Stolen

Critics Review

• Stolen is an extraordinary novel. A coming-of-age-story you’ll get lost in, about youth and heritage and the never-ending struggle to be allowed to exist. Although set in the coldest and most northern part of Scandinavia, I’m convinced it’s a universal story to be loved everywhere in the world

  FREDRIK BACKMAN, author of A MAN CALLED OVE

• The simple storytelling, told through the eyes of a child, lurches into the brooding darkness of a thriller, with more than a touch of Nordic noir

  independent.co.uk

• Ann-Helén Laestadius’s debut novel for adults highlights the discrimination Sweden’s ethnic minority Sami have suffered over the years for their determination to pursue a traditional lifestyle as reindeer herders

  GUARDIAN

• Extraordinarily good … A gripping and moving work of literary fiction … Stolen promises to be the catalyst for a greater global awareness of the range of issues facing the Sámi. First and foremost, it’s a terrific novel

  NEW EUROPEAN

• Her mastery of imagery is second to none

  LITRO

• An epic, multi-generational tale … Stolen is a clear-eyed, sometimes shocking account of the persecution of a people whose language has been restricted, their culture repressed and land taken from them. Laestadius’s description of the layers of trauma passed down the generations is particularly affecting

  NEW HUMANIST

• It’s with laudable subtlety that Laestadius depicts the stresses and strains unique to a people trying to stay true to their ancient way of life while coping with prejudice, persecution and the unfolding impact of global heating

  OBSERVER

• The heart, and the great appeal, of this novel is its empathetic portrait of a young woman who flourishes in this harsh, but beautiful, landscape … Highlights the paradox of being oppressed in one of the most egalitarian countries in the world … Laestadius has a keen eye for … the elemental hardship of life on the edge of a wilderness’

  FINANCIAL TIMES

• A moving and powerful exploration of the Sámi community … This eye-opening, explorative insight into the Sámi community and a personal journey for the author has had a profound and lingering effect on me as a reader.

  BUZZMAG

• It possesses a strong narrative drive and offers an immediacy and accessibility that allows an unhindered glimpse into the experience of modern-day Sami, making a convincing and fervent argument for greater protection of their land-tied way of life

  GEOGRAPHICAL

• Has struck a chord worldwide

  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

• An atmospheric tale, both beautiful and cruel

  CRIME MONTHLY

• Beautiful and devastating, Stolen shines a powerful and important light on the Sámi community and the growing challenges they face in a changing world

  CAROLE JOHNSTONE, author of MIRRORLAND

• In this moving crime novel Laestadius helps us comprehend what a terrible trauma for the Sami people this clash of cultures represents, and to bear witness to the erosion of their cherished way of life

  MORNING STAR

• Viscerally clear fiction of both the fractured, violent nature of the Sámi’s relationship with their Nordic occupiers and the coming of age of an innocent girl. Written with such cool clarity, Stolen is a perfect metaphor of our slippery grip on humanity and our tenuous relationship with the Earth

  TANYA TALAGA, bestselling author of SEVEN FALLEN FEATHERS

• Sámi author Ann-Helén Laestadius has written a fresh, devastating, and insightful novel about Sámi life and the struggle for justice in a rapidly changing world. A love for the imperiled landscape reverberates throughout this engaging read

  MEGAN MAYHEW BERGMAN, author of HOW STRANGE A SEASON

• Stolen is in equal measure a gripping and thrilling mystery as it is a testament to the continued beating heart of Sámi life. Ann-Helén Laestadius takes her place as an important voice in world Indigenous literature

  MICHELLE GOOD, author of FIVE LITTLE INDIANS

• Laestadius’s nuanced English-language debut is a story of a family torn apart by cultural tensions … The sense of place and character development make for an affecting portrait of the Sámi’s disenfranchisement

  PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

• A revelatory account of not-well-known assaults on the rights of an Indigenous group … The legacies of long-held social prejudices against the Indigenous group – racism, economic insecurity, and the traumas borne by the community’s elders who had been removed from the group in childhood and sent to “nomad schools” – continue to haunt Sámi life with devastating effects … Looming over the tale is the spectre of climate change and its impacts on the traditional Sámi herding methods

  KIRKUS

• A sharp and socially critical novel with an intensity that makes it powerful and strong … Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this novel

  Dagens Nyheter (SE)

• Laestadius writes with burning intensity about a community around the Arctic Circle that is rarely portrayed. Her commitment shines through and constantly urges the reader to continue reading. It may be foolhardy to name this year’s most powerful book as early as February. But that Stolen is one of the most important Swedish books of the year is indisputable

  Demokraatti (FI)

• Stolen is not only a fierce cry for justice, but also an empathic and beautiful story about the love of and nature

  Norra Skåne (SE)

• One of the most talked about books this spring … Stolen is a moving, multifaceted, and important contemporary novel that highlights many serious themes and portrays a society and a situation that needs to be discussed many times over. A well-written story that leaves a lasting impression

  P4 Västernorrland (SE)

• A deeply gripping and atmospheric novel that will take hold of your heart. Filled with compelling characters and a formidable landscape – this debut is a triumph!

  DANIELLE DANIEL, award-winning author of DAUGHTERS OF THE DEER

• In a careful and at times poetic prose [Laestadius] portrays milieus, conflicts, and magic from an area that has long been underrepresented in literary fiction in Sweden

  Expressen (SE)

• Ann-Helén Laestadius’s writing flows seamlessly, with a piercing psychological and keen eye for societal issues. I am especially happy about the elegant ending, that beautifully ties the circle together and brings hope of a brighter future

  Hufvudstadsbladet (FI)

• Intimately and vividly portrayed. The novel gives beautiful insights into the life of the Sámi and their struggle for justice. An accessible and at the same time deep, beautiful, and suspenseful tale of a part of the world many of us know very little about. It deserves a large audience

  BTJ (SE)

• The best trick of fiction is how it can make us feel part of something, and Laestadius does just that … Incredibly thrilling

  Jönköpings-Posten (SE)

• Both a thrilling page-turner and a story to remember for a long time to come

  Sundsvalls Tidning (SE)

• Stolen is an important novel that provides insight into modern Sámi life. This is the first step in a new direction for an author with a crucial message: I will be sure to follow her going forward

  Svenska Dagbladet (SE)

• A stunningly suspenseful, glowing story, in which a perceptive narrator brings a whole new world to the reader

  Helsingin Sanomat

• A splendid novel. […] The characters are lovingly and skillfully portrayed, in such a way that makes it hard to let go of them afterwards

  Suomen Kuvalehti