A Critical Analysis of I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

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I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore expresses the importance of never giving up hope no matter how grim the situation may seem. John and Henri settle down in Paradise Ohio, hiding from an alien race called the mogadorians. Henri travels to Athens, Ohio, to find out more about Sam’s magazine. John and Sam save Henri and learn the mogadorians are closer than ever. The mogadorians find Henri, John, Number Six, Matt, Sarah and Bernie Kosar at the school and a battle commences. During the battle Henri sacrifices himself, letting the rest escape.
While a good book I am Number Four had a few flaws. The first flaw it had was the plot. It was probably the most typical, predictable, worn-out plot in a book I have ever read: John is a teenage boy with special powers who has to blend in with normal people. John falls in love with a gorgeous girl named Sarah, who plays the damsel in distress and is completely reliant on John. He makes enemies with Matt, who just so happens to be Sarah’s ex-boyfriend, and the captain of the football team. This plot line has been used in countless movies and books, and never to too much acclaim. If it were not for the aliens and battle scenes I am Number Four could easily be the script for a high-school romance drama show, which brings us to the book’s next issue. The next flaw with the book is the romance between John and Sarah. By the end of the book they have only known each other for six months, and yet they are completely in love with each other. They seem to fall in love straight away and spend the rest of the book exchanging cheesy lines about how much they mean to each other. I also did not understand how Sarah was so ready and eager to believe John when he told her he was an alien. I don’t believe any...

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...nconsistencies and some of the characters, I recommend you read I am Number Four. I would not recommend this book to anybody who wants a complex plot with tons of interesting characters, as this book is a quick read with a rather predictable plot. I think the age group most suited for this book would be anybody between the ages nine and thirteen, as the book contains no graphic scenes, is easy to read, and is full of action. Overall I would give this book a solid six out of ten. I give it the six marks because it was full of action, mostly well-written, and the lore behind the planet Lorien was very interesting. I took away four marks because of the mostly dull characters, worn-out plot, and the several inconsistencies that plagued the book. Overall I thought I am Number Four was an alright book and if you are into action books you will like it even more than I did.

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