Taken

by Norah McClintock

Two girls have recently disappeared near the town where Stephanie lives. She is concerned but is sure that it could never happen to her. But then it does. Tied up and alone far from home, she manages to escape her captor and run for her life. But she is i

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Teen, Fiction, Survival, Contemporary

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

Norah McClintock’s fascinating mysteries are hard to put down. Her Chloe & Levesque series, Mike & Riel series, and Robyn Hunter series, all published by Scholastic Canada, have been popular with readers in many countries. Norah has also written several crime novels for reluctant readers in the Orca Soundings series from Orca Book Publishers,

Norah is a five-time winner of the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel. Read Mistaken Identity, The Body in the Basement, Sins of the Father, Scared to Death, and Break and Enter to find out why! Norah's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she has won numerous awards.

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award - Juvenile
o 1996 – Mistaken Identity – Winner
o 1998 – The Body in the Basement – Winner
o 1999 – Sins of the Father – Winner
o 2002 – Scared to Death – Winner
o 2003 – Break and Enter – Winner

Red Maple Award
o 2004 – Hit and Run – Winner

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken was a good read -- better than I expected. The ending did leave me with some questions, but overall it was an interesting read. I liked it!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILERS to save you the trouble of reading.

Entire synopsis

Two teen girls are kidnapped and murdered, then Stephanie is taken, drugged and tied up in a cabin. She escapes, runs through the woods for half the book, almost gets killed by a bear and is found. The police think she ran away. Turns out it was her mother’s fiancé. The end.

[Alia Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book....was amazing. It was incredible. It scared me at first, because I honestly don't like horror or mysterious books. This can actually happen in real life. Like, you wouldn't think it would be you, then BAM it is !! That's what scares me the most. This book actually helps with situations like this, when you don't know what to do. I think she worried a little too much in the book, but in other ways it felt like you were her. It felt like that was happening to you because you are so addicted/into the book. I felt bad because, she has ran away before and if someone found her they would laugh like it was a joke that she was kidnapped. I was totally surprised that kidnapper was "a slight main character in this book". I know she had trouble with her mom, when her father/husband passed away. Then her mom started dating Gregg, she disliked him, very much. I would actually read this again, if I had time.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thrilling story, told in a format that makes it easy for any reader to get into, we have a story part survival, part suspense as a girl is taken and left in the woods to die. I liked the swift pace and felt like I was there. The only problem really was how obviously the plot was laid out - you knew what would happen before she got off the bus - and who would do it. Still it was a good book and one I would suggest to struggling readers as it keeps attention and makes you want to get to the end quickly.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting story, that had me invested from the start and I had to finish as quickly as possible because I wanted to know who was behind it. I did think that Stephanie could have done a few things differently that may have prevented her abduction, but it was enlightening watching her try to survive in the wilderness. I think most people would enjoy this book, especially those looking for an easy read.

[Lizzy Seitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5 stars

This book’s plot was too convenient at times and too fast paced at other times. I wish there had been more time fleshing out the solving of the crime instead of focusing on pulling stories out of thin air that a fourteen year old would most likely not remember in a situation like that so all in all it wasn’t that great of a book to me.

[ishmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!! it was a short read but it gave me that thrill of reading a murder mystery-type book again and I loved it!! i totally recommend this if you wanna read something short and if you're in a book slump

