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Stupid Perfect World
In this future-set novella by bestselling author Scott Westerfeld, Kieran Black lives in a "perfect" world. Disease and starvation have been eradicated, sleep is unnecessary, and it takes no time at all to go from the Bahamas to the moon. But now Kieran has to take Scarcity, a class about how people lived in the bad old days. And as if sitting through an hour of Scarcity every day wasn't depressing enough, it's final projects time. Each student must choose some form of ancient hardship to experience for two whole weeks. Kieran chooses having to sleep eight hours a night, which doesn't seem too annoying.
Maria Borsotti has never thought much of Kieran, but she decides to take pity on him and help him out with his project. Soon, Kieran is sleeping and having vivid dreams, while Maria, whose Scarcity project is to give up all teenage hormone regulation, is experiencing emotions she never knew she had. As their assignments draw them closer together, they begin to wonder if the olden days weren't so bad. Maybe something has been missing from their perfect lives after all?
Maria Borsotti has never thought much of Kieran, but she decides to take pity on him and help him out with his project. Soon, Kieran is sleeping and having vivid dreams, while Maria, whose Scarcity project is to give up all teenage hormone regulation, is experiencing emotions she never knew she had. As their assignments draw them closer together, they begin to wonder if the olden days weren't so bad. Maybe something has been missing from their perfect lives after all?
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2012
58 people are currently reading
4891 people want to read
About the author
Scott Westerfeld
91 books21.3k followersScott Westerfeld is a New York Times bestselling author of YA. He is best known for the Uglies and Leviathan series. His current series, IMPOSTORS, returns to the world of Uglies.
The next book in that series, MIRROR'S EDGE, comes out April 6, 2021.
The next book in that series, MIRROR'S EDGE, comes out April 6, 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
October 7, 2015
Why is this a novella? I could've read a whole book, a long one, even a series. Scott Westerfeld has a vivid imagination, especially when it comes to creating alternative futures, in fact , his series Uglies is among my favourite novels ever.
I loved the idea of the perfect future in this book : no health issues, no poverty nor wars. A reality which is questioned by teenagers, who would rather dream and fall in love than enjoy a life without all the "inconveniences" of our century.
Stupid Perfect World is definitely a novella worth reading and recommending to all YA dystopian fans.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com:book reviews,travel pictures,tv series and more.
I loved the idea of the perfect future in this book : no health issues, no poverty nor wars. A reality which is questioned by teenagers, who would rather dream and fall in love than enjoy a life without all the "inconveniences" of our century.
Stupid Perfect World is definitely a novella worth reading and recommending to all YA dystopian fans.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com:book reviews,travel pictures,tv series and more.
January 20, 2013
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
The time is the future, and the world is perfect. Ridiculously perfect. Stupid perfect.
In this future world, teens must enroll in a mandatory class called "Scarcity" in which they must participate in a unique class project - they must endure an experience that their ancient human ancestors would have had, for a whole two week long period. Some students choose to have the common cold. Some choose to relinquish their teleportation privileges. After discarding a number of terrifying sounding experiences, the usually slackerish Kieran Black chooses a final project experience that will change him forever: he chooses Sleep. (Oh yeah, in the future there is no need for sleep, thanks to the miracles of modern medicine.) Kieran immediately stops his metabolic nanobots from regulating his cell regeneration, and must achieve REM sleep each night for the duration of the project.
Maria Borsotti is also in Scarcity class and has always thought of Kieran as kinda cute, but mostly just a shallow guy with as much complexity as a layer of industrial paint - so, when she hears Kieran's choice of project, she's actually impressed. Maria's own final involves her decision to suspend her hormonal balancers - that is, her hormones will run free, just like teenagers of old.
All seems well and good, until Maria and Kieran begin to realize just how much their Scarcity projects are changing them and their vision of the world around them. Kieran not only sleeps, but starts to dream. And Maria starts to understand the "madness" of the heroines of her favorite ancient books, as her emotions and urges become manifest.
