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Uglies #1-3
Uglies (Boxed Set): Uglies, Pretties, Specials
This arc of Scott Westerfeld's UGLIES trilogy follows the high-tech
adventures of Tally Youngblood. As an ugly, then a pretty, and finally
a special, Tally works to take down a society created to function with
perfect-looking people who never have a chance to think for themselves.
1216 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2007
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 879 reviews
October 7, 2008
Wow, these books are amazing. I guess I'm on a government conspiracy kick lately. But really. Read these books.
Uglies: The world has been perfected. No one is jealous, no one has an eating disorder. No one goes to unreasonable lengths to be beautiful. When you turn 16 you have an operation, and magically you're beautiful, as well as stronger and disease resistant. Tally just wants to grow up, have her operation and be a bubble-headed pretty like all the rest. But, how good of a book would this be if everything happened so easily? There are a group of dissenters who can give status quo a run for its money.
Pretties: Finally having had the operation, Tally and her friends are New Pretties and partying up a storm. But some don't find being pretty as satisfying as others. This is Brave New World for a new generation.
Specials: Being special is so much icier than being Pretty. Not only do you have super strenth, power and reflexes, but you also have the power that comes with being in charge....
And don't forget the 4th book in the "trilogy" (seriously, why can't they just call it a series and not a trilogy)
Extras: It's been a few years since the mind-rain. Everything is different. But some things are the same.
Uglies: The world has been perfected. No one is jealous, no one has an eating disorder. No one goes to unreasonable lengths to be beautiful. When you turn 16 you have an operation, and magically you're beautiful, as well as stronger and disease resistant. Tally just wants to grow up, have her operation and be a bubble-headed pretty like all the rest. But, how good of a book would this be if everything happened so easily? There are a group of dissenters who can give status quo a run for its money.
Pretties: Finally having had the operation, Tally and her friends are New Pretties and partying up a storm. But some don't find being pretty as satisfying as others. This is Brave New World for a new generation.
Specials: Being special is so much icier than being Pretty. Not only do you have super strenth, power and reflexes, but you also have the power that comes with being in charge....
And don't forget the 4th book in the "trilogy" (seriously, why can't they just call it a series and not a trilogy)
Extras: It's been a few years since the mind-rain. Everything is different. But some things are the same.
March 24, 2009
We've now crossed over to YA territory. The series is about Tally Youngblood who lives in a society that makes everybody pretty on their 16th birthdays. Before that, teens are called uglies, and children littlies. Tally meets a girl named Shayla who tells her that there is a secret society of people who opted not to be made pretty, and that there might be some sinister stuff happening underneath all the symmetrical features and glittering parties on the Pretty side of the river.
There is a lot of adventure here -- girls, at least before the change, are shown as intelligent and capable and athletic, able to figure out complex puzzles. Some of the messages lack subtlety, even for young adults, but the questions and issues raised are good ones. Is being gorgeous the most important thing? How pretty is pretty enough? Why are girls taught to look up to vapid girls with not a thought in their pointy heads? Would you betray someone to escape a life of being considered less-than-perfect?
The first book, Uglies, is the best one in my opinion, but it ends in a way that justifies a sequel. The sequel gives us a chance to go into the world of the Pretties, which I think most girls, even level-headed ones, would want to read about. We get an idea of just how deep the control is, but that even the Pretty people might not be all that happy, might understand there's something more. The Specials, while still well-written and gripping, seems a little like the author wanted Tally to try on all the hats. (The Specials are a secret group that exists to police the populace.)
In the words of Gaston in Beauty and The Beast: It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas, and thinking...
There is a lot of adventure here -- girls, at least before the change, are shown as intelligent and capable and athletic, able to figure out complex puzzles. Some of the messages lack subtlety, even for young adults, but the questions and issues raised are good ones. Is being gorgeous the most important thing? How pretty is pretty enough? Why are girls taught to look up to vapid girls with not a thought in their pointy heads? Would you betray someone to escape a life of being considered less-than-perfect?
The first book, Uglies, is the best one in my opinion, but it ends in a way that justifies a sequel. The sequel gives us a chance to go into the world of the Pretties, which I think most girls, even level-headed ones, would want to read about. We get an idea of just how deep the control is, but that even the Pretty people might not be all that happy, might understand there's something more. The Specials, while still well-written and gripping, seems a little like the author wanted Tally to try on all the hats. (The Specials are a secret group that exists to police the populace.)
In the words of Gaston in Beauty and The Beast: It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas, and thinking...
March 22, 2008
I loved this series. Some of the coolest books i have come across. What with the entire mindset and all. Every one is apparently born ugly. They are taught to hate themselves. Then when they come of age everyone is given a large amount of plastic surgery, to make them "Pretty". I loved the plot of the entire series, from where tally starts out just like all the other uglies, to having to make a choice about whether to turn in her friend or not get the surgery, and then being forced to turn, and just jeez this review is so confusing, sorry, but just, READ IT! Oh, and then of course there is all of the high tech future gadgets and the love triangles and on and on and wow, just, awesome. I dont even feel like actually giving you all the story line, but im sure many of the other more sane reviews will tell you what u need to know.
March 24, 2012
I love this series. They are so interesting. The Uglies is set in the future and looks back to our current time as being savage and outdated. It's makes you look at the way we live our lives now, right now when we are at the peak of technology and culture.
One of the best thing about this trilogy is that there is no simple good and evil. In the first book, you think the good and evil is clear, but then in the second book things change, and the good is not purely good, and the evil not purely evil. In fact, it seems as though the evil is working for the greater good. Or is it? Because, once again, in the third book, the world turns on its head, and a whole new level is added. The story just keeps building on itself, and switching, and twisting, and turning. Everything is complicated, and there is no pure good or pure evil, everything is mixed, and everything has consequences.
It's freaking fantastic! This series is one of my new favorites. It's so creative and interesting. There is never a dull moment, the story line is always moving, always climaxing, always changing. I recommend to everyone. Everyone!
One of the best thing about this trilogy is that there is no simple good and evil. In the first book, you think the good and evil is clear, but then in the second book things change, and the good is not purely good, and the evil not purely evil. In fact, it seems as though the evil is working for the greater good. Or is it? Because, once again, in the third book, the world turns on its head, and a whole new level is added. The story just keeps building on itself, and switching, and twisting, and turning. Everything is complicated, and there is no pure good or pure evil, everything is mixed, and everything has consequences.
It's freaking fantastic! This series is one of my new favorites. It's so creative and interesting. There is never a dull moment, the story line is always moving, always climaxing, always changing. I recommend to everyone. Everyone!
