John Smith is not your average teenager.
He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him.
But you can't run forever.
So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about - and who care about him. Never in John's short life has there been space for friendship, or even love.
But it's just a matter of time before John's secret is revealed.
He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed.
John is Number Four. He knows that he is next . . .
I Am Number Four is an action-packed, thrilling adventure that will keep readers turning pages long after they should have gone to bed—both because they will have to know what happens next and because they might be too scared to turn off the lights! (Yes, the evil aliens are only after the nine Loriens, and readers ought to rationalize that because they are not one of the nine they should be safe, but the description of their pale bodies hidden behind hats and trench coats is too haunting for logic!) This is a wonderfully gripping read.
On the character front, John (Four) has his moments of being annoying and foolish. He manages to demonstrate that boy drama can inspire as much eye rolling as girl drama. But in the end, he is a great guy, and readers will become invested in his safety and his guardian Henri’s. There is also a cute, loyal dog named Bernie Kosar for which Lore definitely deserves bonus points. The girlfriend, Sarah, sometimes seems to say “Yeah, a guy invented me” because she is gorgeous, popular, a former cheerleader, and older than John. But she is also truly compassionate and loyal and gave up cheerleading in favor of photography. Overall, she is pretty awesome, too.
The book ends on a strong note, with all these characters showing their best characteristics, and with the stakes for Four higher than ever. Though the story is very nicely complete in some ways, there is still much to happen, and readers will want to know about it as soon as possible. Having the rest of the series on hand is recommended.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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14 May, 2012:
Finished reading
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14 May, 2012:
Reviewed