[Jordyn Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, Norah McClintock, tells a story on how a young teenage girl, named Stephanie, is kidnapped and wakes up in an abandoned shack far in the woods. This story took me along her journey, making me never wanting to put it down. It is full of survival, mystery and emotion. It kept me on the edge of my seat guessing if she would find her way out of the woods and wonder who took her. She explains how a summer with her grandpa she learned survival skills that end up keeping her alive. She tells her family background, her past and present. There was not much I disliked about this book. This book is emotional and suspenseful. Reading this makes you feel as if you are along her side. It is also easy to read and is a very fast book. Throughout the book there is action, like when Stephanie is charged by a large black bear. Also there is emotion like when she wishes the last thing she said to her mom was I love you instead of I hate you. Overall the reading was easy, here and there would be a couple of words I did not know. I rate this book five stars. I suggest this book to anyone who loves mystery, survival and suspense.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book on a recommendation from Goodreads, and I was immediately "taken" with the cover. I had to have it - so I immediately went to my local library website where I was delighted to find it on the shelves and available to check out. I had to wait two days before I could get to the library, and the anticipation mounted. Finally, I picked up the book where I discovered it was a very short novel. I opened it and got started. What I read was good. The narrator was smart and savvy with wood lore. Her pluckiness was to be admired. Then came the last 40 pages, and without revealing any spoilers, let me just say it was a whirlwind. So many things happened in a sentence or two that could have realistically been slowed down and more time and attention given to. Since the book was so short, this would definitely have been an option. The ending was as if McClintock reached a cliff and then wrote two more sentences to finish. This could easily have been a four or four and half star book had she written more. The plot, characters and writing style didn't need to change one bit - it just needed more.

[Shivani Bieber ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an AMAZING book. The plot line was extremely creepy, and unimaginable- I don't what I would do if that happened to me. Stephanie has so much experience with camping and hiking, so that was the reason she survived in the the woods fort so long. I f I was in her position, I would SURELY die within the first week, if not the first DAY itself. After reading this book, I have become so paranoid- I've even told my told my mom that I'm never walking anywhere alone again, no matter if it's in broad daylight, or pitch black darkness. I've learned that being super paranoid is much better than being totally careless, because it's all worth it in the end when you're safe and not wandering out in the woods like Stephanie, who was way too careless. I would dehinitely recommend this book to anyone- the only caution is that you might become REALLY, REALLY, REALLY freaked out and paranoid like me, and it's the overall concept of this book that is disturbing.

[Laura bayfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read Taken written by Norah McClintock because Rachel recommended it to me as she found it thrilling and exciting.

This book falls into the category of a novel of my own choice.

My favourite character in this novel is the brave main character Stephanie. I think she was my favourite character to read about not only because the book was based on her but because she showed a lot of courage. Stepahanie was put in a complete freak out situation and she managed to stay calm and get out alive. Even though this situation is extremely rare her actions were all sensible and payed off.

This book had me at the edge of my seat. Every page i turned i got more sucked in and a tiny bit scared. my favorurite quote in the book was... this was because

This book was so good i couldn't put it down. i was scared, excited and nervous throughout it. that's why i gave it five stars.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in two days. The beginning was really intriguing and it kept my attention. By the middle, I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what would happen. Great story line. A little predictable. The trek through the woods was very detailed, which I think, took away from the ending. The ending was too quick and abrupt. For example here's what happened: this is who the kidnapper was. Bam. Here's why. Bam. He's thrown into prison. Bam. Stephanie doesn't walk alone anymore. Bam. Book done. Considering how detailed most of the book was, the ending just sorta threw me off. It was like McClintock was in a huge rush to finish the novel. But other than that, it was pretty suspenseful and a definite page turner. So taking all of this into account, I give it three stars.

[TheSaint · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you haven't figured out who the perp is by page 20, you aren't paying attention.
Steph is none too happy with her mom's choice of potential stepfathers. And Gregg is hardly pleased with Steph, either.
So, when news develops of a serial killer in the neighborhood, Gregg takes advantage.
Steph goes missing. She's been drugged, bound, and left to rot in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, she spent the summer with her back-to- nature grandpa, and learned useful survival skills, such as navigating by the North star, so you know she's going to make it out ok.
Is Taken a little obvious, yes. A hit with reluctant readers? You betcha.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dommage que ça soit ça aussi court j'aurai aimé en lire en côté davantage! On est tendu toute la première partie. Stéphanie est admirable. Un bel exercice de genre.

