Specials

Sometimes freedom has a way of destroying things..

At first, i was really angry at what had happened to Tally. I felt like I'd lost the person I had spent so much time getting to know but gradually, throughout the book i began accepting that it's a little selfish of me to want Tally to be the same person forever and that what happened was outside her control and vital tot he story. Grudgingly.

I loved how Scott westerfeld didn't sugarcoat the ending to serve one side. It gave the story so much more authenticity than any other ending would have. Brilliant work!

The beginning was rough for me. It started out very fast paced. Tally is now in a special group who themselves the Cutters. They are like one person in five bodies. Shay is the leader of this new group. Their main goal is to bust the new Smokies and stop the spreading of the nano pills.

The story Takes place a couple of months after book two. Tally has been in training to be a special. They are fast, intimidating, intelligent, and dangerous. I am not sure how I felt about this particular part of the story since I had grown to dislike Special Circumstances so much. I was hoping, like the other two books, she would overcome this roadblock. Tally’s character has always been a pleaser, and she is no different in this book.

The struggle between the Specials and Smokies heat up in this book. The new Smokies are more prepared than they used to be. They have unknown allies lurking in the shadows. I liked this turn of events! I hate when people rush head first into things so it was good to see some improvements on their part. Their ally is a neighboring city by the name of Diego. The city is extremely tolerant and allows the Smokies to hide out there and to also bring runaways in. They allow their citizens to have any kind of surgery they wish. This was a little weird for me at first. The way Westerfeld described these people’s “surges” was just silly. The part that made me laugh was when I read that some of these folks went as far as to put snakes on their pinkies. WOW! I would have never thought to do something as outrageous as that. I was constantly eager to see what would happen next.

The cities in this book are beginning to fall through. The cure is working better than ever and more and more pretties are regaining their ability to think for themselves. This was one part of the book I thought turned out well. I liked the fact that these mindless citizens were finally granted the opportunity to have a free will. I was not so certain that immediately curing them was the answer. They have been so controlled for so long I figured all hell would break loose. Yet, surprisingly they were all living a peaceful existence.

Although I was on a neutral level with Shay’s character in the past, I had come to fully dislike her in this book. She has become cruel, self centered, deceitful, and manipulative. The worst part is she seemed to enjoy it. Shay had become the villain in this book. Then out of no where, Shay saves the day. ( Yes, I understand mind control plays a huge part of her personality throughout the book, but I was just very thrown off by her anger). Shay never seems to find happiness in anything she does. She always has to find ways to make things good for herself. In this book, it involved cutting. I am glad that Westerfeld touches base on the fact that cutting is a fake pleasure that only makes you “icy” (happy) for a short while. I believe this is a message that a lot of teenagers could learn from.

Tally’s character was not perceived much better. She comes off as easily swayed/manipulated, weak minded, deceitful, and like a pet. I seriously felt that if shay told her to sit Tally would obey. She is also very superficial in this book. Tally cannot even think of Zane without feeling sickened. Nothing about him is good enough for her anymore. As the “pretty heads” would say, “totally bogus!” The fact that she thought they had to better themselves to be with her set my blood to boil. Let’s just say I did not get along with her personality in this book very well.

I gave this book in the series three stars instead of five because I was slightly disappointed with the story line. I felt that it was at this stand still throughout half the book. It was more of the same things happening over and over. Yeah, the story in general is good, but I found myself expecting a little more. The only big changes that saved this book for me was at the end. ******SPOILER SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH**** The war between the cities, Zane’s death, the despecialization surgeries, Dr. Cable cured, and Tally and David running off together to save the world! This is where all the interesting parts happened for me. This is what made me antsy to read the last book.

The other reason I gave this a three star is because the romance in this book dwindled away. I wanted to see maybe a come back with David, or at least a spark with Zane. Instead, I got a self indulgent, superficial Tally who believes they need to become better for her to want to be with them. She seems to continually struggle with her self throughout the book. Tally hates the fact that she sees Zane as weak and unattractive, but she cannot help it; she was programmed this way. I found myself quite angry with a number of places in the book where she had these self indulgent thoughts. I just personally despise people who feel they are better than others; I am sure you can imagine that reading through some of these parts was very trying. (WOW sounds like I really hate her character huh…. not really. There are things I like about Tally. She is very brave and she cares a lot about her friends. Tally also never backs down even when the going gets tough.)

Overall, Westerfeld has shocked and pleased me so far. This is definitely a series I would recommend. Although this book was kind of slow, the story is still great. It was not until the end that I found myself unable to put this book down. I am eager to pick up with Extras where he left off. I cannot wait to find out what happens in the end of it all.

The ending was the best part for me.
I love the new Tally. Being the last special Special, I loved how she makes use of it. She and David will be the New smoke nemesis. David and Tally will be the ones to stand in the way of anyone who tries to destroy nature. I really think it's cool.
This book was the perfect ending to the uglies series. I liked that Scott westerfeld didn't end it as a happily ever after story where the new smoke was free to do whatever they want (which will then eventually turn them to rusties and the whole cycle begins again).

