Review Detail

Reader reviewed by kim

This series is one of the best I have ever encountered. There are so many levels to the different issues, morals and politics that Scott Westerfeld delves into in this highly imaginative perception of the future. Tally Youngblood on her hoverboard is an unorthodox heroine and I loved her sense of adventure. I loved how nothing was simple in this book--the good guys weren't so pure and the bad guys weren't all bad. While one could argue that the Rusties were justified in wanting to live life on their own terms, with their own free will, it could also be asserted that their methods of going about doing so weren't perfect. They chop down trees and deplete natural resources, while in New Pretty Town, the community is eco-conscious society that recycled everything and did not harm forests. My favorite book was "Pretties" when Tally was faced with the challenge of being "Pretty" but trying to stay "bubbly". The action in these books makes you feel like you are right there along with Tally. From the first book "Uglies", Dr. Cable asserts herself as a formidable presence as well. This is a multilayerd young adult series, with so many discussion topics rising from the various issues presented in the books.