I can see why this book (has?--does it still?) had a place in the popular list of young adult novels. First of all, it came out in the reign of Twilight. Hell, according to Wikipedia, it was written for fans of The Twilight Saga, which tells me that the authors (were a bunch of hacks) were excellent marketing strategists. They had aimed for fame, and fame it was they got. Second, come on, it features a love story between a human and an alien. I Am Number Four is like a reversed point of view of Twilight: instead of the human heroine narrating (how hot he is, how hot he is, how hot he is) the story, we have the extraordinary, nonhuman hero telling us (how hot SHE is) the story. Had the authors told I Am Number Four in the point of view of Sarah (as I was writing this, I had to get my copy to get the heroine's name because I forgot) it would have probably moved a little higher in the popular list. People dig damsel-in-distress stuff--a lot. Third, and I believe the last, Alex Pettyfer was, as far as crazed Twihards knew, the hottest human being next to Robert Pattinson. 
 But enough about its status in the market. I want to talk about the plot BECAUSE IT MAKES NO COMPLETE SENSE. I am aware that I Am Number Four is a part of a series. I am aware that the story does not end in the first book; that in the later installments, it will be picked up where it left off, explaining things. But what kind of evil would write a 400-something-page novel about an alien hiding in Earth because he is being hunted and would never, never explain why the alien is being hunted? Have I missed something? Did I go through a chapter and comprehend nothing by mistake? I have, however, an idea. My guess would be the Mogadorians are after the nine Gardes' necklaces. But why? Why? I don't understand. Mogadorians destroyed Lorien. What more are they after? Sigh. I can imagine James Frey wearing a shit-eating grin and telling me to get the sequel. What a (hack) jerk. 
 I appreciate that the characters could sometimes make me laugh. I particularly like Sam Goode. John Smith? Four? Not much. The guy could be pretty annoying sometimes. I just couldn't stop rolling my eyes (I was afraid they'd roll too far, killing me as a result) as I listened to him whine and whine about oh I haven't touched or kissed a girl, I don't care if ugly motherfuckers are hunting me, I just want to get laid. Right. John Smith is not only a Gary Stu, but also a Bella Swan. What about the heroine? Sarah What's-Her-Name is as real as Santa Claus: you know she's there, but you don't actually believe she exists. After John told her that he's an alien, she only took a moment to let it sink in her system. The next moment she's telling John that she believes him and doesn't care because she loves him. I know people react differently to situations, but come on, somebody tells you he/she is an alien, would you believe it right away? No, I don't think so. And don't get me started with the deus ex machina that is Six. That was downright obvious that the authors had no idea how they were going to pull the ending off, so they invented the character of Six. How convenient. 
 I Am Number Four is an engaging enough read even though the prose is so lazy it should have a bed. It appeals, as intended, to my younger self, the one who is infested still with teenage hormones. I am at lost with suggestions concerning how to make this book any better, but I would like to try by suggesting that the authors should have explained why the nine Gardes are hunted; and they should have made John Smith a more well-developed character (more responsible, less sex-starved) instead of dressing him up with the usual bullshit of teenagers. I am going to read The Power of Six and the rest of the books because (I bought the whole series so I have no choice) I am hoping the story would progress in the later books. But sadly for now, it's two stars.