Book Review - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally Youngblood lives in the world of perfection or at least that's what the government makes her believe.  At the age of 16 you get a surgery that makes you pretty.  Model pretty.  Seems fair right?  You spend 16 years being "ugly" then you turn pretty.  When Tally makes a new friend, Shay, and things don't go according to plan.  As an ugly Shay and Tally pull tricks on everyone in Uglyville.   When Shay  tells Tally she's running  away to a place called "Smoke" and that she wants Tally to go with her,  Tally refuses.  On the day of Tally's surgery, Tally is told the only way she's going to be pretty is if she goes to Smoke and gives away the secret location.   When Tally finds Smoke she realizes that it isn't as bad as she thought.  Then she realizes how bad the government in the city is, she doesn't want to go back.  What will Tally do?  How will Tally handle her situation?  What would you do to be pretty?  Read the first book of the amazing trilogy by Scott Westerfeld and find out what Tally's final  decision is.

For starters, before you read the actual book, it does drag on until page 200.  Once you hit page 200 you just keep turning the pages.  You need to pay attention to small details, there are certain parts where you will throw the book across the room.  You'll hate some of the characters, then fall in love with them, it all depends.  The book is a very realistic idea of what people will be like in the future to look perfect and be perfect.  If we all got the promise to be pretty at 16 I think we'd all jump at the chance to be thin, tall, and model like.  I think the worst part is we would all be dumb enough to fall for the idea of being perfect, except for those very few of us who would be afraid of being just like everyone else they'd be the ones to run Smoke.  We'll believe anything the government tells us as long as we don't hear from anywhere outside of our country.

The book is also a very good reminder of how much we depend on looks.  Now days, we look at how you dress, your eye colour, how thin you are, just your looks in general.  When Tally first meets the people in Smoke she's quick to notice every flaw about each citizen.  That they have a scar on their face, their eyes are too close together, or their mouths are too big or too small.  That there is human instinct to judge.  As humans we quickly find something that isn't normal about someone.  Like maybe someones feet are really big, compared to the rest of their body.  Maybe you like that I don't know, it's not a bad thing.  I have really small feet for my body, but my feet are really cute you can ask anybody (ask my brother he'll give you an half hour speech about how cute they are.)  You can have the world's most perfect personality, however, if you are unattractive you have like no chance (I'm sorry but it's true.)

My favourite character is Tally Youngblood.  Honestly, I didn't have much of choice (I have a different favourite character in the second and third book.  Just saying.)   Tally is very selfish,  she is a troublemaker, and very unsure.   Tally throws everyone off, because she is continuously growing and learning who she wants to be. She teaches herself how to feel differently towards new things she's never seen or even heard.

To start off Tally is a very self centered character. She thinks about how the situation is going to benefit herself.  A really good example of this is in the beginning of the novel where Tally had the option of telling Special Circumstances where the runaways were headed and going there.  She had two options.  Keep her promise with Shay or go to Smoke, give out the special location, then she could be pretty. Throughout the book you hear Shay's constant comments about Tally's self concern. Shay looked at things such as, 'Tally took my boyfriend and she's only hear to get rid of the only place that makes me happy.  Tally really wasn't thinking about the people around her, she was thinking it's going to be worth it because it was going to make her pretty.  As Tally tells her story of how she got to Smoke, she over exaggerated everything.  How she kept mentioning that she almost died. Yes, she could've died, but she didn't.  She should've been more focused on making sure her secret didn't get out.  Her selfishness made her trouble.

To continue Tally is an agitator.  She is always making trouble.  In the first chapter Tally talks about all the tricks that her and her best friend, Peris, did back when Peris was ugly.   She talks about how they would sneak over to New Pretty Town and just watch the new pretties.  Uglies weren't supposed to visit New Pretty Town it was just against the rules.  Another example would be when Tally sneaks into New Pretty Town to see Peris.  She snuck into one of the many parties in New Pretty Town, then escaped.  Throughout the novel there are many sections as to where Tally proves to be full of mischief.  I would tell you, what she does but that gives away most of the story, and I wouldn't want to do that.  All of Tally's trouble in the Uglyville made her very unsure.

Lastly, Tally is doubtful.  She was taught that everyone normal was ugly, and now she's seeing what it's like to everyone ugly.  She doesn't know if she should still trust the government, or if she should trust David, the boy she met in Smoke.  Tally questions herself.  Throughout the novel she never knows if she did the right thing.   She also is never sure who or what to trust.  In the book she doesn't believe in herself, leaving her to be very dependent on others.  Until she realizes how she needs trust herself more than anyone else.

In conclusion, Tally Youngblood from "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld is a selfish, rebel who has he doubts.  She carries through the book as a very strong character.  She goes through so much, only to put up with more throughout this amazing trilogy.



Rate: 6/10

Comment: "A very good outlook on the future of our society."

Favourite Character:  Tally Youngblood

Amount of Pages: 425

Favourite Quote:  "The next morning she awoke to chaos, the sounds of running, shouting, and the scream of machines invading her dreams." pg. 284