A great short story can be a beautiful thing when it's done right - Stupid Perfect World gets the job done pretty well (albeit with a few reservations). I will confess upfront that I am not the biggest fan of short fiction, especially in collection or anthology format. I tend to get invested in characters and want so much more - more in terms of character, of background and world and complexity and depth (particularly in short SFF works). Such is the case with Stupid Perfect World; I love the premise of the book, the dual narrators, and the trademark Westerfeld zip and charm. I love the idea of this future world, where humans want for nothing, where war and famine and pestilence are distant intangibles from the ancient past, and the closest that students ever get to understanding our own modern woes is through a two week mandatory pass/fail course. We get just enough information about how this stupidily perfect world works, how huge distances are transversible at the speed of thought.
What we don't get, however, is that more factor - even if humans could go for periods without sleep, is that something we should do? If humans can no longer dream, is that desirable? Should hormones and passions be regulated? Stupid Perfect World poses these tantalizing questions, but offers no further insight or answers, which is kind of ridiculously infuriating. There's plenty of room here for meaty exploration (if I'm being honest, it sounds like a dystopian trilogy setup, doesn't it?), but none is given.
But enough wishing for things that did not happen - because the things that do occur in the story are pretty solid. The characters of Kieran and Maria are well drawn, and their eye-opening experiences separately and together are alternately hilarious and genuine (in particular, I love Maria's melodramatic reactions and analytical responses following her mood swings). The only execution niggle, for me, was that the alternating narrator technique - as the short starts with Kieran as narrator and switches to Maria in the next chapter, alternating for the rest of the story - was not quite a seamless transition. Both Kieran and Maria sound very similar, making the reading experience a little uneven and confusing, especially when Maria follows Kieran's opening (I had no idea who was talking and was thrown until I figure out it was Maria narrating).
Also, on one major edit/consistency fail that I must mention: the second and third sentences of the story state:
The line about "trying not to fall asleep" of course is pretty funny, considering the point of the story and Kieran's project.
These niggles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Stupid Perfect World - and I kinda hope that more short stories, or full-length books, in this world are coming.
The time is the future, and the world is perfect. Ridiculously perfect. Stupid perfect.
In this future world, teens must enroll in a mandatory class called "Scarcity" in which they must participate in a unique class project - they must endure an experience that their ancient human ancestors would have had, for a whole two week long period. Some students choose to have the common cold. Some choose to relinquish their teleportation privileges. After discarding a number of terrifying sounding experiences, the usually slackerish Kieran Black chooses a final project experience that will change him forever: he chooses Sleep. (Oh yeah, in the future there is no need for sleep, thanks to the miracles of modern medicine.) Kieran immediately stops his metabolic nanobots from regulating his cell regeneration, and must achieve REM sleep each night for the duration of the project.
Maria Borsotti is also in Scarcity class and has always thought of Kieran as kinda cute, but mostly just a shallow guy with as much complexity as a layer of industrial paint - so, when she hears Kieran's choice of project, she's actually impressed. Maria's own final involves her decision to suspend her hormonal balancers - that is, her hormones will run free, just like teenagers of old.
All seems well and good, until Maria and Kieran begin to realize just how much their Scarcity projects are changing them and their vision of the world around them. Kieran not only sleeps, but starts to dream. And Maria starts to understand the "madness" of the heroines of her favorite ancient books, as her emotions and urges become manifest.
A great short story can be a beautiful thing when it's done right - Stupid Perfect World gets the job done pretty well (albeit with a few reservations). I will confess upfront that I am not the biggest fan of short fiction, especially in collection or anthology format. I tend to get invested in characters and want so much more - more in terms of character, of background and world and complexity and depth (particularly in short SFF works). Such is the case with Stupid Perfect World; I love the premise of the book, the dual narrators, and the trademark Westerfeld zip and charm. I love the idea of this future world, where humans want for nothing, where war and famine and pestilence are distant intangibles from the ancient past, and the closest that students ever get to understanding our own modern woes is through a two week mandatory pass/fail course. We get just enough information about how this stupidily perfect world works, how huge distances are transversible at the speed of thought.
What we don't get, however, is that more factor - even if humans could go for periods without sleep, is that something we should do? If humans can no longer dream, is that desirable? Should hormones and passions be regulated? Stupid Perfect World poses these tantalizing questions, but offers no further insight or answers, which is kind of ridiculously infuriating. There's plenty of room here for meaty exploration (if I'm being honest, it sounds like a dystopian trilogy setup, doesn't it?), but none is given.
