a bleak story. That being said, the pacing of this was off for me. That might be because I came in expecting more of a mystery plot, but we know from the beginning who the culprit is, so the book is more of a family saga than a mystery. But even after I readjusted my expectations, there were places where the story dragged for me.
Overall, I’m glad I read this book and I do recommend it if you’re in the mood for a fairly bleak family saga centering a Sámi community.
I usually don’t put a lot of faith in comp titles, but in this case calling Stolen “Louise Erdrich meets Jo Nesbø” is very accurate. The book follows Elsa, a Sámi girl and who witnesses the murder of her reindeer when at the start of the book. As the plot continues we see the struggle of the Sámi people as they battle racism and hate crimes and climate change and other factors that are threatening their way of life. While Elsa is the main character, we do get chapters from other POVs including of the man who is torturing and killing reindeer so major trigger warning for animal cruelty here as there are some graphic depictions.
I think what this book does well is immerses the reader into the Sámi way of life and the struggles they face due to the other people’s hatred, an indifferent police and government, climate change, and more. The writing is also very immersive and well suited to such a bleak story. That being said, the pacing of this was off for me. That might be because I came in expecting more of a mystery plot, but we know from the beginning who the culprit is, so the book is more of a family saga than a mystery. But even after I readjusted my expectations, there were places where the story dragged for me.
Overall, I’m glad I read this book and I do recommend it if you’re in the mood for a fairly bleak family saga centering a Sámi community.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization
teenytardigrade's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
Brilliant writing and storytelling about the lived experience of the Indigenous Samí, told from the (mostly) POV of a Samí girl/woman over her younger life. All Scandinavians should read this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism and Suicide
bella_zaga's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was an amazing slow burn. I definitely enjoyed the second half more than the first. And by the end, I felt deeply moved for the characters. It felt so tender to learn about the Sámi so intimately. I was deeply impacted by the way mental health was explored in this book and the long lasting effects of a single moment from being a little girl to a grown young adult. Also loved how sexism, racism, animal cruelty, climate change, and trauma were all interlaced throughout the story to bring a full, dynamic image of the Sámi people in the modern world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt