The Creatures [Hardcover]

I was referred to this book in 6th grade. I am now 32 and it is still my favorite book of all time. I checked it out back then, and never returned it. It is a truly wonderful book about 'The Persons' who are actually aliens on our planet. 'The Creatures' are us. It's about forbidden love in a structured society, and the struggle this causes the main players. They are forced to leave their comfortable enclosed city, and live amongst the Creatures. It's a GREAT story.. My review doesn't do it justice. Kids or adults alike.

The Creatures is ostensibly a young adult novel that deals with change, prejudice, and conviction. A pair of teens, Vector and Harmony, belonging to a somewhat Utopian colony and called Persons become aware of their growing feelings for each other, which is one in a chain of events that lead to unforeseen consequences.

Outside the Colony of Persons live native inhabitants of the planet called Creatures. Unlike Persons, Creatures are not held in high esteem; lack adequate jobs, housing, food, and health care; and feel strong emotions, including love, anger, resentment, etc. Straddling the 2 groups are the Guards, who have risen from their Creature antecedents to manage virtually everything in the Persons' Colony. The inequality of the lives of the Creatures is gradually brought to bear on the pair of teens and their lives are forever changed.

I really wanted to like this book after reading some peoples' comments in the Forum and the other review posted here. Unfortunately, I found Vector dislikable with little to redeem him despite the challenges he faces and overcomes; Harmony, on the other side, seemed too empathetic. They seemed very 1-dimensional. There was also a very unfinished feeling toward the end of the book with some unanswered questions. Of course, given how the tale ends, a lot is deliberately left unaswered, which is fine, but part of what has brought the ending to bear wasn't entirely clear, which was rather frustrating.