But enough wishing for things that did not happen - because the things that do occur in the story are pretty solid. The characters of Kieran and Maria are well drawn, and their eye-opening experiences separately and together are alternately hilarious and genuine (in particular, I love Maria's melodramatic reactions and analytical responses following her mood swings). The only execution niggle, for me, was that the alternating narrator technique - as the short starts with Kieran as narrator and switches to Maria in the next chapter, alternating for the rest of the story - was not quite a seamless transition. Both Kieran and Maria sound very similar, making the reading experience a little uneven and confusing, especially when Maria follows Kieran's opening (I had no idea who was talking and was thrown until I figure out it was Maria narrating).
Also, on one major edit/consistency fail that I must mention: the second and third sentences of the story state:
It wasn't a real course with grades and everything, so only the most pathetic meekers worked hard at it. The rest of us just showed up and tried not to fall asleep.
The line about "trying not to fall asleep" of course is pretty funny, considering the point of the story and Kieran's project.
These niggles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Stupid Perfect World - and I kinda hope that more short stories, or full-length books, in this world are coming.
November 9, 2014
Al punto; corto y bonito.
¿Cuántas veces no nos hemos quejado de nuestras necesidades y debilidades biológicas? Bien, la historia nos cuenta un futuro sin ellas. Un mundo perfecto. En él, un par de adolescentes acostumbrados a no padecer ningún tipo de molestia y/o sufrimiento tendrán que elegir un 'mal' del pasado y padecerlo para un proyecto escolar. Es entonces que las hormonas de Maria y los sueños de Kieran les juegan pasadas y les muestran la estupidez de su mundo perfecto.
Nunca había leído nada del autor y habiendo leído opiniones encontradas de sus otros libros, decidí introducirme con éste.
Me gustó
Es una historia corta y a ratos pareciera que le falta profundidad. Pero el autor tiene un objetivo y logra transmitir un mensaje en pocas palabras. Hey, yo aprecio mucho eso. De nada sirve extenderse con paja cursi. Habríamos tenido la típica utopía siendo targiversada a distopía por causa de un par de adolescentes hormonales.
En fin. Gracias por la sencillez.
Como les digo, hay un tema, un objetivo, una moraleja y todo logra entenderse. El mundo es perfecto y es estúpido. Y no hay por qué revelarse haciendo un revolución porque lo que había que demostrar, se demostró y el mundo es tan perfecto que se permite. OTRA VEZ GRACIAS POR NO ARMAR PANCHOS SATURADOS DE LIBERALISMO INÚTIL. A veces el sistema funciona, saben?
Bueno, me estoy yendo al carajo con palabras de más. Así que ya sólo me queda mencionar que es una historia muy juvenil que explica y proyecta los sentires de dos chavitos en secundaria. No esperen nada más que eso. Como análisis estuvo perfecto.
No lo recomiendo si buscan drama, sangre y revolución.Corran lejos, antes de que vengan a avinagrarme la vida con sus comentarios.Bye.
¿Cuántas veces no nos hemos quejado de nuestras necesidades y debilidades biológicas? Bien, la historia nos cuenta un futuro sin ellas. Un mundo perfecto. En él, un par de adolescentes acostumbrados a no padecer ningún tipo de molestia y/o sufrimiento tendrán que elegir un 'mal' del pasado y padecerlo para un proyecto escolar. Es entonces que las hormonas de Maria y los sueños de Kieran les juegan pasadas y les muestran la estupidez de su mundo perfecto.
Nunca había leído nada del autor y habiendo leído opiniones encontradas de sus otros libros, decidí introducirme con éste.
Me gustó
Es una historia corta y a ratos pareciera que le falta profundidad. Pero el autor tiene un objetivo y logra transmitir un mensaje en pocas palabras. Hey, yo aprecio mucho eso. De nada sirve extenderse con paja cursi. Habríamos tenido la típica utopía siendo targiversada a distopía por causa de un par de adolescentes hormonales.
En fin. Gracias por la sencillez.
Como les digo, hay un tema, un objetivo, una moraleja y todo logra entenderse. El mundo es perfecto y es estúpido. Y no hay por qué revelarse haciendo un revolución porque lo que había que demostrar, se demostró y el mundo es tan perfecto que se permite. OTRA VEZ GRACIAS POR NO ARMAR PANCHOS SATURADOS DE LIBERALISMO INÚTIL. A veces el sistema funciona, saben?
