Stolen Away

VOYA - Elizabeth Norton

Seventeen-year-old Eloise's life is turned upside down one night when a handsome boy appears dressed as a medieval prince and insists that she come away with him because she is in grave danger. Eloise brushes him off but soon finds herself kidnapped by Lord Strahan, a power-hungry and cruel faerie king. Strahan intends to use Eloise as bait to lure his wife, Eloise's wayward Aunt Antonia, back into the faerie realm so he can kill her and thus end the last threat to his reign. Joined by her best friends Jo and Devin, Eloise sets out to save her aunt and depose Strahan, whose refusal to step down is causing a drought in both the mortal and faerie worlds. Reminiscent of Holly Black's Tithe (McElderry, 2002/VOYA October 2002), this fast-paced story combines fantasy and adventure with just the right amount of romance. The narration alternates between Eloise and Jo. Jo is obsessed with all things British and uses a great deal of British slang, but otherwise the two voices are sometimes difficult to tell apart. Harvey's prose is beautifully descriptive, evoking hot summer nights and heart-stopping battles. Full of fun and memorable characters and positive relationships, this book is an excellent choice for teens who like their fantasy with just a touch of romance. Reviewer: Elizabeth Norton

Children's Literature - Shirley Nelson

Teens Eloise and Jo have been complaining of the hot, dry weather in their boring hometown, but they are not prepared for what happens when they meet the two new hot guys in town. Lucas tells Eloise he is there to protect her, but she finds it difficult to trust someone who dresses as a member of King Arthur's court. However, she begins to believe him when she is attacked by oddly acting crows. By then it is too late because she finds herself a captive in the Faery court of Lord Strahan. Jo is meantime entranced by darkly handsome Eldric and does not at first realize Eloise is missing. Through alternating narratives Jo and Eloise unravel family secrets that bind Eloise to the faery world. How is Eloise's flighty Aunt Antonia involved with Lord Strahan? Why do the faeries speak of her as if she were someone special to them? With the assistance of both human and faery allies, Eloise and Jo are able to break the curse that has been causing the drought. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy this trip to the faery world. Reviewer: Shirley Nelson

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—According to Faery tradition, it is time for the evil King of Summer, Strahan, to give up this throne, but he refuses, thus causing a drought in the mortal realms and untold chaos to the fae (especially those who oppose him). Eloise and Jo have been best friends since they were children. Now 17, Eloise is kidnapped by Strahan so that he can lure his mortal wife, Eloise's aunt, into the Faery realm, and Jo must organize a rescue. Then, the teens must try to redress a wrong that is affecting all the realms, including ours. Harvey has built a solid, entertaining tale for readers new to stories of the fae, as well as longtime fans of fantasy. Both teens are fully realized characters, flaws and all. The story moves quickly and with plenty of suspense and action. Stolen Away is definitely a girlie tale of romance and adventure. It is a strong addition to any fantasy collection.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Kirkus Reviews

A fluffy derivative fantasy tries to stuff 20 pounds of plot into a five-pound story sack. Eloise Hart is a normal high-school girl, hanging out with her best friends Jo and Devin in a small town sweltering through an endless dry summer. That is, until a strange boy salutes her in the ice cream parlor, the birds start behaving oddly and Eloise discovers that she has become a pawn in the struggle between a villainous Fae king and his estranged queen, with potentially deadly consequences. Told in alternating chapters by the bullied-but-quietly-strong Eloise and the quirky madcap Jo, the story serves up two stereotypical teen heroines for the price of one, although they (and their sadly underdeveloped geeky friend Devin) share the same indistinguishable snark-riddled voice. There's also a double helping of Mysterious Hot Guys, in the Gallant Protector and Brooding Bad Boy flavors, both of whom fall madly in reciprocated love with the narrators before they've had a chance to exchange more than a few sentences or even names. The plot clips along briskly, rapidly tossing in assorted tidbits of fairy lore from shapeshifters to kelpies to Victorian pixies, mixing an admirable depiction of friendship and some arresting imagery with too many clunky metaphors and painfully cheesy dialogue. If it's all very shallow and predictable, it's also breezy and entertaining, with a diverting blend of chills, humor and spunk. Like fairy gold: shiny but ephemeral. (Urban fantasy. 12-17)