September 4, 2014
I read the first book as a part of a book club. I would say that it is a great read for a 14-year-old girl, which is why I rated it with 2/5 stars. However, I, a 25-year-old girl, wasn't interested in the plot, was annoyed by the protagonist, and was not drawn in by the style of writing. I have no intentions of seeing the series through to the end, but I know some young girls who may in fact enjoy it, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend they give it a shot. As for adult book clubbers, I would recommend choosing a different book.
August 16, 2009
The Uglies Trilogy contains three stories about the same character, Tally, as she finds her place in a post-apocalyptic earth. A biochemical weapon went out of control and invested the world's oil supply, destroying life in the process. Now, controlled cities with extreme rules on physical appearance are the name of the game. In the first book, The Uglies, Tally watches as all her friends turn 16 and get the extreme plastic surgery to become Pretties. As an Ugly, she can't wait. Until she meets a new friend that is considering an escape, from the surgery and the city. Tally is blackmailed into following her to the settlement of runaways called Smoke, and learns the truth about the Pretty operation.
In the second book, the Pretties, Tally struggles to come to terms with her new look and life in Pretty Town, the parties and the adventure, while there is still a nagging reminder of what she left behind in Smoke. In the third book, The Specials, Tally is recruited (and subsequently given superhuman bones, abilities, immune systems, etc.) to join an elite organization and root out dissidents once and for all.
Yes, it becomes difficult to figure out what "side" Tally is on in each chapter. Another difficulty is Westerfeld's obsession with hoverboard chases. Yes, hoverboards are cool and dangerous, get over it. Another frustration I felt towards Westerfeld was that the plot was too similar from book to book. There was so much potential for story in the world that he created, I just wished for more.
I don't give a book two stars lightly. I would recommend it to kids, for sure, its pretty cool. It will make an exciting movie.
In the second book, the Pretties, Tally struggles to come to terms with her new look and life in Pretty Town, the parties and the adventure, while there is still a nagging reminder of what she left behind in Smoke. In the third book, The Specials, Tally is recruited (and subsequently given superhuman bones, abilities, immune systems, etc.) to join an elite organization and root out dissidents once and for all.
Yes, it becomes difficult to figure out what "side" Tally is on in each chapter. Another difficulty is Westerfeld's obsession with hoverboard chases. Yes, hoverboards are cool and dangerous, get over it. Another frustration I felt towards Westerfeld was that the plot was too similar from book to book. There was so much potential for story in the world that he created, I just wished for more.
I don't give a book two stars lightly. I would recommend it to kids, for sure, its pretty cool. It will make an exciting movie.
September 22, 2011
I wish I could give this series a higher rating. I LOVED Uglies. I was intrigued by the idea of a society where everyone got surgery at a certain age to make them all beautiful. Uglies was really interesting and set up a good story line. Pretties, the sequel, wasn't as good as Uglies, but I also thought it was intriguing. But the last book, Specials, was terrible. It was the same story as the first two with just a few twists, and it had gotten old by that point. I didn't like the ending at all. I would recommend reading Uglies, because it really was good. And maybe Pretties. Then just go ahead and make up an ending in your mind, because I'm sure it's better than what the author came up with.
July 13, 2020
Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!
February 28, 2015
I'm being generous, because the first book had a lot of potential but didn't really pull me in to the story.
But being me I wanted to continue and see where this potential would go. That was a terrible decision.
Though the first book was moderately good and had potential, the books continued on a downward spiral of bad writing, bad story lines, and just overall unenjoyable. As a result I was not able to finish this series. I don't know how I did it, but I somehow forced myself to continue until halfway through Specials.
Not worth reading
But being me I wanted to continue and see where this potential would go. That was a terrible decision.
Though the first book was moderately good and had potential, the books continued on a downward spiral of bad writing, bad story lines, and just overall unenjoyable. As a result I was not able to finish this series. I don't know how I did it, but I somehow forced myself to continue until halfway through Specials.
Not worth reading
June 20, 2008
Tally (the main character) is living in a world where the goal is to become "pretty". Until Tally turns 16, she lives in dull Uglyville. The book Uglies, tells of Tally's journey to become prettified, and her friend Shay's fight to escape the pretty operation. This book is hard to describe so I recommend reading it for yourself. This is the same with the other books in this series, Pretties and Specials. Please just read them i cant think of anything to say about the books, sorry.
August 22, 2017
Would love to go back and read these books again for the first time. Loved them!!
January 8, 2016
Good series. Fast pasted, very addictive!
April 10, 2018
Imagine a world where everyone was beautiful, because everyone underwent mandatory reconstructive plastic surgery at a certain age. A world where you are an outlaw if you chose not to....
May 4, 2018
Una serie ben fatta!
Un bellissimo messaggio!
Una scrittura coinvolgente ricca di azione e spunti di riflessione.
1° libro: 5* Ho trovato questo libro geniale. Il titolo: Brutti è emblematico. I brutti siamo noi, noi normali. Sì, perché in questa società essere normali equivale ad essere brutti. Eppure.. è così distopico? Nella nostra attuale e moderna società, che ogni giorno si basa di più su un modello Americano visto come perfetto e ideale (che in realtà porta alla distruzione del pianeta e dell'interiorità umana), non c'è già questa smania della ricerca della perfezione fisica? Molto spesso anche a discapito della perfezione interiore?
Questo è quello che succede nel mondo di Tally: ogni brutto aspetta con ansia di compiere sedici anni per essere trasformato in un essere perfetto. Un'operazione, futurista temo e non distopica, dove equipe di medici ritoccano tutto: occhi, zigomi, labbra, pelle... eccetera su un modello di perfezione studiato a tavolino dai vertici della società.
Ci vedo davvero troppo poca distopia, mi è sembrato davvero troppo realistico, troppo possibile, quasi inevitabile.
Ma tutto ha un prezzo, ed è così anche per la perfezione degli abitanti di questa città.
La narrazione scorre che è un piacere. Forse non ho adorato lo stile di scrittura ma è un punto assolutamente trascurabile. Il messaggio è intenso. Ben pensato e ben espresso.
Libro SUPER consigliato!!
2° libro: 5* Tally è diventata Tally-bella. La storia continua ed è intrigante e coinvolgente come nel primo libro.
Pensare con la propria testa! Io vedo sempre questo messaggio quando un libro mi piace.
Comunque Tally ce la fa. Lei riesce a pensare con la sua testa ed è per questo che riesce ad opporsi ad un sistema che è ben costruito per chi detiene il potere, molto peggio invece per tutti gli altri che sono ridotti ad essere delle persone semi senzienti, semi pensanti.
Particolarmente interessanti e divertenti anche tutti i gadget di qui si dispone in questa nuova società.
