BOOK REVIEW 'Beautiful Creatures'

Beautiful Creatures

By: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I know I may be somewhat of a rare breed here, but I always try and read the book before I see the movie. But, like any other human in the world, it doesn't always work out for me. I was in the middle of a reading challenge with my friend and Beautiful Creatures was going out of theater fast and I really wanted to see it, so I did the unspeakable, I went to see it. *GASP* That feels good to get off my chest. 

The main reason I like reading the book before is because to me, the characters and world that the author creates are always the correct one, and if Hollywood breaks that and changes the story, not only are they betraying the author, they are betraying the characters. They aren't telling their story the correct way and it is one of my biggest pet peeves in this world. 

My friend and I went to see the movie, and a friend, who read the book, told me later how much the movie messed it up. I had intentions on reading the book from the beginning, and in a way this just peaked my curiosity even more because I wanted to know what was so different about it.

I just finished the book about a week ago, and I really, kind of, liked it.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the setting. Gatlin, South Carolina, a town full of over procective mothers, banned books, and a belief in the Christian Church could make a Minister look like an atheist. All of which are principals that don't really come to mind as a town I would want to live in, but in a story I find really interging. It adds something to the novel, and give the characters and excuse to do things that up in Chicago, would make them seem old fashioned. 

Our main character is Ethan Wate, a high school sophmore who is just starting his second year of high school in the wake of losing his mom to a car accident a few months earlier. He has lived in Gatlin his entire life, and every second he spends still stuck there is a second too long. No one new ever moves in, and very rarely does anyone ever move out. It's almost like the people in Gatlin want to be stuck there. That is, until the town shut-in, Macon Ravenwood's niece moves into town. Knowing what we know about this town who thinks that Lena Duchannes's arrival goes over well with the kind people of Gatlin? No one? Ok at least were on the same page.

The novel exploers who Lena is (pssst.... shes a Caster and has witch-ish powers), how many times the town will attempt to throw her out, and all the while she is growning closer to Ethan. Ethan, Ethan, oh Ethan, how can I describe him? Adorable. Romance factor in his book is a at a high as the pair attempt to take on the dark forces and family curses coming for Lena on her 16th birthday. 

I do have two complaints with this book though. One of them being the plot inconsistancy. They introduce things that don't need to be there and end up not playing any role in the ending. There is also alot of plot twists that come from no where and don't really need to be there, or the authors could have find another way to add something that fit better with what was already created. 

My other huge issue was the ending. The last 20 pages of the book were really confusing and I have tried re-reading them several times to see if I can get a clearer picture, but I still have no explination as to what exactly happens and how it does. The end also has alot to do with my first problem. There are parts of it that just didn't fit with what the authors had already established, and full of unnecessary plot twists that didn't help with my confusion. 

This is book one of a series, and I'm hoping to be done with the second book in enough time to get the review up by next week. 

Pages: 563

Read In: 5 days

Rating: 7/10

Ages: 11- up

The Four Catagories: paranormal creatures, death, romance, and high school problems ( ALL FOUR!)