Uglies: Gnomadic Librarian book review

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
 

Several months ago I rather foolishly signed up to another bloggers challenge. We were all supposed to read as many Dystopian novels as possible before the release of Suzanne Collins’ final book in the Hunger Games series. I failed to reach my target of 20 by one book! The Dystopian Challenge button down the side of my blog is mocking me! With his little smirk hidden behind that convenient gas mask. But at least you now know why so many of these reviews have been for books about DEATH! DESTRUCTION! MAYHEM! and BAD HYGIENE! This review is still for a dystopian novel, but it's about BEAUTY! LOVE! PARTIES! and CONFORMITY! instead.
 

Last week I finished Scott Westerfeld's Uglies and Pretties (the first two books in a series which includes Specials and Extras). Uglies is set on an apparently utopian future earth. Humans have survived some sort of man-made apocalypse and have now given up notions of war and discrimination because through the wonders of modern surgery, everyone can become pretty - exactly the same kind of pretty. Once you've joined the 'in-crowd' life becomes a perpetual party with no strings or obligations. Tally is itching for her 16th birthday to roll around so she can have the first of the operations to make her a 'Pretty'. Her best friend Peris has already gone, leaving her alone in the segregated 'Uglies' compound for kids who are under age. When Tally makes a new friend she is presented with a different opinion for the first time in her life - someone who doesn't want to become 'Pretty'. Soon circumstances conspire to place Tally in an awkward position - she must choose between her overwhelming desire to become Pretty or to fulfil her promise to her friend and the other Uglies who have decided to opt-out of Pretty conformity.
 

I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series now. I had some misgivings when I started reading as I hadn't really enjoyed the last Westerfeld book I read, Leviathan, as much as I thought I would. Initially, this book gave me the same sorts of feelings. At first, the world of Uglies didn't feel very realistic and I couldn't really connect with it. But once I got over the blah of wondering how hover-boards could possibly work in real life, (because light-sabers are sooo realistic aren't they!) and just sat back to enjoy the story those problems quickly went away. Tally was a good lead character even if her motivations and development were a little predictable and once the scary 'Specials' were introduced the pace picked up immeasurably. I dare you not to think of Angelina Jolie as 'Special' Dr Cable, when you read Uglies. She probably wouldn't need any make-up or CGI! I do think Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games (review coming soon) are some of the best dystopian YA reads out there at the moment, but if you've read and enjoyed those books, you should enjoy the Uglies series.

Opening Sentence: "The early summer sky was the color or cat vomit"

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