What a bubbly story!

Uglies – Scott Westerfeld

(Uglies Trilogy #1)

I judged this book by its cover. The older one, that is. It just looked so wickedly awesome, that I thought, it must be a wonderful read! However, although I was right, the book was nothing like I thought it would be. The language of the future world was at times annoying, such as the term Uglies, Pretties, and yuck, Littlies. Or even worse, Rusties. Yet, the language slowly grew on me, and I accepted it. Perhaps it was just my “Rusty” (those from the past. You know, those of us who chop down trees and are hideously ugly?) ways getting the best of me. I should be open to new slang. After all “cool” loses its desired effect after some time. Bubbly is so much better; and that’s what this book is, totally bubbly! In other words, it rocks and it really makes you think.

  In the society we inhabit now, looks are pretty much a major thing. Even if you don’t want to admit it, there’s been at least one time someone made you feel ugly. Or at least, not as pretty as you thought you were. Or maybe you just know you’re ugly, because you’re not as skinny as the girls on magazines or even the “normal” girls at school. You wear size 14 or even larger, your skin is bumpy, and you’re eyebrows are uneven. After all, even proportions are important. In fact, most people in society we consider “pretty” or “handsome” are very well off symmetrically. (I learned that when I studied aesthetics in Philosophy! J ) Scott Westerfeld acknowledges this fact, and its one of the main components of being a Pretty.

  The society in Uglies is almost unbelievable, but when you look at how much we focus on looks…even airbrushing models and celebrities when they already appear perfect to us. Perfection is what most strive for. I currently struggle with self-image difficulties, and I can’t name a single friend who can honestly say they are perfectly happy with how they look ALL THE TIME. Plastic surgery is a must for some, but what if it became a law? What if at the age of sixteen, you had to have a surgery or sorts to change your whole body, so you will be perfectly beautiful?

 The idea may seem a relief, but while you’re waiting to become Pretty, you’re stuck with other Uglies. You lose your friends who are older than you. Pretties don’t associate with Uglies after all. Uglies are hideous freaks.  If you’re the kind of person who respects you’re freedom of choice, you probably don’t like this idea at all. Well, there are people like that in Uglies. Uglies who want to escape from surgery, who wish to live as Rusties did. That’s where The Smoke comes in.

  Tally Youngblood is just about to turn pretty, when a friend of hers runs off to the secret community called The Smoke. It’s where Uglies live together in a Rusty society; a way of life similar to our current one. Tally wants to be pretty though, she’d give anything to have that, so she can be with her old friend Peris. But something horrible happens…Tally has instructions to the Smoke, and somebody knows. Somebody wants her to go undercover and find the hidden community. Or else,

She can’t become Pretty.

But the question remains, what will Tally learn? Is everything perfect as it seems in New Pretty Town, or do the people at the Smoke, although hideous, have a reason for their