Mod 4 Uglies

Westerfield, Scott. Uglies. New York: Simon Pulse, 2005. 978068986538

Summary:

For almost 16 years, Tally has woken up every morning and looked out her window at New Pretty Town. Everyone is born ugly, but at sixteen you have an operation that will make you pretty-like everyone else. All of Tally’s friends are already in New Pretty Town and Tally cannot wait to see them again. In the meantime, she meets Shay, another Ugly who happens to share her birthday. Tally and Shay become fast friends while playing tricks and sneaking out at night. As her sixteenth birthday gets closer, Shay reveals that she does not want to be pretty. She plans to run away and asks Tally to go with her to live with the Smokies. Tally does not go, but does not stop Shay from running away either. The authorities, also known as Specials, give Tally a choice-help them find her friend or never be pretty. Tally’s choice gives her a new definition of Pretty.

Analysis:

Tally, the main character in this science fiction dystopian novel, is just like every other teenager. She wants to be accepted and pretty. She allows her feelings to rule her decisions, feels trapped by authority, and ends up giving her loyalty to her friends rather than the authority. The futuristic setting describes how the “Rusties” became too dependent on oil and most died in a panic. However, the metal left behind gave way to hoverboard transportation that uses magnetic fields to move. While the reader must suspend some disbelief in the novel, the typical teen novel includes the absence of parents, evil adults in authority, and world altering decisions to be made by the teens. Kirkus review says, “Tally inflicts betrayal after betrayal, which dominates the theme for the midsection; by the end, the nature of this dystopia is front and center and Tally-trying to set things right-takes a stunning leap of faith.”

Excerpt:

“Maybe I think my face is already right”

“Yeah, it’s great.” Tally rolled her eyes. “For an ugly.”

Shay scowled. “What, can’t you stand me? Do you need to get some picture into your head so you can imagine it instead of my face?”

“Shay! Come on. It’s just for fun.”

“Making ourselves ugly is not fun.”

“We are ugly!”

“This whole game is just designed to make us hate ourselves.”

Reviews:

Booklist 2005

"...teens will sink their teeth into the provocative questions about invasive technology, image-obsessed society, and the ethical quandaries of a mole-turned-ally."

Publisher's Weekly

"Teens will appreciate the gadgetry-including bungee jackets and hoverboards that work by magnetic levitation."

School Library Journal 2005

"...highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic technologies and a disturbing commentary on our current public policies"

Awards:

Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best for Teens, 2005
Kirkus Editor's Choice, 2005
New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age", 2005
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2005
Texas Lone Star Reading List, 2006-2007
VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers, 2005
YALSA Best Books For Young Adults, 2006
YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2006
YALSA Quick Picks Nominee, 2006

Connections:

For more information about the author visit http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/

For more information on reconstructive surgery visit http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/guide/reconstructive-surgery

For more information on hoverboards visit http://www.howstuffworks.com/hoverboard.htm

If you are wondering about the plausibility of the oil-eating bacteria that devastated the world of the “rusties" you might want to see these pages at the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/bioagnts.htm.

If you liked this book, you might enjoy:

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian

Elsewhere by Will Sheterly

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Cover photo:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780689865381&imId=60059691