Scott Westerfeld's Pretties

Pretties

Tally Youngblood is back and this time she’s pretty.  She has turned herself in so that she can have the operation and then return to the Smoke and try the cure. But things don’t go as she has planned. She likes being pretty, until she encounters someone from her past which causes old memories to resurface. She does all that she can so she can remain bubbly and try to figure out. But she’s not alone this time, which brings in relief and complication as her memory gets clearer. There’s even more trouble when it turns out that she’s not the only one who remembers.  Another escape from the city, again doesn’t go as planned, and again she learns more disturbing things about the city.

Scott Westerfeld has done it again; he has captured my attention and saturated me with the world of pretties, uglies and specials. I am a fan of Tally Youngblood, even though she seems to always find herself in impossible situations. I know that she is destined to be the hero in this series, but I can’t see how it’s going to work out.  Where Uglies may have been about saving oneself from the expectations of others and redefining what it meant to be pretty,Pretties is about saving others.

You’ve got everything in this book; romance and a heart torn between two loves, a friendship that is still suffering from a betrayal, and the realization that everything you thought to be true –isn’t.  Though Tally is pretty now, she still has her ugly mind and this allows her to break through and complete the task that she set out to do-just not in the way that she had planned.  This time she is not doing it alone; Zane, the leader of the Crims, is with her now. They both take the cure, and they have very different side effects.  When Zane’s symptoms become dangerous and life-threatening, they decide to leave the city and get the help of the Smokies. This time it’s not just Tally, it’s the entire group of Crims. Once again Tally is separated from the group and she finds a secret world within the world she once knew.  When she finally catches up to the rest of  the New Smokies, she must then decide to either run with them or stay behind for the one she has chosen to love.

So far I have to say, I am liking this series and not just because of the storyline and the growth in the characters. There is a healthy dose of insight of modern day society that I appreciate.  If you want to know more about the Uglies series or any of the other books Scott has written check out his website at www.scotwesterfield.com. You can also find Scott on Facebook. His new book Goliath, the final book in the Leviathan series will be out Sept. 20, 2011. 

Always Shine,

Starr K.

Scott Westerfeld's Uglies

Uglies

Imagine a world where you are considered your entire life until you turn sixteen.  At sixteen, the milestone that everyone waits for, you have an operation that transforms you into a pretty. What do you do when you discover that it’s not exactly what you thought it would be? That’s the story of Tally Youngblood who is a few months younger than her best friend and must wait her turn for the operation. It is something that she has been looking forward to her entire life, she has dreamt of turning pretty. Turning pretty is something that is expected of everyone and life in the city is the only life she knows. That is until she meets up with Shay, another ugly who had friends turn pretty before her. Shay teaches Tally knew tricks and pushes her further out into the wild than she’s ever been. But that’s not all Shay does, she introduces Tally to ideas and people that challenges her city’s way of life. Sent a mission that meant to betray only draws her closer to people that defy the norms and shows her that there is something better out there for her. A mission that uncovers lies and secrets that no one was ever meant to know.

If I was to be completely honest, I would say that this is my second time reading this book. I decided to finish the series and realized that it has been a while so I wanted to get the story fresh in my mind. When I started reading it –again- I was disappointed. I wasn’t even sure why I had read the story in the first place and definitely not sure if I was going to continue.  A part of that was the irritation that parts of the story sounded familiar enough to remind that I had already this book but not familiar enough for me to skip over those parts.  But I pushed through and found myself lost in this world where everyone is ugly. Despite that it’s an equalizer it claims to be, it rips the idea of being different to shreds. Talk about creating a self-esteem complex, who really wants to grow in a world where you are reminded how ugly you are every single day?

Differences are not celebrated and conformity is expected. Even the people who are naturally gorgeous lose something. The operation is designed for people to be average, not ugly and not beautiful.  It’s disturbing to read a book that focuses so much on looks and appearances especially one that is meant for young readers.  But at the same time it is comforting to see someone address an issue that presents so much turmoil for youth in such a way that it gets them to think about things differently. If there is one thing that I have learned from this book is that prettiness comes at a price and though it is hard, not conforming to ideals that do not have my best interest in mind is well worth it.

It’s a journey of self-discovery, betrayal, and trying to right the wrongs of the world. It’s one girl’s fight to be allowed to be who she is as she is and another girl’s journey to finally understanding who she is and learning to accept it.  This is only the beginning and I have to admit that I am looking forward to the next book. I am intrigued about what is going to happen to Tally Youngblood and Shay. I want to know if the betrayal will ever be forgiven and if the budding romance is given a chance to blossom into something meaningful.  Most of all, I want to know what kind of trouble the Uglies are going to cause next.  I will let you  know my recommendation about this series when I finished it completely.

If you want to know more about the Uglies series or any of the other books Scott has written check out his website at www.scotwesterfeld.com. You can also find Scott on Facebook. His new book Goliath, the final book in the Leviathan series will be out Sept. 20, 2011. 

Always Shine,
Starr K.