3° libro: 3*3/4 Capitolo un po' deludente rispetto ai precedenti. Del resto tutte le tematiche erano già state affrontate e qui c'è praticamente solo azione. Ma è comunque un'azione coinvolgente. La nostra Tally è diventata una Speciale speciale, con tutto quello che ne comporta e devo dire che i suoi vari poteri sono piuttosto affascinanti. La scrittura è scorrevole, leggera, piacevole e coinvolgente.
Un bellissimo messaggio!
Una scrittura coinvolgente ricca di azione e spunti di riflessione.
1° libro: 5* Ho trovato questo libro geniale. Il titolo: Brutti è emblematico. I brutti siamo noi, noi normali. Sì, perché in questa società essere normali equivale ad essere brutti. Eppure.. è così distopico? Nella nostra attuale e moderna società, che ogni giorno si basa di più su un modello Americano visto come perfetto e ideale (che in realtà porta alla distruzione del pianeta e dell'interiorità umana), non c'è già questa smania della ricerca della perfezione fisica? Molto spesso anche a discapito della perfezione interiore?
Questo è quello che succede nel mondo di Tally: ogni brutto aspetta con ansia di compiere sedici anni per essere trasformato in un essere perfetto. Un'operazione, futurista temo e non distopica, dove equipe di medici ritoccano tutto: occhi, zigomi, labbra, pelle... eccetera su un modello di perfezione studiato a tavolino dai vertici della società.
Ci vedo davvero troppo poca distopia, mi è sembrato davvero troppo realistico, troppo possibile, quasi inevitabile.
Ma tutto ha un prezzo, ed è così anche per la perfezione degli abitanti di questa città.
La narrazione scorre che è un piacere. Forse non ho adorato lo stile di scrittura ma è un punto assolutamente trascurabile. Il messaggio è intenso. Ben pensato e ben espresso.
Libro SUPER consigliato!!
2° libro: 5* Tally è diventata Tally-bella. La storia continua ed è intrigante e coinvolgente come nel primo libro.
Pensare con la propria testa! Io vedo sempre questo messaggio quando un libro mi piace.
Comunque Tally ce la fa. Lei riesce a pensare con la sua testa ed è per questo che riesce ad opporsi ad un sistema che è ben costruito per chi detiene il potere, molto peggio invece per tutti gli altri che sono ridotti ad essere delle persone semi senzienti, semi pensanti.
Particolarmente interessanti e divertenti anche tutti i gadget di qui si dispone in questa nuova società.
3° libro: 3*3/4 Capitolo un po' deludente rispetto ai precedenti. Del resto tutte le tematiche erano già state affrontate e qui c'è praticamente solo azione. Ma è comunque un'azione coinvolgente. La nostra Tally è diventata una Speciale speciale, con tutto quello che ne comporta e devo dire che i suoi vari poteri sono piuttosto affascinanti. La scrittura è scorrevole, leggera, piacevole e coinvolgente.
January 27, 2014
The book that I chose to read was called the “Uglies”. The Uglies was written by Scott Westerfeld. The book was published by Simon Pulse in 2005. This is a teen fiction book and has an interesting story line. The Uglies is about a girl named Tally who wants to become a “Pretty”, there is an operation that happens when you turn 16. However Tally’s new friend Shay has run off and Tally must bring her back in order to become a “Pretty”. Will Tally betray her friend or keep the secret?
Tally is the main character and she lives in a whole different society. When the kids turn 16 they get an operation that turns them from being ugly to being pretty. This means they get to go from the dumps of Uglyville to the party towers of New Pretty Town. This was a big deal for the kids almost turning 16. When tally was a matter of a few months away from turning 16, Tally would sit in her room and “wait for darkness. She could see new pretty town through her open window” (Westerfeld 3). Tally would just watch the party towers and imagine herself there. When Tally is a few weeks from turning 16 she meets a new friend named Shay. Shay tells Tally about this place called the smoke. The smoke is a place where you never become pretty, in other words, you stay ugly forever. When Shay decides to go there, Tally stays behind. Instead of turning pretty, Tally is however taken away and given a deal to make. Tally must lead the city officials to the Smoke or risk never turning pretty. It is a choice that Tally has to decide and changes her forever.
The plot of this book is done very well. Scott is able to make you feel for Tally and the situation she is put into. In a far stretched but also obvious way, Scott was able to mimic our society today. Within the plot, he makes such a big deal about this whole being pretty thing. When Tally goes to special circumstances the lady tells says “Then I’ll make you a promise too, Tally Youngblood. Until you do help us, to the very best of your ability, you will never be pretty” (Westerfeld 110). It’s funny because we can look at society today and realize that how they strive for this goal, is not so weird. We all want to have the perfect face, the perfect body or the perfect size boobs. I don’t think this wish is weird at all. All humans want to be perfect and I think that Scott portrayed that very well in this book.
Throughout this book there are many characters but the two most prominent are Tally and Shay. Tally is a more conservative teen who doesn’t like to take risks unless it is with or for her friends. Early in the book we see this shine through. Tally’s best friend in the whole world in Peris. Peris is three months older than Tally, therefor becoming pretty, three months before her. One night, Tally misses him and decides to go to New Pretty Town and see him. Tally sneaks out and reaches a bridge, there she was “hanging upside down, hands and knees clutching the knots along the rope. Tally pulled herself up into the dark framework of the bridge, then stole through its iron skeleton and across to New Pretty Town” (Westerfeld 6). This really shows that Tally is willing to go to great lengths for her friends. This shows her dedication to people. On the other hand, Shay is a little firecracker. Shay doesn’t really care what it is she is doing, she likes to make it an adventure and the higher the risk the better it is. Shay isn’t like most other uglies, “she had long dark hair in pigtails, and her eyes were too wide apart. Her lips were full enough, but she was even skinnier than a new pretty” (Westerfeld 28). Shay was beautiful compared to other uglies. Most other uglies gained a lot of wait the last few months because the operation would just suck it right out again. Shay was emotionally a different case as well. Most uglies wanted to become pretty, but not Shay. She wanted to stay ugly forever so that she would be able to be herself and not something Special Circumstances wanted her to be.
The theme that I saw most in this book was always be yourself. When Tally was at the smoke and such, she was just being Tally and people liked her. She was always true to herself and always made the decision she thought would benefit everybody, not just her. One part of the book, is when Tally is waiting for Shay and the others to come get her and take her back to the smoke. When Tally and Shay see each other “the tall, lanky form broke from the others and ran toward her, and the two embraced, laughed” (Westerfeld 187). All I know is that if I hadn’t seen a really good friend for a long time I would do the same thing. When they did this, Tally was being herself and didn’t let the fact that she was a spy ruin anything. She was happy to see her friend and that’s all that matters. Tally always put other people first and she was being herself.
