Goodreads Summary:
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she’ll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.
But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to become a pretty. 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 a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever…
My Review
There were definitely obvious similarities between Uglies and other dystopian novels I’ve read. However, I appreciated the creativity of the story over all. Tally was an interesting female lead, one that was forced to endure a transformation (not actually a physical one). Her evolution as a character was lovely to read about and made me respect her so much more by the end of the book.
In this dystopian society, you are born an “Ugly” and when you turn 16 you undergo the operation to become a “Pretty” and may then live in “New Pretty Town.” All Tally has ever wanted is to get her operation and join the rest of her friends to begin partying and having fun for the rest of her life. However, everything changes when she befriends a girl who has an entirely new perspective. Soon she begins questioning her reality and what it truly means to be “pretty.”
Uglies was a quick enjoyable read filled with self introspection and a glimpse into a totally different society. The characters were varied and the overall concept was unique, however it was hard not to compare it to books such as Delirium or Divergent. Although I’m pretty sure Uglies came out before both of these series, I couldn’t help but feel like I was reading a copycat. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Uglies, I did. I just felt I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t already read so many other dystopian novels. The story still had twists though, and by the time the ending hit I was pretty hooked. I’ve got to know what happens next!!
Despite it’s similarties to other young adult books, I would still recommend Uglies to dystopian fans! Buy it on Amazon here.
Escape Inside the pages 