Bueno, me estoy yendo al carajo con palabras de más. Así que ya sólo me queda mencionar que es una historia muy juvenil que explica y proyecta los sentires de dos chavitos en secundaria. No esperen nada más que eso. Como análisis estuvo perfecto.
No lo recomiendo si buscan drama, sangre y revolución.
December 5, 2012
I love everything this man writes. he's ridiculously awesome.
March 19, 2023
I didn't realize I'd chosen a novella when I got started with this, so it felt like it was done before it had barely gotten started. The premise is that everyone lives in a utopian world where we don't have to worry about diseases, travel without teleportation, hormonal emotions, or even sleeping anymore. However, high school kids can take a Scarcities class that allows them to experience some of the old, inconvenient problems we used to face. Our hero decides to try giving up 8 hours a day for sleep, while his friends experience things like regular teenage hormones, the common cold, and blindness.
The novella was an interesting thought experiment, albeit a short one.
The novella was an interesting thought experiment, albeit a short one.
September 7, 2023
"Stupid Perfect World" ens presenta un món utòpic on tot és perfecte. Les persones no necessiten dormir, ni es posen malaltes, ni han de fer servir transport per anar als llocs perquè amb la teleportació viatgen en segons allà on volen.
En Kieran, la Maria i la resta d'estudiants hauran de triar una d'aquestes coses que els humans feien antigament per dur a terme el projecte final de l'assignatura on treballen aquestes qüestions. En Kieran tria dormir, i la Maria decideix treure's la regulació d'hormones adolescents. Altres alumnes trien refredar-se, no menjar o deixar la teleportació. I, bé, això farà que passin coses curioses entre en Kieran i la Maria!
Ha estat una lectura molt amena i divertida. Ha estat com veure el nostre món des d'un futur utòpic; coses que per a nosaltres són evidents, per a ells són un obstacle o un problema. M'ha agradat molt, així que us el recomano.
És realment molt curt, una historieta (57 pàgines amb extres inclosos), però li he agafat afecte. El nivell d'anglès potser diria que és un B1-B2, així que és ideal si voleu practicar (de moment, no està traduït). A mi m'ha anat de perles!
En Kieran, la Maria i la resta d'estudiants hauran de triar una d'aquestes coses que els humans feien antigament per dur a terme el projecte final de l'assignatura on treballen aquestes qüestions. En Kieran tria dormir, i la Maria decideix treure's la regulació d'hormones adolescents. Altres alumnes trien refredar-se, no menjar o deixar la teleportació. I, bé, això farà que passin coses curioses entre en Kieran i la Maria!
Ha estat una lectura molt amena i divertida. Ha estat com veure el nostre món des d'un futur utòpic; coses que per a nosaltres són evidents, per a ells són un obstacle o un problema. M'ha agradat molt, així que us el recomano.
És realment molt curt, una historieta (57 pàgines amb extres inclosos), però li he agafat afecte. El nivell d'anglès potser diria que és un B1-B2, així que és ideal si voleu practicar (de moment, no està traduït). A mi m'ha anat de perles!
August 21, 2023
La distopia és anecdòtica, així que no el llegiu per motius equivocats. Com a romanç juvenil, molt original
December 6, 2012
Um… what did I just read? That’s the question I want to ask myself as I get to the very abrupt ending of this piece. Granted, it is a short story—novella, whatever you want to call it, and I think that fact hinders the author’s ability to write a really deep story. Because there is so much more than I wanted from this novella than what I got. The blurb promises to reveal “something [that] has been missing from their perfect lives after all”, but I don’t think it ever does. I mean, yeah, Kieran experiences sleep and dreams, and Maria drowns in her hormones, but what’s the message? The bigger picture. I know there is one, there should be one, but I don’t feel like the characters ever get a grasp on what it is.