Scott Westerfeld is the author of this book the Uglies and also the sequels the Pretties, Specials and Extras. He is also the author of the books Leviathan Series, Peeps, Midnighters Series, Risen Empire Series and also So Yesterday. Scott is an author for a total of eighteen books. However in some of Scotts more artistic days he “wrote music for artsy downtown New York dancers” (Scottwestrerfeld.com). Scott was born on May 5, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. He split a lot of his time between New York and Sydney, Australia. Besides being a writer Scott has held the positions of factory worker (making lead soldiers), substitute teacher, textbook editor, software designer and ghost writer.
I personally loved this book. There was a lot of life that came through this book that made me want to keep reading it. My favorite part of the book is when Tally and Shay are riding the roller coaster for the first time. Scott does a good job of describing it as “a hover board made solid, complete with tight, banked turns, sharp climbs followed by long drops, even loops that took Tally upside down, her crash bracelets activating to keep her on board” (Westerfeld 64). He describes the roller coaster so well, like he was looking at it. I instantly got a mental picture of what it looked like. This is a great read and I would defiantly recommend it. This would be a read book for somebody who likes fantasy and action.
Tally is the main character and she lives in a whole different society. When the kids turn 16 they get an operation that turns them from being ugly to being pretty. This means they get to go from the dumps of Uglyville to the party towers of New Pretty Town. This was a big deal for the kids almost turning 16. When tally was a matter of a few months away from turning 16, Tally would sit in her room and “wait for darkness. She could see new pretty town through her open window” (Westerfeld 3). Tally would just watch the party towers and imagine herself there. When Tally is a few weeks from turning 16 she meets a new friend named Shay. Shay tells Tally about this place called the smoke. The smoke is a place where you never become pretty, in other words, you stay ugly forever. When Shay decides to go there, Tally stays behind. Instead of turning pretty, Tally is however taken away and given a deal to make. Tally must lead the city officials to the Smoke or risk never turning pretty. It is a choice that Tally has to decide and changes her forever.
The plot of this book is done very well. Scott is able to make you feel for Tally and the situation she is put into. In a far stretched but also obvious way, Scott was able to mimic our society today. Within the plot, he makes such a big deal about this whole being pretty thing. When Tally goes to special circumstances the lady tells says “Then I’ll make you a promise too, Tally Youngblood. Until you do help us, to the very best of your ability, you will never be pretty” (Westerfeld 110). It’s funny because we can look at society today and realize that how they strive for this goal, is not so weird. We all want to have the perfect face, the perfect body or the perfect size boobs. I don’t think this wish is weird at all. All humans want to be perfect and I think that Scott portrayed that very well in this book.
Throughout this book there are many characters but the two most prominent are Tally and Shay. Tally is a more conservative teen who doesn’t like to take risks unless it is with or for her friends. Early in the book we see this shine through. Tally’s best friend in the whole world in Peris. Peris is three months older than Tally, therefor becoming pretty, three months before her. One night, Tally misses him and decides to go to New Pretty Town and see him. Tally sneaks out and reaches a bridge, there she was “hanging upside down, hands and knees clutching the knots along the rope. Tally pulled herself up into the dark framework of the bridge, then stole through its iron skeleton and across to New Pretty Town” (Westerfeld 6). This really shows that Tally is willing to go to great lengths for her friends. This shows her dedication to people. On the other hand, Shay is a little firecracker. Shay doesn’t really care what it is she is doing, she likes to make it an adventure and the higher the risk the better it is. Shay isn’t like most other uglies, “she had long dark hair in pigtails, and her eyes were too wide apart. Her lips were full enough, but she was even skinnier than a new pretty” (Westerfeld 28). Shay was beautiful compared to other uglies. Most other uglies gained a lot of wait the last few months because the operation would just suck it right out again. Shay was emotionally a different case as well. Most uglies wanted to become pretty, but not Shay. She wanted to stay ugly forever so that she would be able to be herself and not something Special Circumstances wanted her to be.
The theme that I saw most in this book was always be yourself. When Tally was at the smoke and such, she was just being Tally and people liked her. She was always true to herself and always made the decision she thought would benefit everybody, not just her. One part of the book, is when Tally is waiting for Shay and the others to come get her and take her back to the smoke. When Tally and Shay see each other “the tall, lanky form broke from the others and ran toward her, and the two embraced, laughed” (Westerfeld 187). All I know is that if I hadn’t seen a really good friend for a long time I would do the same thing. When they did this, Tally was being herself and didn’t let the fact that she was a spy ruin anything. She was happy to see her friend and that’s all that matters. Tally always put other people first and she was being herself.
Scott Westerfeld is the author of this book the Uglies and also the sequels the Pretties, Specials and Extras. He is also the author of the books Leviathan Series, Peeps, Midnighters Series, Risen Empire Series and also So Yesterday. Scott is an author for a total of eighteen books. However in some of Scotts more artistic days he “wrote music for artsy downtown New York dancers” (Scottwestrerfeld.com). Scott was born on May 5, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. He split a lot of his time between New York and Sydney, Australia. Besides being a writer Scott has held the positions of factory worker (making lead soldiers), substitute teacher, textbook editor, software designer and ghost writer.
I personally loved this book. There was a lot of life that came through this book that made me want to keep reading it. My favorite part of the book is when Tally and Shay are riding the roller coaster for the first time. Scott does a good job of describing it as “a hover board made solid, complete with tight, banked turns, sharp climbs followed by long drops, even loops that took Tally upside down, her crash bracelets activating to keep her on board” (Westerfeld 64). He describes the roller coaster so well, like he was looking at it. I instantly got a mental picture of what it looked like. This is a great read and I would defiantly recommend it. This would be a read book for somebody who likes fantasy and action.
August 20, 2021
I don't usually read science fiction, but this book was so gripping that I couldn't put it down. This is a future where everyone is turned into a 'Pretty' on their 16th birthday via plastic surgery, no questions asked. Tally is looking forward to her 16th birthday so she can finally join her friends in New Pretty Town, until she meets Shay. Some cool science fiction (but not too much), and a future that makes you think about beauty and what is important in life.
January 26, 2023
This book left a lot to desire from me. I understand that the main character is a teenager in an extremely superficial society, but there wasn’t enough character development for me to care for her. Beyond that, the “love” story was as superficial as the rest of the story line, so I didn’t care for much of what was happening in the book. The ending did provide for an okay cliffhanger for the next book, but I’m not sure I care to continue the series.
December 11, 2023
Probs more 2 1/2
July 30, 2016
Mi sono appena ricordata perché adoro Westerfeld.
Non solo le sue idee sono originali, ma riesce a coinvolgere il lettore in tutta la vicenda. E poi, beh… non sai mai che cosa aspettarti.
