*e-copy provided through NetGalley*
Crazy Beautiful
is the story of Lucius and Aurora - two very different people who are just starting at a new school. Lucius, a victim of an explosive accident, has lost both his hands and now wears hooks instead, essentially ensuring his position as an outcast. Aurora has an easy ability to fit right in and make instant friends, but is still dealing with grief over her mother's death. Something draws the two of them together. And someone is trying to tear them apart.
Things I Liked:
It was a really beautiful story, full of the characters' complex emotions, thoughts, and feelings. I was really drawn into Lucius and Aurora and how they felt about each other and their families. Each of them were complex believable characters and I just loved how unique and original they were. I also really enjoyed how Lucius, because of his accident, viewed life a little differently, like in these quotes:
"I think of Nick Greek and his passion for football. He got to at least have a small taste of his dream, being briefly in the NFL. Might he have been better off, though, if he'd never made it that far only to lose it, or, better yet, if he'd never had that passion to begin with?...Maybe he would have been happier." p. 96
"This is, I think, what it must mean to be human: to want something good for someone else." p. 236 (page numbers are from an e-copy and may not match hard copy pages)
Things I Didn't Like:
Actually, there wasn't much I didn't like. Mostly the names of characters bothered me. They were all different, unique, and sometimes too cheesy. Aurora Belle, Jessup, Lucius. It made them seem a tiny bit less real. Also, I would have liked to know more about Jessup and what made him act that way.
Read-alikes:
I haven't read this one, but it sounds like Beastly
by Alex Flinn (modern day Beauty and the Beast)It also had a little bit of a Twilight feel (minus the supernatural elements)
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
not a lot, but some
mrg-factor: X
some teenage boy talk
v-factor: ->
a little bit near the end
Overall rating: ****
What do you say - is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Or is it really better to have never loved at all?
Posts
I really enjoyed this one as well. And that quote was a perfect choice as I really grew fond of Lucius watching his friendship with the security guard develop.
ReplyDeleteAngiegirl, I loved how the story didn't always revolve around Lucius and Aurora's relationship - they noticed and talked to other people! Imagine that!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read it, but after your review I'll look for it. Personally, every time I love and lose, I always wish afterward that it would've never happened.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember that scene in Men In Black, when Tommy Lee Jones is tracking the woman he lost 40 years ago, watching her over a satellite? and Will Smith comes up and says, "Well, you know, it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."
And Tommy turns toward him, frowns, and says, "Try it."
I think I feel the same way.
Brodi, that is an excellent point. Sometimes I think people idealize loving and then losing - until they actually try it. I hope you like the book.
ReplyDelete