The beginning and middle of the novella could be perceived as being written well, I think, but, like I mentioned, this being a novella, I just don’t think the author had enough time. In the beginning, I had no clue what was going on—what with all the bio-whatevers and a girl named Barefoot—but by the time I did get a hold on our setting the book was ending. If this were a full-length novel, I think the author could have effectively gone into explaining everything so we can better connect with this Stupid Perfect World and the relationships weaved into it. It was all very vague. It had its moments—I loved how the author described the teens’ descent into living hormonal and dreamful lives, I finally thought, “okay, I can relate to this”—but in the end it was just okay.
The beginning and middle of the novella could be perceived as being written well, I think, but, like I mentioned, this being a novella, I just don’t think the author had enough time. In the beginning, I had no clue what was going on—what with all the bio-whatevers and a girl named Barefoot—but by the time I did get a hold on our setting the book was ending. If this were a full-length novel, I think the author could have effectively gone into explaining everything so we can better connect with this Stupid Perfect World and the relationships weaved into it. It was all very vague. It had its moments—I loved how the author described the teens’ descent into living hormonal and dreamful lives, I finally thought, “okay, I can relate to this”—but in the end it was just okay.
May 7, 2020
A great sf short story. And really as a high school romance it should have been cringe-worthy but instead it was super funny and super truthy at the same time. This story is set in a ridiculousy future-y near future which would never happen. And that sit down for a final project in scarcity class where they are supposed to give up something for two weeks. They have classmates who give us teleportation, and one that takes on the common cold and another river blindness. She gives up controlled hormones, he gives up not needing sleep. What could possibly go ... wrong? right? A joy to read and a super optimistic view of the future.
April 6, 2015
This book was not spectacular, or wonderful, or anything of the sort. There is exactly one good scene in the entire novella (which only spans a few sentences) and that one scene is what raised this rating from a two star rating to a three star rating.
I don't really recommend this book to anyone. The romance in it is not at all heartwarming, and actually kind of gross. I love Scott Westerfeld, but this is the sole piece of writing of his that I don't really like at all. I was fooled into thinking that it would be a good read (because of the title) but nope. Nope.
Nope. It was meh.
I don't really recommend this book to anyone. The romance in it is not at all heartwarming, and actually kind of gross. I love Scott Westerfeld, but this is the sole piece of writing of his that I don't really like at all. I was fooled into thinking that it would be a good read (because of the title) but nope. Nope.
Nope. It was meh.
January 25, 2020
I will summarize this story so you don't have to read it:
Girls are really stupid! All of their thoughts and feelings and actions are so irrational! Boys should be really scared of girls' emotions because you just never know how they're going to act! Ha ha, did I mention that girls are really stupid and irrational?
Yep, that's the story. A girl allows her hormones to be regulated naturally and boom ... she's wearing black, writing poetry, risking her life, and yelling and screaming.
This story is a viciously dehumanizing portrayal of girls.
Girls are really stupid! All of their thoughts and feelings and actions are so irrational! Boys should be really scared of girls' emotions because you just never know how they're going to act! Ha ha, did I mention that girls are really stupid and irrational?
Yep, that's the story. A girl allows her hormones to be regulated naturally and boom ... she's wearing black, writing poetry, risking her life, and yelling and screaming.
This story is a viciously dehumanizing portrayal of girls.
April 3, 2020
A short glimpse of a very near perfect future world. Bit of a peek into what we may give up for such perfection. Fast read. The discussion touches briefly on many things including life, risk, dreams, drama, disease, danger, Hamlet, and of course love.
August 12, 2019
I would definitely give it four stars if it was longer, would love to see more books taking place in this world.
January 7, 2024
Great concept, but poorly executed because this was a novella and not a full length book. This novella brings up some pretty heavy, and potentially deep concepts - scarcity, entitlement, hormonal regulation, and mental health. Unfortunately, because it’s so short, none of those concepts got the depth of exploration that they deserved during this story. What was an original concept seemed trite and cliché by the end. I love Scott Westerfeld and will continue to read his novels, but will probably skip the novellas moving forward.
December 14, 2012
I really enjoyed this and was sad when I turned the last page. In Stupid Perfect World, Westerfield has created a society set in the future where the things that we have to 'endure' no longer exist. No hunger or disease... travel is simple and easy and sleep isn't necessary.
Students are required to take a class called Scarcity where they learn about how people lived during the old days. (our present time!) Part of their grade is based on a final project where they are expected to pick something that happened during this time and experience it for two weeks.
