Review of "Taken"

"Today is the last day I will see my brother."

     Erin Bowman's Taken is a novel where answers are worth any price. In Claysoot, a boy's eighteenth birthday is the last one he will ever experience. At exactly midnight, a flash of light and an earthquake shakes the tiny village, and when the townspeople recover, the kid is gone. Gray Weathersby has a year to go, but his brother, Blaine, is scheduled to be Heisted tomorrow. Blaine is a father, a hunter, and a prominent member of society, and he leaves behind a void that threatens to never heal. When Gray discovers a shocking secret his brother kept from him, his first thought is to tear Claysoot apart in search of answers--and search he does, only to discover that every truth he once held dear is, in fact, a lie. With the help of Emma, the girl he's liked for years, Gray sets out on a journey to cross the enormous Wall surrounding the town. But if he is to succeed, he must learn to trust no one, least of all the people he cares for.

     Bowman's writing is truly incredible. She captures Gray's weary, irritable personality perfectly, painting him with colors that make him simultaneously sympathetic and unlikable. Though Gray is tired of playing by the rules--especially "slatings" with random girls and avoiding the Wall at all costs--he knows no other life. He's a complex character with incredible depth, and although he doesn't have the warmest personality, he is definitely realistic and easy to connect to. Bowman does a great job of writing the inside of a boy's head, which many female authors can't seem to master. Taken could have easily been headed by a female protagonist, but the filter of Gray's mind lends everything a  unique perspective that makes the story that much better.

     This book is a great example of pacing. Despite the ease with which many plot twists can be spotted, Bowman's narrative is shockingly well-balanced and flows naturally, like a living thing. Riots, Heists, and desperate battles are checked by trips to the pond, touching reunions, and well-written new friends. Sadly, a great deal of the characters we meet are pretty flat, or at least static, though Gray goes through a good amount of development as the story progresses.

     Taken has plenty of action and conflict, but it's also a romance. Emma is a sweet character with surprising grit, and it is fun to watch her and Gray get to know each other, especially since they take their relationship slow. She brings out a side of him readers would otherwise miss: a protective, loyal boy who would do anything to keep her safe. There is a love triangle, though it feels rather forced and unnecessary to the story. Thankfully, characters cuss very little, if at all, and don't actually participate in slatings during the plot. They do, however, come close, and stop themselves only because they don't want children.

     I would recommend this book to teenagers with an interest in strong male protagonists who will not take half-truths and evasions for an answer. Gray Weathersby is a great character with lots going on in his head, and is surrounded by well-written characters who are round enough to keep readers going, even if they are relatively static. His quest for the truth is believable and fascinating, and even the most fantastic aspects of his world are painted with realistic colors. Erin Bowman's Taken is a great book with more beneath the surface than the cover suggests, full of well-forged characters and an absorbing plot. It has easily worked its way to four-star status.