Name: Monicap's review of I am number four by Pittacus Lore
Item: I am number four
Rating: 4
Author: Monicap

Pittacus Lore

In rural Ohio, friendships and a beautiful girl prove distracting to a fifteen-year-old who has hidden on Earth for ten years waiting to develop the Legacies, or powers, he will need to rejoin the other six surviving Garde members and fight the Mogadorians who destroyed their planet, Lorien.

I am number four

Monicap

HE is an alien, and Aliens are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sam is mine.

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 . . .

(Lorien Legacies Book 1)

I Am Number Four

Luke Harkness

Eh... it was OK

This was another YA novel that I picked up after seeing there was a bad movie made out of it. I'm always intrigued by these as I know they must have been good books to be made into a film in the first place.

What I got was a very mundane fantasy/Sci novel. It had some great ideas and a inhad a lot of time for the world Lore is trying to build but the love story had me cringing and everything was sooo obvious from the outset. The ending was just about good enough to make me consider giving it a three star but then I thought I'd given Divergent four star recently and this was nowhere near as good as that. It wasn't a bad book by any means, just not one I'd instantly go and tell everybody about.

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you—but We are not you. We have powers you dream of having. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books— But we are real. They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They killed them all. I am Number Four. I am next.

Annika Arguemore

better than the movie, of course. I love the plot of this story. it was mostly adventure.

Whitney Nicole

I definitely like the premise of this book, and I’m excited to learn more about the other Lorian Six and their super secret secrets or whatever. But I had to knock off two stars for the romance. I know it’s YA but I just was so annoyed by the whole wattpad-esque small town girl with a heart of gold trope that went on with Sarah. Truth be told I’m hoping John (Four…whatever you wanna call him) gets a new love interest with one of the other Lorics. I always eat up the nerdy best friend trope so I’m happy it looks like we’ll get to see Sam in the next book….although I’m curious what he told his mother 💀 time to go watch the movie I guess!

★★★ // weird, but not something i can really appreciate. will probably not continue reading the rest of the series.

julia

I was excited to read this book because a lot of my friends are huge fans of it. Now, I can't understand why. The story doesn't make that much sense (how do they plan to reclaim Lorien?), and I didn't feel like the romance had any basis.

Hannah Yang

Hmm. I have heard very good things about I Am Number Four and I don't know whether my expectations were met or not, because what I read was certainly not what I expected, but it was very good. 

I Am Number Four is about an alien who used to live on the planet of Lorien, but had to escape when the Mogadorians came and destroyed the planet. There were nine other kids (the Garde) who were able to escape, and they were all given numbers. A charm was placed so that the Mogadorians can only kill them in order. He is number four, and the first three were all killed, which means he is the next target. Throughout the whole story we get to learn more about the past of Lorien while learning about what is going on in that moment, and the information added is relevant to the book, which I liked. 

As for characters, John Smith (so creative. If it were a girl, I bet she would be Jane Doe. I know they were going for common, but really?) was a good protagonist and narrator. I understood where he was coming from and he didn't have any super annoying qualities. There were some times he didn't obey Henri (who am I kidding, he disobeyed Henri all the time) and that's okay, because he's a kid and the stakes are high so of course he'd make mistakes. Overall, he was a pretty average character. I didn't really feel him at an emotional level, and though I could picture the action scenes very clearly, parts where he missed Sarah or was worried about Henri didn't seem that believable. That's another thing - Sarah. She's really nice, and the mentions of her prettiness are scattered all over the place. But she just seems too perfect. I think it would have been nice if Sarah and John had a fight or some disagreement, something to make her seem less reasonable. Because as much as I'd love to be one, there are no perfect girls like that. Anyways, enough about Sarah. I also liked Henri as a character, though for some reason I couldn't really connect to him. 

Let me back up first - I think that was my main problem. The book was greatly written. The writing was awesome. A-OK. Nothing wrong with it. The action scenes were great. The plot idea good as well. In fact, everything was pretty great -- so why didn't I give it 5 stars? The characters. I couldn't connect to them that much. I understood them, understood their intentions and desires and hopes, but I never really felt anything for them. When they were sad, I agreed it was a sad scene, but I didn't feel sad with them. I didn't feel their sadness. Which was a problem with me, because I am huge on books with very well conveyed character emotion. 

Another thing I would have loved is more on the Mogadorians. I'm still confused as to why exactly they want to kill the Garde so badly, and their intentions. Also, I got really confused at the huge battle scene because I couldn't tell the difference between all the scouts and soldiers and the beast at the end like where did that come from? Perhaps I wasn't reading carefully enough, but I felt like while the battle was certainly action-packed, I didn't really get most of the action.

Overall, I thought that it was a good book. Really, it was. I just sort of wished there was... more. (Am I being book-greedy?) I would recommend it though, especially if you like aliens/sci-fi/action. I can't say that I loveloveloved it or anything, because that would be a lie, but it was an enjoyable, hard-to-put-down read and I know it will appeal to many others.