Kieran, and Maria are classmates and don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on things but end up helping each other during the two week period. See, Kieran has chosen to do his project on sleep and Maria has chosen to give up her hormone regulation in order to experience what it was truly like to live as a teenager during this day and age.
First, this is a super short novella but I found myself chuckling at the way Westerfield wrote Maria's loss of hormone regulation.. the teasing about her need to wear black and write poetry were amusing. Kieran though, had to give up what starts as 3-4 hours a day towards sleep and eventually becomes more.
Through this short story, I wasn't ever really invested in these characters, but I was entertained. I mean... it's only just under 50 pages so it's hard to build that connection. Westerfield easily made me think about the benefits and drawbacks to both the future society (think no more sickness, starving people etc etc) and our current life we live in. Makes you really wonder what the future might hold!
If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read, definitely pick this one up. It's in the new Harper Teen Impulse line and I'm looking forward to more in this line!
This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:
Students are required to take a class called Scarcity where they learn about how people lived during the old days. (our present time!) Part of their grade is based on a final project where they are expected to pick something that happened during this time and experience it for two weeks.
Kieran, and Maria are classmates and don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on things but end up helping each other during the two week period. See, Kieran has chosen to do his project on sleep and Maria has chosen to give up her hormone regulation in order to experience what it was truly like to live as a teenager during this day and age.
First, this is a super short novella but I found myself chuckling at the way Westerfield wrote Maria's loss of hormone regulation.. the teasing about her need to wear black and write poetry were amusing. Kieran though, had to give up what starts as 3-4 hours a day towards sleep and eventually becomes more.
Through this short story, I wasn't ever really invested in these characters, but I was entertained. I mean... it's only just under 50 pages so it's hard to build that connection. Westerfield easily made me think about the benefits and drawbacks to both the future society (think no more sickness, starving people etc etc) and our current life we live in. Makes you really wonder what the future might hold!
If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read, definitely pick this one up. It's in the new Harper Teen Impulse line and I'm looking forward to more in this line!
This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:
September 13, 2014
In this future world, high school students are required to attend Scarcity class. For the final project, the students are supposed to "embody" some form of ancient lameness, spending two weeks being blind or whatever. This is supposed to teach them what things were really like in "the old days."
Barefoot Tillman decides to go with the common cold. Other students chose hunger, illiteracy; most chose diseases. Maria decides to suspend her hormonal balancers. She wants to find out what it was like to be a teenager "back then." She wants to experience the intense feelings. Kieran decides to try sleeping. He plans to sleep 3 hours a night. In this future, people don't need to sleep, they communicate in headspace and no one experiences diseases or even hormonal fluctuations.
My opinion:
The novella is told from two points of view, Kieran and Maria. It is interesting to see how sleeping (& dreaming) and hormones affect them. And how it changes their outlook.
It is amazing how Scott Westerfield manages to tell this story in only 9 chapters. I found myself wanting to learn more about this world and the people in it. I felt connected to the characters and it was fun to watch them learn about things that are so foreign to them yet such a big part of our everyday lives.
I enjoy Westerfield's writing and this book was no exception. This is a fun, easy to read book. It is short and can be read in one evening. So worth it!!
Recommended to:
Young adults who like their dystopian futures with a touch of romance.
Barefoot Tillman decides to go with the common cold. Other students chose hunger, illiteracy; most chose diseases. Maria decides to suspend her hormonal balancers. She wants to find out what it was like to be a teenager "back then." She wants to experience the intense feelings. Kieran decides to try sleeping. He plans to sleep 3 hours a night. In this future, people don't need to sleep, they communicate in headspace and no one experiences diseases or even hormonal fluctuations.
My opinion:
The novella is told from two points of view, Kieran and Maria. It is interesting to see how sleeping (& dreaming) and hormones affect them. And how it changes their outlook.
It is amazing how Scott Westerfield manages to tell this story in only 9 chapters. I found myself wanting to learn more about this world and the people in it. I felt connected to the characters and it was fun to watch them learn about things that are so foreign to them yet such a big part of our everyday lives.
I enjoy Westerfield's writing and this book was no exception. This is a fun, easy to read book. It is short and can be read in one evening. So worth it!!