[Allegra S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introductory thriller for kids. It was predictable but the writing was solid and the pacing was good. I would read another one of her books.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a girl named Stephanie who got abducted after hearing about the 2 girls that recently disappeared near her town. She is aware of the chances but is very sure that this definitely won't happen to her. One day, she is walking through a field and starts to walk a little faster than usual because she notices something is off. When she reaches halfway she feels someone grab her and starts choking her with their hand covering her mouth and nose. She woke up and wasn't sure what time or day it was but all she knew she had to do was escape. She sets her foot on a hair raising adventure she never knew would happen. With the help of her grandfather and his lessons, she is able to apply the life survival skills taught by him. The theme shown by this book is about survival, this book talks about the way of applying past knowledge to the survival of life. Things that you didn't know you needed to know pop up in your mind as the bumpy road gets closer. Obstacles to complete by using things you learned by others shows your survival instincts. I was really interested in this book from the start because I was intrigued by how Stephanie (main character) would escape herself from the scary situation with the anxiety build up knowing that her abductor was looking for her. She could meet face to face with him any time while finding a way to escape from the woods. Throughout the book, you can see that her mind is taking control of her with all the questions she asks herself. This book impressed me...

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, I Admit that I came across this book because of my 12yr. old Daughter. She brought the book home from her School Library and was reading it. She happened to have left it on the table one night and had went to bed for School the next morning. I'm a Mom and a Bookworm, the cover looked interesting and I thought "Hey this seems like a good book to read". The summary pulled me in immediately. Plus I'm used to reading big books and so I was confident I could read it all that night and put it back on the table for her to pick up in the morning. and that is exactly what happened. the book was amazing, I loved it and thought of how Grateful and Happy that my Daughter found this book and was reading it. It had some interesting facts and survival tips. I'm a Mother of 1, and live in the city, but there's still woods all around, and behind where I live, I hear Amber Alerts a lot, so I'm constantly warning my Daughter about Danger of Kidnappings, to be Careful. Until I read this I never actually thought of teaching her what to do if she ever were to be caught and kidnapped. so now I'm looking into Survival methods and ways to escape, in order to teach my Daughter. Not everyone is lucky enough to escape, but having your Wits about you and Knowledge could just save your life. Anyways i rate this 5 stars and recommend it to all readers, including young and old teenagers alike. Thanks again for this book. :)

[Jagger Hammer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken by Norah McClintock is about a typical 17 year old girl named Stephanie, going through the normal struggles of high school. Recently on the news, a second girl had been reported missing. Just 2 weeks prior, only the hand of the first victim was found. Although deep down Steph may be scared, but she does not let it affect her and how she acts. This proves to be a mistake, one night while walking home, Steph decides to take a shortcut through a large open field. The next thing she knows, she is tied up in a shack in the middle of the woods. My favorite character is stephanie’s Grandpa. Stephanie is forced to spend a summer with him as her mom recovers from losing her husband. Grandpa teaches Stephanie all about living/surviving in the woods which literally helps save her life. The characters are real, at times you feel the same fear/anxiety that stephanie does. The story defineitley kept me guessing, a major plot twist occurs at the end of book. I would recommend this book to anyone under the age of 18 and who enjoys risk taking behaviors. As one reads this book, you feel the same feelings Steph does. The main themes of this book are do not think something bad can not happen to you, listen to your parents and you never know what secret lives people live. My favorite part of the book is all the cool and interesting survival facts you indirectly learn from grandpa. It is very insightful and useful if you ever get kidnapped in the woods.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie hasn't really gotten along with her mom since her dad died and Gregg appeared in their lives. Her mom seems happy with Gregg, but Stephanie can't warm up to him and she can't stand that her mom has moved on so soon. That is only one thing going on in her life. Two girls matching her description have gone missing, one having been found dead. All the teens in her neighborhood have been warned to go nowhere alone, but Stephanie figured she can make it home safely during the day. Turns out, she was wrong. Finding herself in the middle of unfamiliar woods and tied up, she must figure out how to escape before she ends up as the third victim.

