Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies (Uglies, Book 1)
Scott Westerfeld

Young Adult Dystopian Future
338 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 14+

Simon Pulse
978-0689865381
Release Date: February 8, 2005



From the publisher:

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Read an excerpt.

My daughter chose to get this book while we were vacationing. She really liked it, so I had to read it too. She's not allowed to have book reading fun without me.

I loved this book! Book one of a trilogy, Uglies is an action-packed and highly entertaining futuristic novel which examines the definition of beauty. It should be required reading for all teens, but especially for 14 to 18 year old girls. I think boys would like it too, if they can get past the fact that the main character is a girl.

The plot is good. It's a coming-of-age story, young men and women against the corrupt adult authority, but with a few twists thrown in. This is a YA book (target 14-18), but I was captivated by it.

The characters were very believable. I loved Tally—adventurous and independent without being obnoxious. There is no swearing. There are mentions of Pretties who go to the "pleasure gardens" at night, but it doesn't say what goes on there. There's hand-holding and a couple of kisses, but no sensuality. I feel absolutely comfortable letting anyone over the age of 12 read this.

This is a great book for parents and teens to read and discuss together. It really makes you think about beauty—what it is, who defines it, and how important it is. I found some wonderful discussion questions online.

I know I'll get some argument, but I liked this book a little better than Twilight because I could fully like and respect the main character instead of thinking she was an idiot most of the time. Plus, it is not a romance so the main point of the story is not getting some guy to like you. (puke!) It's about right and wrong, freedom of choice, respect for people because of who they are and how they behave, rather than how they look. I don't know for sure how the series will end up, but I sure like the direction it's going.

I give this book a 5.0 without reservation (except for using leaped instead of leapt). I'm looking forward to reading Pretties as soon as my daughter is done with it. (Hurry up, already!)


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Content Ratings

Language:

Violence: There's some teenage pranks and hiding from the "Specials" but nothing bad.

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Age Appropriate: Many adults will love this book too.

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