Stolen

by Deborah Moggach

From the bestselling author of Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.Always a rebel, Marianne was the first girl in her class to bleach her hair and learn how to smoke. A few boyfriends and one abortion later she falls in love with Salim, the proud and elegant Pakistani with eyes like treacle. East meets West in a passionate mixed marriage. However, Marianne knows little of the Islamic view of motherhood. When his wife proves unfaithful, Salim reasons that she is morally incapable of bringing up her children and kidnaps them while she is at work...

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2012

About the author

Deborah Moggach is a British writer, born Deborah Hough on 28 June 1948. She has written fifteen novels to date, including The Ex-Wives, Tulip Fever, and, most recently, These Foolish Things. She has adapted many of her novels as TV dramas and has also written several film scripts, including the BAFTA-nominated screenplay for Pride & Prejudice. She has also written two collections of short stories and a stage play. In February 2005, Moggach was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by her Alma Mater, the University of Bristol . She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a former Chair of the Society of Authors, and is on the executive committee of PEN.

Reviews

[Jayne Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by Deborah Moggach and on the strength of it, I went on and read all the others. It is a highly readable tug-of-love story that takes many agonising twists and turns. The narrator is not perfect but I felt her pain.

[martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cross-cultural marriage is not always an easy challenge. When it breaks down it becomes a nightmare, especially when young children are involved. Good people become irrational, selfish, vindictive.

It’s a very difficult subject to write fairly about too. The writer and the reader often have strong preconceived ideas and views which lead them to favour one of the warring parents. The author makes a good stab at it here, using the British mother as her sole narrator but at the same time making her unreliable, sometimes unfair and also unpleasant.

It’s a bitter, gut-wrenching story. I do wish the author had included the Pakistani father as a POV narrator too. I felt one of the “two sides to every story” was missing here

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poignant

[Daniel Hook · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is commonly believed that there is no right or wrong way to read a book. Art is subjective- we all take different things from it, and that is how we form discussion. I completely agree but with a book like this I think it's helpful once you've read a couple of chapters to try and think about what you're aiming to take away from the reading experience and here's why...

'Stolen' introduces us to Marianne- a young woman of the sixties era who loves rock and roll, promiscuous sex and rebelling against her parents and peers just for the hell of it. When the novel opens in 1968, Marianne meets Salim, a young Muslim student and they instantly form an attraction to one another. Marianne even admits to the reader that part of the attraction was the reaction of those around her to the fact that she is dating a middle-eastern man.

As the relationship develops they marry, have two children together, but then the relationship sours. Marianne feels stifled by the boredom of routine and lack of attention from her husband and ends up engaging in an affair with another man.

In shock, Salim surmises that Marianne is an unfit mother who is morally incapable of raising their children and he kidnaps the children taking them home to Pakistan. What ensues is Marianne's battle to get her children back under very harsh and very painful circumstances.

While Marianne's journey is full of pain and grief, what is equally as shocking is her often racist view of her ex-husband and even her children, even remarking at one point that she was shocked at how much hairier her daughter is in comparison to other girls.

I can see why this novel often angers people, but after a while I realised that for the sake of authenticity Moggach has to try to mirror the thoughts and opinions of white people in Britain in the sixties, seventies and eighties accurately regarding race. Pat Barker has remarked when discussing writing historical fiction that as a genre it helps to open doors of discussion over topics which may be in the modern day considered to be taboo. While 'Stolen' cannot really be considered historical fiction, I found that viewing it as such helped to cushion some of the more awkward passages. Marianne is often infuriatingly unreliable as the sole narrator of the novel and I have felt that maybe it might have worked better as a multiple voice narrative, with parts of the story being told from Salim's point of view as well as Marianne's in order to counterbalance some of the awkwardness of Marianne's thoughts, feelings and experiences. However, I also understand how this would have dejected away from the intensity of Marianne's experiences.

In terms of style, this is a very easy novel to read and there is good stuff to be had here. This is also a very claustrophobic, intense book in some areas highlighting the grief felt by many parents who have suffered the misfortune of having their children taken from them. The three star rating I've given comes down to the writing style (although what's with all the semi-colons please?), Moggach's bravery at tackling such a difficult subject area (often very effectively) and for the overall reading experience. I felt that I couldn't rate this book higher because of the ending- I like ambiguity, I just didn't buy what I read. Part 2 does not match the standard of part 1 in my opinion. I also feel that Moggach seemed a little unsure of what she wanted this story to really be, and this is why readers often have trouble engaging. I'd definitely read more from this writer. 'Tulip Fever' is certainly worth a look.

[Sally Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book was incredibly quick and easy to read, I wouldn't say it was hugely enjoyable.
The narrator is unreliable, and to be perfectly honest, not particularly pleasant at times (some might sympathise more readily than me, given what her character goes through).
Some of the "anti-Islamic male" views held by the narrator (based on her experience I hasten to add) don't make for very comfortable reading in the contemporary political climate.
The plot is pacy and sharp, and the characters convincing. The ending, however, is almost too ambiguous given the narrator's bitterness and depth of feeling throughout the rest of the novel.

[valentina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Something about this book rubbed me the wrong way.

[Liz Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't bad, but I was irritated by a few inconsistencies. A good idea for a book, but it just didn't quite work for me.

[Wendy Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and the story was well-told. Unfortunately, all the protaganists were such awful people (apart from Tom) that I found it difficult to enjoy the story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Deborah Moggach. Love her style of writing and enjoyed the plot and how it unfolded although I wasn't overly fussed on the ending. I don't mind ambiguity however I thought it was a bit weak.

[Judith Yeabsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was one of those books that kept telling you what was going to happen (on ever other page). Once we got past the big "incident" and we didn't know what was going to happen it got a lot more interesting. It had the bones of a brilliant and moving story. Unfortunately the characters were not particularly likeable and they never seemed to get fleshed out properly. I kept waiting to get to know them and feel with them but I felt that I was imposing my emotions onto the book rather than it being channelled the other way. Disappointing.

[Sarah Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The topic of this book is interesting and by reading it you open yourself up to a new way of looking at things.
I sometimes found myself angry at the main character for doing things "wrong" and I don't think I connected with her too well.
I'm still very confused about the end though, "and you might have guessed what I did", well no, I still have no idea.
This was a nice little read to pass the time, but nothing life changing.

[Elizabeth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. After reading it I decided I wanted to write but it was many years ago and I had a different career. I loved the prose and the way Marianne was portrayed. I eventually attained my dream and published so I remember this book fondly.

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done and totally convincing.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bizarre ending, in my opinion, but a haunting tale.