The next thing to do now is to read Extras.

I read this 3rd installment w/out reading the first two books (Uglies & Pretties), but Westerfeld explained enough from the previous storyline that I wasn't lost.

Lots of action, and a good dose of suspense - it was always hard to read just one chapter!

I loved the sci-fi stuff: hoverboards, evil robot guards, etc. Impressive creativity

Only thing I didn't like: I'm a bit of a romance sap. There was just a little (enough to pique my interest), but then it kind of fizzled out.

Specials is another great book from Scott.

Tally has literally become a super-human. She has lightning-fast reflexes, amazing senses, razor sharp teeth and nails, and she has the confidence that she didn't really have before. And she has a super-cool hoverboard (love those things, I want one!!!)

Now, don't get mad at me for saying this, but I reckon that being a Special would be really cool. Except for, you know, the completely evil thing and those scary surgical things (e.g. fangs and whatnot). But it would be awesome to have those reflexes and senses. Not that I want to be evil.

Tally has really grown up from being the shallow person she used to be, who cared about nothing but becoming Pretty. Especially at the very last few pages, you could see how much she had grown up and how ready she was to take on responsibilities and protect what she believed in.

This is a really great read, like all the others in the Uglies series, and the ending leaves us thinking about Tally's future without being so frustratingly "I want to know what happens next!" kind of thing.

I can't wait to read Extras, although I am kind of sad that Tally won't be in it, because she has really grown on me.

“Specials” is such a great conclusion to a magnificent trilogy!

What I love most about this third and final installment to the Uglies trilogy is that Scott Westerfeld is able to include new details to his world even though he is finishing up on Tally’s story. Throughout the book, Westerfeld gets us inside the head of Tally and just what it’s like to be Special. Her power, both mentally and physically, is the star of this book, and it’s a power readers have not been introduced to in the first two books of the trilogy.

It would have been so easy for Westerfeld to rely on the Tally he had presented in “Uglies” and “Pretties.” Instead, he creates a new character with these new heightened abilities. What I love the most about Special Tally is that we can still see the Tally that we started with in “Uglies,” yet now there is a decidedly final growth to this girl who has become the woman that will save the world. She no longer wastes her time with teenage worries and instead understands the responsibility she carries on her shoulders.

As with the other books in the Uglies trilogy, Westerfeld makes us question whether or not the surgeries performed in this world are completely evil. If it hadn’t been for Tally’s mental transformation when becoming Special, would she have been able to have the confidence and courage to take down the government? It is thought-provoking questions like these that make “Specials” and the entire Uglies trilogy such a great read.

I must say that I enjoyed Specials quite a lot, much more than I did with Pretties. In Pretties, I thought Tally was too weak and a bit stupid, and that her relationship with Zane, but not David was kinda upsetting. But in Specials Tally has become literally super human, and can actually do things for herself. She has a cruel beauty that sets everyone on edge, and a superiority that might not just be in her head.

I think that although this book annoyed me with the characters not being able to think on their own free will, it truly made the entire thing better. If Scott Westerfled didn't use the bluntness of the characters names, then this book would of never of been that great. But he did, and this changed the course of this amazing book.

I think that this book has it all, the evil, the so called 'good', the super humans, jealousy, love (although it may not be that strong) and hover boards. Scott Westerfeld has worked magic into this book and it has come truly alive. But I am not happy with some of the ending, the part when Tally decides to stay special, it would of been cool if she become an Ugly once again.

Specials and the other books in the Uglies series is just awesome. I love the way that Scott Westerfeld has written these amazing books, and every single word will blow you away . I've borrowed Extras and just about to read it, and although it is about different characters, I know it will be just as good.

Reader reviewed by Brianna

This is honestly the very best book I have ever ever read. It is so ... amazing with the suspence at the town of Diego and Tally figuring out the secrets to becoming Special. I just can't get over how good it was i just finished it today and it only took one day to finish and i am already into the next book Extras and man I just love the way Scott Westerfled has written teh books OMG! YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK/ SERIES right now!

Reader reviewed by Brianna

This is honestly the very best book I have ever ever read. It is so ... amazing with the suspence at the town of Diego and Tally figuring out the secrets to becoming Special. I just can't get over how good it was i just finished it today and it only took one day to finish and i am already into the next book Extras and man I just love the way Scott Westerfled has written teh books OMG! YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK/ SERIES right now!

Reader reviewed by Ruthie

 think Specials is my favorite in the Uglies trilogy. There's just something about the Specials that wow me. Their brains are wired differently and Tally undergoes yet another dramatic change, physically and mentally. Also, this book has the best ending. There's a cool action scene and the possibility of what to come is extremely interesting. I love Scott Westerfeld's writing and I'm totally going to read more of his books.