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Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Lucius has no hands, only hooks, and it's his fault. He blew them off in an explosion of his own making. His family has moved to a new town. As he prepares for his first day at school, he knows he'll be an outcast. In some ways, he might actually prefer it.
Aurora's father insisted that they move. The old house was too full of memories. Aurora steps into this new school a little nervous and a little confident. She'll do just as her mother suggested. Smiling at everyone and giving them the benefit of the doubt.
When they meet, Aurora is one of the few people willing to look past the rumors and the hooks to see him. If only he was sure that what she saw wouldn't send her running.
First off, isn't the name Aurora gorgeous? It just sort of rolls off the tongue. I love it, and it really seems to suit her character.
The best part of this book is the way it's written in alternating viewpoints. It helped me to get a better grasp on the story, as well as get to know both main characters really well. The viewpoint alternates every chapter, and the length varies. It may be a full chapter or just a couple of paragraphs, depending on the character's mood and how much they want to talk. It worked very well.
My favorite character in the story is that of Aurora's father, Mr. Belle. He's such a kind person, the kind that you think wouldn't even hurt a fly. He's a wonderful father to Aurora, even as he struggles with the grief of his wife's death.
One common complaint I have heard about this book was the lack of details over what exactly caused Lucius to lose his hands. Although things may never have been explicitly explained, by the end of the book, I did feel as if I had a good enough grasp on what happened.
I did feel a bit uncomfortable during a conversation Lucius had with Jessup about "jerking off", and Lucius' accompanying thoughts afterwords. However, I could see the point of the conversation. And thinking back to my public school days, are there any subjects that are off-limits in the locker room?
In closing, I really enjoyed reading this story. It's a great modern retelling of the classic tale.
It doesn't happen like that in real life. You don't fall in love with people you've just met for the first time when you don't even know the first thing about them.
Page 28, Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
