Uglies (Uglies #1)

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Tally is an ugly. Shes not necessarily ugly in the traditional use of the word; she just hasnt had an operation done to her to make her into a pretty. Thats because she hasnt turned sixteen yet unlike her best friend Peris, who just got the operation. Now he lives in New Pretty Town while Tally is stuck living with the rest of the uglies.

She is befriended by another girl names Shay, who she ran into while sneaking into New Pretty Town. She teaches Tally how to use a hoverboard. Shay is different in that she isnt looking forward to becoming a pretty. And then she runs away to Smoke.

Tally finds out from Dr. Cable, a special, that if she ever wants to become a pretty, then she has to bring Shay back from Smoke. Tally sets out to find smoke by herself, using cryptic instructions left by Shay and wearing a device that she can set off to let the specials know where Smoke is located. When Tally arrives, however, she starts to get used to the life there and even falls for David, which is unfortunately the guy Shay has also set her sights on.

Uglies is an amazing beginning to a series, and Scott Westerfeld has proven himself an amazing storyteller. The ideas are so original and new and yet so believable at the same time. The story is packed with action, suspense, betrayal, and even romance. It is easy to relate to Tallys character most of the time. I highly recommend this book to everyone who hasnt read it, especially for fans of futuristic fiction.

Reader reviewed by Meg

I just finished this book this morning. The series is really popular right now, so I've seen the cover everywhere, and with the pretty girl on the front I figured that it was just about high school girl drama. But I read the back and it's actually a Sci Fi book. I definitely wouldn't have guessed that from the cover. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book. It had a really interesting message (as all good Sci-Fi books should have), however I don't think that this message was as provocative as a book like "Feed" by M.T. Anderson. It was still good though, and I think teen girls may find this main character more accesible than the boy in "Feed".

Reader reviewed by The Story Siren

Tally and Peris have been best friends since before Tally can remember. Now that Peris is sixteen, Tally wont see him again for another couple of months. In Tallys world when you turn sixteen you get to be made pretty.

Tally lives in Uglyville and everyone that lives there is ugly. It isnt until your sixteen birthday that you undergo the operation that will turn you into a Pretty. Tally cant wait to be turned pretty for her thin lips to be lusciously full and her eyes to be beautifully spaced. Everyone gets to be pretty that way everyone has an equal chance.

Just before she is to have her operation Tally meets Shay who happens to share a birthday with Tally. But Shay isnt like Tally. She doesnt think that being ugly is all that bad.

Ultimately Shay decides to run away from Uglyville before her operation and join a possibly mythical city where everyone is ugly. But Shay cant convince Tally to join her, but finds away to show Tally the way if she would ever change her mind.

When Tally leaves for her operation something goes terribly wrong. They know that Shay has run away to the city of uglies called the Smoke. And they wont make Tally pretty unless she finds Shay and eventually lead them to the Smoke.

But once Tally finds the Smoke and lives amongst its people, will she want to betray them? Then she unexpectedly finds out a secret that they are keeping from the Pretties.

Scott Westerfelds first installment of the Uglies trilogy proves to be a captivating experience that will leave you wanting more even after you read the last page. Ive read other books by Westerfeld and I have to say this is defiantly my favorite. It is a futuristic sci-fi, but could totally be nonfiction in the distant future! The book was clearly thought provoking, yet entertaining. I will be reading Pretties very soon!

Reader reviewed by Lauren

Tally can't wait the three months until she's sixteen and her surgery transforms her into a pretty. She is sooooo sick of being an ugly. In the meantime, she daringly travels from her dorm in Uglyville to New Pretty Town in order to see her best friend, Peris. When she finds him, newly pretty Peris seems annoyed, asking why Tally couldn't wait the three months to see him. Just as troubling, the tiny scar on his palm matching hers, from their rite of blood brothership, has vanished --- replaced with perfect beautiful skin.

Escaping from New Pretty Town, Tally meets Shay, another ugly waiting to become pretty. The two become great friends, hoverboarding and plotting practical jokes together. When Tally shares her choices for her upcoming transformation (she favors a sultry Cleopatra look), Shay amazes her with her attitude. Shay hasn't even bothered to decide how she'll look as a pretty.

Tally buys the party line taught in school: a world of pretties is the only way to make everyone equal. It solves the long-ago problems of judging people by appearances and waging wars based on skin color. Besides, everyone wants to go through the rite of passage.

Shay persuades Tally to sneak into the restricted area outside the city where she discovers a wild stretch of white water, mountains, trees, and the ruin of an old city. Shay confides that she hopes to meet a mysterious person named David here. Shay's talk troubles Tally. Shay maintains that she not only doesn't want to become a pretty but that the operation is in fact unnatural. She even swears that she and Tally are not freaks as uglies.

As Tally approaches her sixteenth birthday and her transformation, Shay invites her to travel to David's home, the Smoke --- a place where everyone lives together in freedom, where there are no uglies and no pretties.