A short but engrossing book. Stephanie has some wilderness survival skills and refuses to become a victim. The ending does twist, but not completely unexpected. Action-packed and fast-paced.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thought behind this book was intriguing and it started out very promising. But about 1/3 of the way through it started to become repetitive and the ending was apparent from a mile a way. There seemed to be more than a few teen cliches (Mom and daughter fight, Mom has boyfriend daughter doesn't like, city girl in the country, etc.) and this was especially disappointing because there were some distinctive traits that Stephanie had that could have been flushed out.

Keeping in mind that this story is geared for 12+ readers, I still feel it was too simplistic and went way too fast...before you had a chance to appreciate where Stephanie was at she was off onto the next situation/cliche. Having seen the good reviews for McClintock's previous books, I was a bit underwhelmed by this outing.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[K.R. Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I teeter between rating this book as a two or three star. I really enjoyed it up until the point where she was descovered and then, back home. From that point on, things felt rushed and forced, the ending trite. I did however, love the rest of the story, up to that point. The pace is fast, the format such that kept me frantically turning pages to see what happened next. I devoured the story in a few hours on a rainy afternoon. Just wish the author could have shown the same care with the ending as she did with the middle. Not a horrible read, but it had the ability to be even better.

[Alma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie’s father was killed in a car accident, and she hates that her mother found a boyfriend just a few months after the accident. She hates the new boyfriend, feeling as if he’s mooching off her mom. A serial killer kidnapped two girls who look very similar to her in nearby towns, but she’s sure her town is safe. Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....

[Abby Mcnish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephine thought she was safe in her home with her mom and Gregg. But I think she was a bit wrong as she and Allison hung ut and didn't think much of it Steph went on a short cut and that's where her life was turned upside down. Steph was wondering where her next meal and drink was going to come from as she was tied up in the shack. as she untied her self she ran and ran until she couldn't nop more until she was finally found.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a very easy writing style and the plot just made me want to keep reading until I figured out who the kidnapper was. When it’s revealed, the story was “wrapped up,” (if I can even call it that) way too quickly in about 2-3 pages. I would have liked a more fleshed out ending for the plot and the characters.

[Mandalis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken, was a great rollercoaster book! It made me always question the characters, but I never questioned Greg. I can take away many surviving skills that I will hopefully never have to use. I really recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery, survival and thriller. it really hits all of those spots.

[Gavin Cahill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken by norah McClintock was a fast paced thriller book that i would recommend to young readers. The main character, steph, is kidnapped and after she escaped she gets lost in the woods and struggles to get home. At the beginning we are introduced to her mom’s boyfriend Greg whom she dose not like. I felt he was going to be the kidnapper the whole time

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken, by Nora McClintock great book that I would recommend to young readers. The main character, Steph, is kidnapped, finds a way to escape, and then struggles to get back home. At the begging of the story we are introduced to her moms boyfriend, Greg, whom she doesn’t like. Because of her dislike towards Greg, I felt he was bound to be the kidnapper, witch made the book very predictable.

[CARSON SCHILLING · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken, by Nora McClintock was a great survival book and taught me a lot ways to survive. The main character Steph was kidnapped and put into a shack in the middle of the woods. She had to use many survival tips while in the woods. I recommend this book to people in middle school and maybe high school.

[Kristin Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I remembered reading back in high school or so (I picked it back up from my room when I was visiting home). Not necessarily a great book ending wise (so if you want to read it for the mystery/ who done it? it’s meh it feels rushed) but it’s more-so about the actual journey and story telling throughout the book.

[Ysenia Gallosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was really good and I liked how the girl that got taken new how to find her way out of the woods and into safety. I thought at the beginning of the book that the step dad took her because the girl made it very clear that she doesn't like her.