It had some nice young adult dystopia vibes like Hunger Games or Maze Runners only with Aliens. 

Not a fan of four though. He is annoying and selfish and doesn't listen. I really hoped for six to slap him on multiple occasions. 

The Chaimeara Plot was foreseeable. I am a bit confused why Henry suddenly became important when in the end game he could have easily been replaced by Sam. 

Oh Sam, I like him a lot and I am glad he is going with six and four. 

Despite the description of the beasts I am still lost on what they look like...

I amsad that Henry died, I'd rather four died, he was annoying.

Neele Knolle

It had some nice young adult dystopia vibes like Hunger Games or Maze Runners only with Aliens. 

Not a fan of four though. He is annoying and selfish and doesn't listen. I really hoped for six to slap him on multiple occasions. 

The Chaimeara Plot was foreseeable. I am a bit confused why Henry suddenly became important when in the end game he could have easily been replaced by Sam. 

Oh Sam, I like him a lot and I am glad he is going with six and four. 

Despite the description of the beasts I am still lost on what they look like...

I amsad that Henry died, I'd rather four died, he was annoying.

Kirsten Simkiss

This book was okay. I'd really give it 2.5 stars, just straddling the line between an acceptable read and a disappointing one. I love sci-fi stuff usually, but I just couldn't get into the characters. It kept this one pretty bland for me. The writing was also pretty simple in general. It didn't feel like it belittled the writers, but it just made the story drag for me because they took longer to say simple things.

As far as plot went, it was a decent concept: space teens running from the conquering race. I just don't see why the conquering race would give a damn. The most interesting character for me was Sam, although I still found him to be a little on the flat side in terms of how he was written. I wish I had more to say about the book, but I just found it to be pretty unremarkable YA fiction.

All in all, it's an okay book, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Natasha Musa

I absolutely love this book and read it in one day. I can't wait to read the second book and also catch the movie.

Ayden

** spoiler alert **
           
I read it on shabbos so I couldn’t note all the examples I wanted 
But before I even begin my review I need to quote a passage that has stayed with me throughout the book
 “there was nineteen of us, nine kids and nine adults” (not verbatim but the math still stands) 

*Which brings me to my first issue with this book there is very few book pet peeves that I have that make me as frustrated as a character that is supposed to be smart but just isn’t. John just makes one dumb move after another and it is irritating. And btw what is johns actual name? The book seems to imply that’s it’s four but that makes no sense considering he had a life before he was shipped off to earth. Also why does Henri never change his name? and why doesn’t four know his mentors name? Why doesn’t four know half of the things that six knows without a mentor? And why why for the love of god why doesn’t he notice that it’s not normal that his dog can run 60 miles per hour????

I just don’t like stupidity 

*Moving on to relationships. 
Four supposedly has gone from place to place his whole life and is aware that he will have to leave Ohio as well yet he doesn’t hesitate to build relationships with Sam and Shara. Also are we to believe that with his complete willingness to make friends he’s never had a friend from ALL the schools he’s gone to before Sam. And that he’s never encountered a bully to the degree of mark who tried tripping him???
“If I get exposed my whole species is in danger but this high school jerk pushed me I can’t possibly be expected to control myself”
Now if four was just as annoying hotheaded kid I might’ve possibly been OK with this. But he’s gone to several schools in the past and never caused trouble like he caused in this school and I just don’t get it.

And this same guy who later becomes really full on jerk they decide to just tell him about everything because what? 

Ok so on to Sara on of the dullest love interest ever. All of these characters are extremely one dimensional but Sara takes the cake there is nothing unique or significant about her and their relationship is possibly even more boring than her. Four NEVER makes the first move like ever! Which I would be fine with if he had any reservations about her. By the time it came to say I love you I knew she would be the first despite the fact that four felt that love for her. He doesn’t have any conflicting emotions about being with her. He just doesn’t do anything about it!

Still in relationships I want to talk about lotions strange custom where the kids are raised by the grandparents so the parents can learn to be soldiers 
Your telling me that a peaceful planet unanimously agreed to leave their children in order to train and yet they still failed whereas four and six and 4 people without powers managed to thwart the same attackers... ok yeah sure 

*My last issue with this book is another huge pet peeve of mine that has ruined many stories before and that’s when the author doesn’t properly visualize the scene and therefore makes a lot of dumb mistakes (like someone having books in their hands and than does something that requires both hands while the books just disappear, things that just don’t visually make sense)

Though this happened often I don’t remember specific examples.
What I do remember is us following John the whole morning and him later mentioning things that happened in the morning that we didn’t see. It’s fine we don’t need to see every small interaction the character has but when you’re following the character around it just doesn’t make sense. 
Also in the battle people kept magically appearing when the author wanted them to not taking the battle layout into account and the bad guys seem to just wait around for whatever conversation the author wants to happen.
Which leads me to my final question. How did everything just stop when Henri died? 