Finalmente ho deciso di prendere in mano anche l’ultimo romanzo di questa trilogia perché, diciamocelo, era anche ora. Ma una cosa non è mai cambiata durante i secoli d’intermezzo. Tally continua ad avere seri problemi. Che sia Brutta, Perfetta o Speciale, riceverà sempre un calcio in culo.
Allegria!
Per lo meno, le cose tra lei e Shay sembrano essersi bloccate in quella spirale di amore e odio tipica nelle coppie sposate da vent’anni. E se consideriamo il fatto che Shay è il leader dei Taglianti e quindi il suo capo, non è male come situazione. Le due riescono a parlarsi mentalmente senza uccidersi a vicenda.
Questa volta, nella lista delle priorità di Tally, ci saranno solo due punti: far diventare Zane un Tagliante e distruggere NeoFumo. Ma né l’una né l’altra sembrano davvero fattibili, non con David là fuori che continua a mettere il bastone tra le ruote agli Speciali e con Zane che ha riportato danni celebrali permanenti.
Ma Shay e Tally non si perdono d’animo, specialmente dopo l’imboscata di David che ha diviso la squadra dei Taglianti. Eh, sì. Anche gli Speciali se lo prendono lì di tanto in tanto. Il problema è che, per fare in modo di gettare Zane e i Crim nella mischia, le due amiche/nemiche creano un casino che avrà effetti inaspettati. Sì, perché gettare un’arma biochimica di distruzione di massa nell’armeria della città non è poi una così grande idea.
Insomma, fatto il devasto le due partono a inseguire il gruppo di Crim che cerca di raggiungere NeoFumo per la cura, che nel frattempo sta prendendo piede nelle città, distruggendo tutto ciò che la società aveva creato.
Inutile dire che Shay e Tally litigano un botto. E mi sono ricreduta su Shay.
Ha ragione a dire che Tally si sente al centro dell’universo! Boia, se è così.
E guarda caso Tally preferisce il pene. Mi sa da scena già vista.
Purtroppo, a causa dei tremori incontrollati di Zane, Tally non vuole stare con lui finché non sarà guarito. Già, le fanno schifo gli storpi. Ma ben presto si dovrà ricredere, perché anche il ricordo di David fa la sua buona parte nel frenarla, nonostante tutte le sue modifiche.
Ad ogni modo, dopo aver inseguito i Crim per giorni e giorni, arriva nella città di Diego, dove la cura ha già preso piede e tutti possono fare gli interventi che vogliono, anche se non sono in regola con il codice dei Perfetti. Tuttavia, qui scopre che i Fumosi hanno inventato persino una cura per i Speciali e che i suoi amici sono già stati ritrasformati in Normali. Un bel colpo per lei, che viene arrestata e trattata come un’arma.
Beh, cara Tally. Con tutte le tue modifiche che ti aspettavi?
Praticamente con un pugno sfondi un muro.
Per ritrovare la libertà, dovrà accettare di rimuovere le modifiche estreme del suo corpo, ma ovviamente Tally rifiuta. In suo aiuto verrà Shay che, però, ha già subito la cura.
Eh, già. Tally-bella è diventata Tally-in-solitaria.
Ma non è la cosa peggiore.
E le due hanno provocato una guerra. Infatti, il disastro che hanno combinato in armeria ha dato il pretesto alla dottoressa psicotica di attaccare Diego.
Quindi, non solo Tally deve fermare una guerra, ma deve anche dire addio a Zane. Che nel frattempo è morto a causa dei danni subiti e bla bla.
Insomma… Allegria!
Di nuovo.
Ma mentre Tally ritorna indietro completamente sola perché gli ex Taglianti hanno deciso di rimanere a Diego, incontrerà David nelle Rovine. Il ragazzo non ha mai perso la speranza per loro due e le dà la cura. Ma Tally, da bravo genio, non la usa su di sé, bensì sulla dottoressa che quando arriva il momento… la libera.
Sì, praticamente Tally è l’ultimo dei suoi mostri e vuole far sì che il suo lavoro non finisca nell’oblio.
Ed è qui che c’è una fine trippone che merita.
Perché, non solo Tally rimane una Speciale (anche se, come al solito, è riuscita a riparare le lesioni celebrali da sola), ma ritorna da David ed entrambi decidono di rimanere nella natura per contrastare tutti gli altri. Sì, avete capito bene.
Cioè, non è che siano diventati i nemici del mondo intero, ma il compito che si sono dati è quello di controllare la crescita esponenziale delle città, in modo che il mondo non venga devastato come ai giorni nostri.
E qui ci sta un bel… Wow.
Insomma, questa serie, come le altre di questo autore, meritano davvero di avere un’opportunità.
Posso assicurarvi che non ve ne pentirete.
Non solo le sue idee sono originali, ma riesce a coinvolgere il lettore in tutta la vicenda. E poi, beh… non sai mai che cosa aspettarti.
Finalmente ho deciso di prendere in mano anche l’ultimo romanzo di questa trilogia perché, diciamocelo, era anche ora. Ma una cosa non è mai cambiata durante i secoli d’intermezzo. Tally continua ad avere seri problemi. Che sia Brutta, Perfetta o Speciale, riceverà sempre un calcio in culo.
Allegria!
Per lo meno, le cose tra lei e Shay sembrano essersi bloccate in quella spirale di amore e odio tipica nelle coppie sposate da vent’anni. E se consideriamo il fatto che Shay è il leader dei Taglianti e quindi il suo capo, non è male come situazione. Le due riescono a parlarsi mentalmente senza uccidersi a vicenda.
Questa volta, nella lista delle priorità di Tally, ci saranno solo due punti: far diventare Zane un Tagliante e distruggere NeoFumo. Ma né l’una né l’altra sembrano davvero fattibili, non con David là fuori che continua a mettere il bastone tra le ruote agli Speciali e con Zane che ha riportato danni celebrali permanenti.
Ma Shay e Tally non si perdono d’animo, specialmente dopo l’imboscata di David che ha diviso la squadra dei Taglianti. Eh, sì. Anche gli Speciali se lo prendono lì di tanto in tanto. Il problema è che, per fare in modo di gettare Zane e i Crim nella mischia, le due amiche/nemiche creano un casino che avrà effetti inaspettati. Sì, perché gettare un’arma biochimica di distruzione di massa nell’armeria della città non è poi una così grande idea.
Insomma, fatto il devasto le due partono a inseguire il gruppo di Crim che cerca di raggiungere NeoFumo per la cura, che nel frattempo sta prendendo piede nelle città, distruggendo tutto ciò che la società aveva creato.
Inutile dire che Shay e Tally litigano un botto. E mi sono ricreduta su Shay.
