Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Paperback, 448 pages
2007, Simon Pulse
ISBN: 0689865384
Series: Book 1 of Uglies
Synopsis
Playing on every teen’s passionate desire to look as good as everybody else, Scott Westerfeld (Midnighters) projects a future world in which a compulsory operation at sixteen wipes out physical differences and makes everyone pretty by conforming to an ideal standard of beauty. The "New Pretties" are then free to play and party, while the younger "Uglies" look on enviously and spend the time before their own transformations in plotting mischievous tricks against their elders. Tally Youngblood is one of the most daring of the Uglies, and her imaginative tricks have gotten her in trouble with the menacing department of Special Circumstances. She has yearned to be pretty, but since her best friend Shay ran away to the rumored rebel settlement of recalcitrant Uglies called The Smoke, Tally has been troubled. The authorities give her an impossible choice: either she follows Shay’s cryptic directions to The Smoke with the purpose of betraying the rebels, or she will never be allowed to become pretty. Hoping to rescue Shay, Tally sets off on the dangerous journey as a spy. But after finally reaching The Smoke she has a change of heart when her new lover David reveals to her the sinister secret behind becoming pretty. The fast-moving story is enlivened by many action sequences in the style of videogames, using intriguing inventions like hoverboards that use the rider’s skateboard skills to skim through the air, and bungee jackets that make wild downward plunges survivable -- and fun. Behind all the commotion is the disturbing vision of our own society -- the Rusties -- visible only in rusting ruins after a virus destroyed all petroleum. Teens will be entranced, and the cliffhanger ending will leave them gasping for the sequel.
Review
I really enjoyed Uglies, much more than I thought I would. The book was so very different from any other futuristic science fiction novel I have ever read. The storyline was so plausible, it was scary. The entire book was crazy exciting from beginning to end. I cannot wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
Rating
Links
This is the book that keeps getting me excited from other bloggers but the Library and book store doesn't have it. I asked a friend to get it for me during Black Friday shopping, i'm not in the US so hopefully they got it.
ReplyDeleteI've got to read this series. I loved the Midnighters and Leviathan was fantastic. Thanks for a great review!
ReplyDeleteI liked Uglies and really enjoyed Pretties. Specials...well I never was able to finish it. I am glad you enjoyed the first installment of the series. I look forward to your reviews on the rest of the series as well. Perhaps you'll be able to give me a fresh perspective on Specials!
ReplyDeletei'm a new convert to YA books, which i don't mind having been out of the loop for years as there are so many great series to read that have already been published and i don't have to wait in anticipation for the next book (like i'm having to do now with the hunger games series!). thanks for alerting me to another set of stories to add to my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it scary how plausible the story line is? Really creeped me out, but I loved it!
ReplyDeletei haven't yet read the others in the series, but i am so excited to!
ReplyDeleteI've never read this but I continue to read raving reviews about it. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed this book a whole lot, although the next two books are kind of ehh for me. Glad you enjoyed it, great review :)
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to read this for a while, but just realized it's not actually on my to-read list. *smacks head*
ReplyDeleteGreat review, I'm going to add this to my list right now before I forget :)
I read Uglies and liked it but not enough to read the others
ReplyDeleteOh I just remembered another book by Scott Westerfeld that I really liked. Peeps and there was a sequal but I cant remember the name right now but it was an interesting take on vampires where it spread like an STD. Odd but interesting.
ReplyDelete