That’s my rant review but despite it all I will try the next one because I see potential in the plot if not the characters

Ale ♡

“When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope.”



  Second reread:

This book would deserve 3.5 stars really.

I Am Number Four really isn't the great book. It's a typical YA cliché that leaves you with more questions than answers.

But it is the saga that got me back into the world of books and it was my first long-ass saga to read. I mean, I read all seven main books and all 32398739487 novellas. It doesn't have the wonderful, perfect writing, but it was one of the first English books I read and made an effort to read.

Its characters are a bit weak and flat really, even the plot -I always thought it was a good plot, only the first book doesn't develop it very well-, and even the dialogues or some scenes are quite cliché and repetitive, tiring for a science fiction book. But to this saga especially I have a tremendous affection, so much so that it is my all-time favorite saga.

This saga has more sentimental value to me than anything else. I was drowning in a cup of water when I first read I Am Number Four, and in a way, it helped me. I devoured these books very quickly and loved them like nothing else. In this book precisely things are very premature, and it is in the next books that you get to know the rest of the characters, everything they can do and many more things.

However, I am in love with this saga (not necessarily with this first book), with its characters and everything they go through, the journeys of their lives and how it all ends.

This saga is my "i'd marry you with paper rings", yup

Meredith Boster

Muy Bueno. This book was recommended me by a friend, so I checked it out of my school library for sustained silent reading. It was very good! I don't read a lot of dystopian science fiction type books, but this was a good one to get started back into the realm. 'Twas very Gucci and I will be reading the rest of the series as the coming months progress.

Emi Gilmore 

This book was junior high Emi's shit. I had the movie cover edition and everything. And loved that cover. I was a completely different person back then.

Jessica Guht

Emily Ruth Carter

Some parts were predictable but for the most part, an exciting book. It was interesting to read a YA sci-fi adventure novel from the male perspective, since I generally have read them from the female perspective, a la Hunger Games, Divergent, etc.

Samirah Arif

I was surprised about how much I enjoyed it. The idea is great and I love the pen name the author chose. My main issue is the unnecessary cursing and Sarah. IDK what it is about her, but I absolutely despise her. The writing style was easy and entertaining enough. The plot is great. This series is underrated.

Kerry Gibbons

Definitely the start to an exciting series. The writing style is a little odd - first person present tense up until I read this book was almost exclusively used by a female narrator - but action-packed and quick to read.

Elska Bee

It's perfectly fine teen sci-fi. It doesn't do anything revolutionary but it's pleasant enough. I read this when it first came out and it's definitely held up pretty well. I got a bit bored towards the end when there's a lot of action/fighting. Overall the book was fun enough that I will be continuing the series on audiobook. 

Emily Vuong

** spoiler alert **
           This book wasn’t bad, but I did have a lot of problems with it, primarily the writing. The premise of the book wasn’t bad, albeit a bit cliché, but the writing is what really bothered me and what made me read this book a bit slower. The characters had promise, but they didn’t develop at all! The only one who did was Mark, but it was so sudden and we didn’t get to see much of it. He was put in a dangerous situation and he was suddenly a great, honorable guy after severely bullying John and Sam, not to mention basically kidnapping Sarah. Oh, also the insta-love between Sarah and Four bothered me. 1) Sarah was kind of just…there. She served no true purpose to this story other than being the love interest. A good story needs to have a love interest that is actually a person instead of just a blob with one hobby and no depth. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Sarah, but I got bored reading about how much he loved her when he didn’t even really know her. All that we really found out about her was that she loved photography and had a crazy ex. 2) On some level, I sort of get it because people from Lorien fall in love only once, so it makes sense that they fall in love fast, but this was too fast for me. It was like chapter four and he was already in love with her. Not a very fun read, in my opinion. I like to watch two characters get to know each other first and then fall in love because they know each other. 3) Insta-love in general just bothers me a lot because there’s no basis for a relationship! You see them meet and then BAM! They’re in love. 

This book wasn’t bad, but it could’ve been better written. The writers did it an injustice because the whole thing felt rushed and it honestly felt a bit like I was reading a rough draft instead of a published work of literature.

Jade Flynn

I'm on the fence about this one - I'll see how I feel about the film.

Jeni Enjaian

I really enjoy this genre. It's easy to read and for the most part the stories are compelling enough that I can read quickly and not get bogged down with things that usually annoy me. (I am a grammar nerd. I really am. :D)
I definitely was sucked into the book and once the narrative got going, it was easy to plow through the pages, usually at an intense skim pace. After reading some other reviews on this page, I will make the effort to read the following books slower and more analytically. For the most part I believed the narrative and want to learn more about the world. That being said, I did notice that was that Mark's transformation as a character seemed a bit unbelievable. Also, now that I think about it, Sarah's unquestioning love for Four also pushes believability almost beyond reasonable suspension.
I'll reserve judgement for after I've read the next couple in the series.

jc &
I am number four by Pittacus Lore

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