Ha ragione a dire che Tally si sente al centro dell’universo! Boia, se è così.
E guarda caso Tally preferisce il pene. Mi sa da scena già vista.
Purtroppo, a causa dei tremori incontrollati di Zane, Tally non vuole stare con lui finché non sarà guarito. Già, le fanno schifo gli storpi. Ma ben presto si dovrà ricredere, perché anche il ricordo di David fa la sua buona parte nel frenarla, nonostante tutte le sue modifiche.
Ad ogni modo, dopo aver inseguito i Crim per giorni e giorni, arriva nella città di Diego, dove la cura ha già preso piede e tutti possono fare gli interventi che vogliono, anche se non sono in regola con il codice dei Perfetti. Tuttavia, qui scopre che i Fumosi hanno inventato persino una cura per i Speciali e che i suoi amici sono già stati ritrasformati in Normali. Un bel colpo per lei, che viene arrestata e trattata come un’arma.
Beh, cara Tally. Con tutte le tue modifiche che ti aspettavi?
Praticamente con un pugno sfondi un muro.
Per ritrovare la libertà, dovrà accettare di rimuovere le modifiche estreme del suo corpo, ma ovviamente Tally rifiuta. In suo aiuto verrà Shay che, però, ha già subito la cura.
Eh, già. Tally-bella è diventata Tally-in-solitaria.
Ma non è la cosa peggiore.
E le due hanno provocato una guerra. Infatti, il disastro che hanno combinato in armeria ha dato il pretesto alla dottoressa psicotica di attaccare Diego.
Quindi, non solo Tally deve fermare una guerra, ma deve anche dire addio a Zane. Che nel frattempo è morto a causa dei danni subiti e bla bla.
Insomma… Allegria!
Di nuovo.
Ma mentre Tally ritorna indietro completamente sola perché gli ex Taglianti hanno deciso di rimanere a Diego, incontrerà David nelle Rovine. Il ragazzo non ha mai perso la speranza per loro due e le dà la cura. Ma Tally, da bravo genio, non la usa su di sé, bensì sulla dottoressa che quando arriva il momento… la libera.
Sì, praticamente Tally è l’ultimo dei suoi mostri e vuole far sì che il suo lavoro non finisca nell’oblio.
Ed è qui che c’è una fine trippone che merita.
Perché, non solo Tally rimane una Speciale (anche se, come al solito, è riuscita a riparare le lesioni celebrali da sola), ma ritorna da David ed entrambi decidono di rimanere nella natura per contrastare tutti gli altri. Sì, avete capito bene.
Cioè, non è che siano diventati i nemici del mondo intero, ma il compito che si sono dati è quello di controllare la crescita esponenziale delle città, in modo che il mondo non venga devastato come ai giorni nostri.
E qui ci sta un bel… Wow.
Insomma, questa serie, come le altre di questo autore, meritano davvero di avere un’opportunità.
Posso assicurarvi che non ve ne pentirete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
I read this book twice, once in the spring 2020 and again in september 2021. I read the Uglies out of this Trilogy. I am planning to read the Pretties next. I loved this book so much! it was very interesting and had an amazing plot! There were so many twists and turns, it really reeled me in! i highly recommend! i consider the age level 10 up! so good, 10/10!
November 30, 2009
The book Uglies must be one of the greatest books I have ever read. From beginning to end the book has kept my eyes reading every single word, creating a picture in my mind every second of the way. Scott Westerfeld does a fantastic job of creating a wonderful story. The theme of the story is so full of such a different society than ours today. The setting in the story has a more hi-tech way of living for the characters in the book. Something new that caught my eye the most, which is the most important concept in the book, was the fact that the world seemed so different. If you were normal and had the face of the average person today you would be considered an ugly. In the life of a pretty, the complete opposite of an ugly, everything was perfect. The way you looked, your body and even your mind, the way you thought. A pretty mind and face is what every one in the world would receive once their sixteen birthdays came. This way of living seemed so controlling, but no one ever noticed that they were ever being controlled on the first place. In the book, Tally Youngblood couldn’t wait to turn sixteen so she could get the operation and become pretty. Tally was the representation of everyone who was ugly. Every ugly had their mind set on one thing: becoming pretty and living the perfect life, except for some self thinking uglies like Shay. Shay was Tally’s new friend she had met after she crashed a party in New Pretty Town where all her pretty friends lived. Shay felt that people didn’t need a pretty face to actually be considered pretty. Being independent and not controlled was pretty enough for her. These two important characters are contributed to the story because each gives two completely different opinions and how society worked in their worlds. One was: why go against the law and rebel against a moral everyone lived and obeyed by without any problems? The other was: why be exactly like every other pretty and never know the other side of the world, the non-pretty, abandoned by the ‘Rusties”, without technology world. The outcome of what each one thinks changes throughout the story and creates something that no would probably expect. Seeing as this world was so different from ours, there had to be a reason, right? Well, our world today known as the “Rusties” in their world had some how died off. So then this book makes me think, what would actually be better? Living how we do now, with the problems and hassles people deal with. Or everyone looking and thinking the same, living in unison, not having any what so ever. When reading this book a lot of literal tools like theme, setting, and imagery come to mind. All of these relate directly to the book. This is so because the setting is different from ours more like in the future with more advanced technology. It uses imagery because it puts a picture in your mind of how this new world looks like if we had it too. As for theme it shows how life goes on between two different societies, ours and theirs. I like this book because it causes me to truly think about the world around me and if it changed to something new and different, how it could be affected. This story is good to read for me, it uses my mind in a productive and creative way.
Read
August 25, 2016I think that the book was actually pretty good but I think that it was a little too long. Why does “The Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld have to be so long? The book was very interesting but it was so long. If you are like me then you would maybe don’t want to read it because it is a very long book. I think that reading this book is kind of worth it because it felt like I was like in the book and I was living that Tally’s life. I think maybe it fits adventure because Tally escaped uglyville and went to new pretty town, then she went to the smoke with shay and that was where they met David. Tally got to go somewhere she had never went to and discovered how it was like.
The book was about a 16 year old girl named Tally and you have to get plastic surgery, but her friend shay and she doesn’t want to get it and they discovered that people who had plastic surgery had brain damage. Then at the end they end up doing plastic surgery because Shay was forced to get it then Tally got plastic surgery after all because she didn’t want to be left behind and also she was guilty and she did it.
Imagine a world where people are separated because of what they look like. The immature kids between the ages of 1 and 16 split up from the unaware of teenagers and adults between the ages of 16 and beyond. Well I'm about to tell you about this mysterious world of differences, and about that one girl who learned that all she ever wanted was a lie. Their world is very different from ours because when we are 16 we don’t have to have plastic surgery and when we don’t have to live in a separate city or town if we had plastic surgery. It doesn’t matter if someone says you are ugly because you don’t have to take his or her comment personally. We all have our natural beauty and you are beautiful no matter what they say to you.