Recommended to:
Young adults who like their dystopian futures with a touch of romance.
September 14, 2013
This is an interesting novella about two teenagers in a seemingly utopian society. Both have to come up with projects for their Scarcity class, which is where they learn about all the horrible things that beset their ancestors in the olden days. For their final projects, Kieran chooses to experience sleep and Maria chooses to experience unregulated teenage hormones.
I thought the characters were developed pretty well, even though the story was so short. The nine chapters alternate between Kieran's and Maria's points of view, so we get to spend some time in the head of each. The supporting characters like Kieran and Maria's classmates were interesting, too, and I wouldn't have minded reading more about their Scarcity projects. Actually, I wouldn't have minded reading more about this future world in general.
This could have been made into a longer novel, but I think the novella length worked just fine here, and got the point across. Stupid perfect world, as Maria repeatedly said. Can a world be so utopian that it actually turns into a sort of dystopia? I think that's the idea the author was trying to explore here... and with only 55 pages to work with, I think he did a pretty good job.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
I thought the characters were developed pretty well, even though the story was so short. The nine chapters alternate between Kieran's and Maria's points of view, so we get to spend some time in the head of each. The supporting characters like Kieran and Maria's classmates were interesting, too, and I wouldn't have minded reading more about their Scarcity projects. Actually, I wouldn't have minded reading more about this future world in general.
This could have been made into a longer novel, but I think the novella length worked just fine here, and got the point across. Stupid perfect world, as Maria repeatedly said. Can a world be so utopian that it actually turns into a sort of dystopia? I think that's the idea the author was trying to explore here... and with only 55 pages to work with, I think he did a pretty good job.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
April 16, 2013
This novella follows the life of two teenagers, Kieran and Maria, who love in this utopian society that has cured practically every angst of the current world we're living in. They both take a class called 'Scarcity' which teaches them about what people used to experience in the 'olden days'(eg hunger, diseases, sleep, etc) . As a final exam, they are to pick one of the experiences the learned about to go through for the next 2 weeks. Kieran picked sleep and Maria picked hormones. They both go through surreal experience and start to wonder if the world they live in is as perfect as it seems.
As usual Scott Westerfeld creates a wonderful world and even though you can feel the compression of the plot (given that it's a short book) I think I understand most of what he wrote. The characters were light, that is, they weren't that complex as the premise of the story might lead you to believe but they weren't bland. I wish this book was longer because this concept is so good.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a light read.
As usual Scott Westerfeld creates a wonderful world and even though you can feel the compression of the plot (given that it's a short book) I think I understand most of what he wrote. The characters were light, that is, they weren't that complex as the premise of the story might lead you to believe but they weren't bland. I wish this book was longer because this concept is so good.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a light read.
August 5, 2013
I remember reading the Uglies Series and loving it. The suspense, the thrill of the distopian adventure, and the whole plot in general. I flew through those books right away, and didn't ever want an ending. Yesterday, when I found this book in the Kindle Store, I got very excited, for I found yet another one of Scott Westerfelds distopian books. I started the book at 7 in the morning, and ended it at 8 this morning. Frankly; I'm more disapointed than ever.
1) This book was much too short.
The plot could have made such a thrilling, interesting, best-selling book. But Scott Westerfeld decided to make it a "novelette" instead. I don't think this was a wise decision. I was waiting for a BOOM throughout the whole book! I honestly loved the idea of a "perfect-world" plot. But sadly, it kinda sucked. I know Scott Westerfeld is an amazing author. But seriously?! WHAT HAPPENED.
I mean, skip the whole summary- it's really the whole book.
No surprises, no thrill, no conflict.
That's all I got.
Im disappointed
1) This book was much too short.
The plot could have made such a thrilling, interesting, best-selling book. But Scott Westerfeld decided to make it a "novelette" instead. I don't think this was a wise decision. I was waiting for a BOOM throughout the whole book! I honestly loved the idea of a "perfect-world" plot. But sadly, it kinda sucked. I know Scott Westerfeld is an amazing author. But seriously?! WHAT HAPPENED.
I mean, skip the whole summary- it's really the whole book.
No surprises, no thrill, no conflict.
That's all I got.
Im disappointed
January 20, 2013
Scott Westerfeld, can I haz your world-building skillz?!
