Uglies

Title: Uglies
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: YA science fiction
Got it from: Library
Why I read it: Kept hearing about it
Grade: A

Synopsis:
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Plot thoughts:
I was prepared to not like this book all that well.  I was initially really annoyed at the overuse of "ies", like uglies, pretties, littlies, etc.  In fact, I was really surprised that the specials were not called specialies.  The author was inconsistent there.  ;)  But, I did like it.  A lot.  I stayed up late last night trying to finish it, and found myself at the computer this morning, seeing what library had it in so I could go pick it up.  It was fast moving, and parts that would have been slow with a less talented author were not.  Slow, that is.  

Characters:
At first I had a hard time liking Tally.  I couldn't understand her motivations, or even her as a character, for that matter.  But as the story progressed, she definitely got more interesting, and more likeable.  There really weren't very many other fleshed out characters.  We got to know some of the other characters a little bit, but for the most part, everyone was very secondary to Tally.  But it worked.

I hear they're going to make a movie based on this book.  It would be interesting to see what they do with the actors to make them "ugly", even though ugly in the book is really just normal.  Maybe actors without their stylists?  :)  I don't know.  I do know I can picture someone like Channing Tatum as David.  I think he's attractive, but he doesn't have classic good looks:

I really can't think of any other current actors they could cast in the other roles.  But then I've never been very good at picturing characters in books.  

Favorite thing about this book:
Hoverboards--I totally want to ride one!

Recommended to: Fans of dystopia literature, teens, adults who like YA, science fiction lovers

If you like this book, try: The Hunger Games and it's sequel, Catching Fire