The book made me sad at first because they were separated just because they didn’t get plastic surgery. When Tally was separated from Peris I felt kind of mad because I think it is unfair that just because she didn’t get plastic surgery and Peris did. It is not fair that if you are ugly you are treated differently from the pretties and the pretties get like kind of special treatment.
The ending actually surprised me because I thought that Tally wouldn’t do plastic surgery. I can’t believe that Shay was forced to do plastic surgery and that Az was dead because he was experimented and something turned out wrong. It is so weird how in uglyville they call their parents by their first name and in thee smokes they just call their parents mom and dad like us. I liked how Scott Westerfeld wrote the ending because it surprised me and it made it even more interesting.
The book was about a 16 year old girl named Tally and you have to get plastic surgery, but her friend shay and she doesn’t want to get it and they discovered that people who had plastic surgery had brain damage. Then at the end they end up doing plastic surgery because Shay was forced to get it then Tally got plastic surgery after all because she didn’t want to be left behind and also she was guilty and she did it.
Imagine a world where people are separated because of what they look like. The immature kids between the ages of 1 and 16 split up from the unaware of teenagers and adults between the ages of 16 and beyond. Well I'm about to tell you about this mysterious world of differences, and about that one girl who learned that all she ever wanted was a lie. Their world is very different from ours because when we are 16 we don’t have to have plastic surgery and when we don’t have to live in a separate city or town if we had plastic surgery. It doesn’t matter if someone says you are ugly because you don’t have to take his or her comment personally. We all have our natural beauty and you are beautiful no matter what they say to you.
The book made me sad at first because they were separated just because they didn’t get plastic surgery. When Tally was separated from Peris I felt kind of mad because I think it is unfair that just because she didn’t get plastic surgery and Peris did. It is not fair that if you are ugly you are treated differently from the pretties and the pretties get like kind of special treatment.
The ending actually surprised me because I thought that Tally wouldn’t do plastic surgery. I can’t believe that Shay was forced to do plastic surgery and that Az was dead because he was experimented and something turned out wrong. It is so weird how in uglyville they call their parents by their first name and in thee smokes they just call their parents mom and dad like us. I liked how Scott Westerfeld wrote the ending because it surprised me and it made it even more interesting.
October 8, 2012
Series review:
This is a series I have wanted to read for awhile and finally got the chance to when a group member on goodreads nominated it for a challenge. Well only the first book, but I couldn’t stop there, I devoured the series in a about 4 days!
Tally Youngblood’s world was absolutely fascinating! The way society view beauty and what is beautiful felt very real and very scary.
Characters:
Tally – Although she often irritated me with her decisions she came into her own and I must say the Tally in book 3, was my favorite Tally.
Shay – Shay was a constant friend and enemy and she really spiced up the book!
David – David wasn’t my favorite character. I think he had a disadvantage tho, coming from where he came from. I don’t think he understood Tally’s world as well as he could have.
Zane – I absolutely loved Zane and my full support was behind him all the way!
Dr Cable – Truly the stuff of nightmares!
Setting and World Building:
The world is set in the future where humans as we know them today, died out because of a virus that destroyed fossil fuels. From there on little secluded cities were created where everyone got an operation at 16 to be made beautiful. It is all because chemically and subconsciously we treat people who look vulnerable and beautiful with reverence, and that was unfair to “uglies”.
There were a few things I would have liked to know about the world, but I find that everything you need to know was provided and thought out.
Language and Writing:
The books were very well written, don’t get me wrong, the “Pretties” speech (although understandable within character) really got on a my nerves a bit. Vocabulary like: “pretty-making”, adding “-la” after everyone’s name and “bubbly”, for when something is cool got a bit much.
I found the pacing consistent and perfect for these kind of novels! If you are looking for action packed, fast paced books, something like The Hunger Games or Divergent, then this isn’t it.
Recommend:
I would recommend this series of books to people who would like to read sci-fi but are a bit scared of it. This is a nice soft sci-fi series with dystopian elements.
But overall a series I would recommend and re-read!
Next:
I hear there is a 4th book? Or a book that takes place afterwards:
Extras (Uglies, #4) by Scott Westerfeld
Can anyone tell me if it is worth it?
This is a series I have wanted to read for awhile and finally got the chance to when a group member on goodreads nominated it for a challenge. Well only the first book, but I couldn’t stop there, I devoured the series in a about 4 days!
Tally Youngblood’s world was absolutely fascinating! The way society view beauty and what is beautiful felt very real and very scary.
Characters:
Tally – Although she often irritated me with her decisions she came into her own and I must say the Tally in book 3, was my favorite Tally.
Shay – Shay was a constant friend and enemy and she really spiced up the book!
David – David wasn’t my favorite character. I think he had a disadvantage tho, coming from where he came from. I don’t think he understood Tally’s world as well as he could have.
Zane – I absolutely loved Zane and my full support was behind him all the way!
Dr Cable – Truly the stuff of nightmares!
Setting and World Building:
The world is set in the future where humans as we know them today, died out because of a virus that destroyed fossil fuels. From there on little secluded cities were created where everyone got an operation at 16 to be made beautiful. It is all because chemically and subconsciously we treat people who look vulnerable and beautiful with reverence, and that was unfair to “uglies”.
There were a few things I would have liked to know about the world, but I find that everything you need to know was provided and thought out.
Language and Writing:
The books were very well written, don’t get me wrong, the “Pretties” speech (although understandable within character) really got on a my nerves a bit. Vocabulary like: “pretty-making”, adding “-la” after everyone’s name and “bubbly”, for when something is cool got a bit much.
I found the pacing consistent and perfect for these kind of novels! If you are looking for action packed, fast paced books, something like The Hunger Games or Divergent, then this isn’t it.
Recommend:
I would recommend this series of books to people who would like to read sci-fi but are a bit scared of it. This is a nice soft sci-fi series with dystopian elements.
But overall a series I would recommend and re-read!
Next:
I hear there is a 4th book? Or a book that takes place afterwards:
Extras (Uglies, #4) by Scott Westerfeld
Can anyone tell me if it is worth it?