This was a short novella, kind of too short, but I liked the concept and writing too much to bear downgrading my rating. I took a module called "New Communications Technology" last semester that I wish I could've taken after reading this--discussing a "stupid perfect world" in that class would've been perfect.
One of my favourite parts:
Interesting quick read for any Westerfeld or sci-fi/dystopia fan!
This was a short novella, kind of too short, but I liked the concept and writing too much to bear downgrading my rating. I took a module called "New Communications Technology" last semester that I wish I could've taken after reading this--discussing a "stupid perfect world" in that class would've been perfect.
One of my favourite parts:
Solomon’s gaze took a random walk around the classroom. This whole raising-your-hand thing was another of the tech-stepdowns that made Scarcity so frustrating.
You had to wait your turn instead of arguing on multiple audio levels or texting on to one big thread. No wonder they were always fighting back then—discussing anything complicated with a single audio level was like trying to suck tar through a straw.
Interesting quick read for any Westerfeld or sci-fi/dystopia fan!
December 4, 2012
I'm a big fan of Scott's Leviathan series and I enjoyed The Secret Hour, but for some reason outside of these few books of Scott's I can't really get into his other books. I don't know why that is. While I think this is a good read and a book fans of Scott Westerfeld's are going to enjoy, it's not one I loved. I admire Scott's writing, his rich world building and the characters he writes about. Kieran and Maria were two characters who's story I liked reading, but there was something I just couldn't connect with, and I can't even tell you why or what it was that made me feel that way. I hope my thoughts on Stupid Perfect World don't deter fans of Scott's from reading this book, because I think they'll really enjoy it.
November 11, 2013
In the future, deprivation, sickness, hormonal imbalances, and pretty much all forms of suffering have been eliminated. Teenagers are required to take a class in "Scarcity" to remind them of how fortunate they are. Each chooses a single affliction or aspect of the pre-utopian world. Kieran chooses to start sleeping, while Maria chooses to no longer control her hormones. While their classmates deal with the common cold or seasickness, Kieran and Maria find their perfect, balanced selves tipping into a dramatic love affair.
Good ideas, good sketches of characters, but the story is too short and undeveloped.
Good ideas, good sketches of characters, but the story is too short and undeveloped.
September 3, 2014
I wish Scott Westerfeld would have done more with this - made it a whole book or even a series. The concept is fabulous and I would have liked to spend more time getting to know Kieran and Maria and to divulge in the world he created.
Five stars because I love anything Westerfeld does. Everything he writes is unique and beautifully written.
Kieran is adorable to read and Maria is a character I can relate to well. I love the teasing between them and how it grows into something stronger. I love the concept of the world they live in and how futurized it is. Nice, short read that really grabs the attention and draws you in.
Five stars because I love anything Westerfeld does. Everything he writes is unique and beautifully written.
Kieran is adorable to read and Maria is a character I can relate to well. I love the teasing between them and how it grows into something stronger. I love the concept of the world they live in and how futurized it is. Nice, short read that really grabs the attention and draws you in.
February 18, 2013
The Scarcity class idea was really interesting. Westerfeld was able to create a futuristic world within this short story that's unique and interesting. Kieran and Maria were good main charaters and I liked how the story alternate from their POV in each chapters. Both of the characters needed each other to finish it and that ended up being a wonderful story. It was a fun read.
December 5, 2012
Love, love, love this short story... just wish I would have known it was the same one I read in the Love is Hell anthology. I bought it without reading what it was about because I wanted to read all the Harper Teen Impulse titles! Still, it's a GREAT story.
August 5, 2015
This novella by Westerfeld did not disappoint. I just wish it had been longer. It had all the elements of a typical work of his and the same intrigue that got me to read the Uglies series; again, I just wish there had been more.
March 26, 2016
Only reason why I'm not rating this any higher is because I wish this would have been a full length novel. It's such a perfect idea, but I wish he would have had more world building.
I think this would have been better as an actual book not short story.
I think this would have been better as an actual book not short story.
June 24, 2013
The story was interesting, but I wish it had been longer, as the ending felt very abrupt. I guess I missed that it was a novella when I got it.
January 23, 2018
fascinating! i wish this was longer! i can easily see this as a novel that i would read the crap out of.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
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