Baratz-Logsted, Lauren. Crazy Beautiful.
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2009 191p 16.00
978-0-547-22307-0 ms/hs
A modern take on a Beauty and the Beast tale. Lucius is beastly, because of an accident which left him without hands. Aurora is beautiful and popular, but also broken after the death of her mother. This unlikely duo are inexplicably drawn to each other in this dark romance. A Beauty and the Beast for the 21st century. Two new students couldn’t be more different. Lucius has prosthetic hooks after a chemical accident. Aurora’s dealing with the death of her mother. She is instantly popular, while Lucius becomes a pariah. That the two will be drawn to each other is a foregone conclusion. A formula romance, yes, and at times the plot seems too conveniently and neatly tied up. Even the names (Lucius Wolfe and Aurora Belle) seem out of another century. The analogy that Lucius’ disability is “beastly” was at first a little offensive, and Aurora’s saintly librarian father a little two perfect, but soon the story transends its problems and becomes a tale of friendship, redemption and coming-of-age. The topics are timely, and and the pace of the story makes it very readable. Nominated for the 2010 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, this story should appeal to reluctant readers. Naismith, Pat
3 comments:
It is often difficult to find really interesting literature for reluctant readers, but I read this book and gave it to a student who nearly inhaled it. I've never seen her read so quickly or be more enraptured with a plotline. Though I agree with the reviewed that the characters can seem stock, they reach young readers, and with impotant messages about their own lives.
Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted seems like an interesting book The blog stated it was a "modern take on Beauty and the Beast." The blog stated that is was "a dark romance, timely, had a good pace making it very readable." I liked that it was mentioned it might appeal to the reluctant reader. I am definitely going to read it this summer.
I read this book for a middle school lit course and feel it has great appeal for all levels of teenage readers. I love the telling of the story through the alternating between the two main characters. The reader gets a true sense of what the characters are feeling. It is more than a beauty and the beast tale, for it touches upon themes to which all teenagers can identify.
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