Read
September 12, 2013The Uglies written by Scott Westerfeld isn't just a book that has a boring beginning middle and end. The book truly allows the readers to think about what they would do in the characters position. Three main characters Tally, Shay, and David fear living in the "Smoke", while trying to stay out of danger and away from "New Pretty Town". It all started when Tally Youngblood, a girl who wanted to become pretty all her life, met a girl named Shay. Tally was so excited to finally turn 16 and become pretty like everyone else in new pretty town was, and will be. 16 was the age everything would change. Your body, hair, and mind. New Pretty Town was a town where all the pretty's had gone. after the operation life was just about partying and having fun. The days, minutes, and hours she was counting finally came down to just a few days, but Tally and Shay decide to explore the smoke. And thats when Tally's mind had changed about becoming pretty. As the pages turn, the book begins to become deep with many surprising twist and turns. After Tally's view of the "smoke" she decides to stay at the smoke and live her life there for a while. The risks and friendships that develop throughout the time at the "Smoke" are intriguing especially in times of despair. When David and Tally go on an adventure to help many others out, they were shocked to see the unexpected. The book unravels, and what happens is both shocking and brings you to the edge of your seat. Who will become a pretty and who will not? The answer will amaze you. This book really opened my eyes to the real world and encourages me to take risks in life and be independent even if others in the world don't do the same. I strongly recommend this book for girls seeking a thought provoking book that will make your mind full with thoughts. I truthfully loved this book very much as it made mea more passionate thinker, got my brain thinking, and utterly changed my view of how I look at the world in a good way.
Read
January 4, 2012Tally Youngblood, a fifteen year old girl who recently lost her bestfriend Peris. She didn't lose him to death however, he turned pretty. On everyone's sixteenth birthday they get a special operation, to where they turn pretty and live on a whole different side of town. The "uglies" which include Tally, her new friend Shay and anyone under the age of sixteen, have to stay out of sight from the pretties. Tally doesn't exactly follow the rules, and in the mist of all this, she meets a girl named Shay. What Tally doesn't know is that Shay has a background, and doesn't plan on talking about it.
Shortly after meeting Shay she runs away on the night of her sixteenth birthday. Shay has to be with Tally in order to get the operation, or they will be ugly forever. Will they succeed in turning out pretty? Or stay ugly forever? This was a very good book, I highly enjoyed all the action that happened within the story. It gave a new perspective on the word "pretty". I felt as if I was with the characters in the story, because the descriptions were so vivid.
I've read the whole series and I would say they are by far in my favorite catagory. Coming to a conclusion, I would gladly recommend this book to anyone! It was action packed, and full of excitement. It also had a bit of love between a new flame Tally runs into. One of the best books out there, by far.
Shortly after meeting Shay she runs away on the night of her sixteenth birthday. Shay has to be with Tally in order to get the operation, or they will be ugly forever. Will they succeed in turning out pretty? Or stay ugly forever? This was a very good book, I highly enjoyed all the action that happened within the story. It gave a new perspective on the word "pretty". I felt as if I was with the characters in the story, because the descriptions were so vivid.
I've read the whole series and I would say they are by far in my favorite catagory. Coming to a conclusion, I would gladly recommend this book to anyone! It was action packed, and full of excitement. It also had a bit of love between a new flame Tally runs into. One of the best books out there, by far.
May 15, 2008
I finally finished the trilogy- yay! Ok, so I started off the first book completely in love, then was frustrated with the end of the second one and the redundancy of the storyline, then bored to death at the first half of the third one, and now I feel ok with the ending (although the last line of the book is really cheesy). The author gets an A+++++ for creativity, imagination, and ingenuity. The author gets a D for developing a love story or a relationship- I feel they never got to know each other adequately enough- but I guess they're only 16, so oh well.
The plot of the book is a really cool concept, that you can't take away people's free agency. Trying to take it away will only have disastrous results because human nature needs to be free. However good intentioned forcing people to make safe decisions can be, it can only get too carried away and turn into tyranny. You have to let people make stupid decisions---it's what shapes our character and makes our souls flourish.
The plot of the book is a really cool concept, that you can't take away people's free agency. Trying to take it away will only have disastrous results because human nature needs to be free. However good intentioned forcing people to make safe decisions can be, it can only get too carried away and turn into tyranny. You have to let people make stupid decisions---it's what shapes our character and makes our souls flourish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2010
This book is about a girl who lives in a post-apocolyptic world where, in order to prevent humans natural instinct of selfishness and aggression from ruining the world again, all children are given plastic surgery in the form of lesions when they turn 16, which makes them more attractable, but also takes away from ambition. No one wants to turn away from the system, but because she was blackmailed into not receiving it, she must out other uglies who have run away.
What I really enjoyed was the linguistic choices the author made: he had his own catchy teen lingo(for instance, the use of words like Bubbly or Icey) and he believably cruised into the teenage psyche seamlessly. Melodrama and hormones were had by all (though only in the best ways). However, with that said, that is also the book's weakness. While it is fascinating, it still is a teen book, and the plot acts accordingly. Nothing is bogged down with too many troubling scenarios, and the book is rife with chase scenes.
What I really enjoyed was the linguistic choices the author made: he had his own catchy teen lingo(for instance, the use of words like Bubbly or Icey) and he believably cruised into the teenage psyche seamlessly. Melodrama and hormones were had by all (though only in the best ways). However, with that said, that is also the book's weakness. While it is fascinating, it still is a teen book, and the plot acts accordingly. Nothing is bogged down with too many troubling scenarios, and the book is rife with chase scenes.
May 21, 2009
This series is one of the best I have ever encountered. There are so many levels to the different issues, morals and politics that Scott Westerfeld delves into in this highly imaginative perception of the future. Tally Youngblood on her hoverboard is an unorthodox heroine and I loved her sense of adventure. I loved how nothing was simple in this book--the good guys weren't so pure and the bad guys weren't all bad. The Rusties could be touted for their desire to live live on their own terms, but they were also depleting natural resources. The utopian "New pretty Town" was actually a very eco-conscious society that recycled and renewed everything. My favorite book was "Pretties" when Tally was faced with the challenge of being "Pretty" but trying to stay "bubbly". The action in these books makes you feel like you are right there along with Tally and Dr. Cable still lingers in my mind as a formidable presence.
November 1, 2011
This book is amazing. Let me clarify here that I am not a teen but yet still i like this book alot. Let me list out the why I really like the book. The pace of the book was too good for me and before anything I should definitely mention the vivid imagination of the fiction in this book. Amazing! Really, unlike the all time travelling, alien, vampire science fiction, this book was different. The writing style was good. I liked it. The whole book held my interest till the very last page.
This book was actually recommended to me by a friend on this very site. thanks heather :)
This book was actually recommended to me by a friend on this very site. thanks heather :)
August 14, 2008
This is a futuristic series based on the adventures of Tally, Shay and her many friends. They go on many adventures (most often a bit rebellious). The not so nice Dr.Cable is always trying to get her to follow the rules. (As you read the books, you'll see that there are quite a number of rules. Like I said about the book series of Stefanie Meyer's, as you read these books, you will not want to put them down. So hope you enjoy!
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