Naturally, Tally refuses to go. But when her long-anticipated operation day arrives, she is confronted with the frightening Special Circumstances team. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she learns that she must spy on runaway Shay in order to become pretty. Tally plunges into an amazing quest in which the ante constantly ratchets upward, plunging her into one impossible situation after another.

With extreme makeover shows like "The Swan" transforming people into pretty clones, Tally's world seems creepily not all that far-fetched. UGLIES is not only timely food for thought, but is a breathless, can't-put-it-down read, leaving readers impatient to get their hands on the second book in Scott Westerfeld's trilogy, PRETTIES --- immediately.

Reader reviewed by ambeen

The concept in Uglies is very intriguing. Would you become pretty if you could, even if it meant looking like everyone else? Or would you rather maintain your unique look and self? In today's society of supermodel/actor worship, it's an interesting idea.
Uglies is a fast paced read taking the reader on the same roller coaster of emotions that Tally experiences.

Reader reviewed by Vicky

This is an ecsatic book worth reading. It has adventure, romance, and friendship/rivalry. I loved it.

Uglies starts out when Tally's friend Perri moves to Pretty Town. She breaks in to see him and soon after meets Shay. Shay is an ugly like herself, and they soon hit it off. Tally learns to hoverboard very well. Then one day Shay leaves, leaving behind a coded note only Tally could ever figure out. Where does she go? What will happen to her?

Special Circumstances gets ahold of Tally and asks her what she knows about where Shay is. Tally says she doesn't know anything, but they know she is lying. She is sent on a trip to bring Shay back and betray the Smoke where Shay suppossedly had gone. Tally goes, but when the time comes to betray her friends, will she be able to do it? Or will she tell the truth and let things fall into place?

This book was so good, I couldn't put it down. It is specifically my type of read. It's a little bit of scientific fiction and mystery, along with what happens now in every day life between friends and enemies.

Reader reviewed by Mindy

Picture a world of beauty where everyone is model-perfect. Where beauty and irresponsibility are the goals of one's life. This can all be yours if you allow the government to completely reconstruct your features from head to toe. Everyone is doing it or almost everyone!

Reader reviewed by Sid Day

Uglies is one of those few books that you cant seem to put down till its all done. Once you finish this book you will want to go out and get the next installment. In Uglies a young girl Tally is waiting for her upcoming birtday so that she will be able to get surgary to become "pretty."

In Tally's world nobody is good enough till they have been turned "pretty." The pretty people even have a different part of town from the uglies. All of Tally's friends have already moved and become pretty and she has a few months till it is her turn.

Tally meets this girl named Shay one day and they become fast friends. Shay and Tally find out they have the same birthday and will be getting pretty together. Tally is so exsited about this but not Shay. Shay desides to run away to live in a place where you dont have to become pretty.

Tally is sad to see her friend go but is happy she will soon be able to see her other friends. But to Tallys Horror she is turned down for the operation. They tell Tally is cant become pretty unless she finds and turns in her friend Shay.

Tally leaves with all intentions of bringing Shay home but when she finds her friend she isnt so sure anymore if becoming pretty is what its all cracked up to be.

You wont be able to stop reading this book till its all done. and even then you will "NEED" to read the second and third one. I really enjoyed this book and so will you.

Reader reviewed by no-name

This book is just about the best book i ever read; i cant beleive how easily i got into it; im a very picky reader and i just adore this book so much.

Scott Westerfeld is an awsome writer and i give htis big 2 thumbs up. It is a powerful book not liek anything else i have read; Tally Youngblood is ready to become pretty; and on every pretties 16th birthday you get surgury and turn super star pretty, then along Tallys journy big big intreaging things happen; if you enjoy good books; this is the best one for you!

Reader reviewed by Springhair

The first in a captivating trilogy set in the future. The main character, Tally Youngblood is about to turn 16 and cant wait. When people in this city turn 16, they turn supermodel gorgeous and live in a city with petty much no rules, super cool technology, and parties every day and night. Then a new person, Shay, shows up in her life, and they become best friends. The night before their 16th birthday, Shay tells Tally she is running away to the Smoke, so she wont have to turn pretty. Suddenly, Tally is faced with a choice, follow Shay and expose the Smoke to become pretty, or stay ugly forever. She finally gets to the Smoke and finds out that she rather likes the Smoke and destroys her tracker so she cant be found. But since the tracker sends out a signal when it is damaged, the Smoke is destroyed and her friends are taken away. Now Tally must go back to the city and rescue her friends before they are turned pretty. This was a really long book, but it was still really good. It got a bit boring near the middle but it did get better. I really like most books set in the future and this was no exception. If you read this one, I would really recommend the rest of the trilogy, Pretties and Specials. I recommend this book to everyone, especially if you can read 300+ page books.