So I finished this book a few days ago but never got around to writing the review until now. School starts again in a week so I might do one more review after this then I'll try to to a review at least once a week... or something... I don't know, we'll see how that goes later. Okay, on to UGLIES!
Uglies (Uglies #1)
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Pages: 425
Source: the library
(Summery by GoodReads)
Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? 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.
The Good
This was just a fun read with a bunch of krazy advanced technology and insane stunts. The main hobby of the teens in this book is hoverboarding, like skateboarding only cooler. It felt like one of those 80’s/90’s kid/teen movies where they all either bike, board, surf, or all have motor bikes. Can’t name a movie off of the top of my head but that’s what it felt like, just a gang of kids getting together and causing some mischief. But instead of setting up a sting to catch some thieves (the B.R.A.T. Patrol) or getting a dance into town (Footloose) they want to save the world from the dangers of turning pretty. The book leaves off at a bit of a cliff hanger so I have to wait patiently to read what happens next while wishing I had a bungee vest.
The set up was good, as well as the intro to the world, and I thought the basic plot had a lot of potential… that wasn’t all reached. I thought the author could have done so much more in this story but since he spent most of the time setting up the world he didn’t get the chance.
The Bad
I really didn’t notice how many things I found wrong with this book until I sat down to write this review. Right from the beginning I had some trouble with believability. Perhaps it was mostly the tech that the world had or the fact that the only thing the new pretties did was party until they became a middle pretty (well, that’s the impression I got.) My sister (Caaleros) says it’s because I like my Dystopians more rustic and less si-fi. Maybe she’s right but the tech just felt too convenient for me. Like how the hoverboards would work over the rivers because there were iron deposits in it (I’m no scientist but it just felt convenient) or the people in the Smoke setting down rail’s just so they can use their hoverboards.
I also thought some of the things with the characters happened to fast. Even though the book was over 400 pages some of the character actions/decisions felt a little quick. Tally, the main character, has just turned 16 and has been waiting all her life to turn pretty. It’s the only thing she can think of and it’s the only thing for kids to look forward to in her world. It’s like someone saying “everything will work out once I’m pretty”, “my life starts once I’m pretty”, the people have been brainwashed to think that your life is nothing until your pretty (meaning surgery), but after one conversation, after only a few days outside of the city’s influence, she attitude does a complete 180. The love interest also felt to forced and to quick. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh but those are my thoughts.
The Krazyness
If you have the choice to either ride a hoverboard though a rollercoaster, or jump off a high building with a bungee vest what would you choose?
Since I epicly fail at even trying to stand on a skateboard I would probably choose jumping off the building with the bungee vest =) What would you choose?
Moral of the Story
Just because you’re Ugly doesn’t mean you’re ugly.
3 Elf Cookies
I've been wanting to go back and reread this series, considering that I was only sixteen or seventeen when I first read them. I'm curious to see what I'll think of them now that I'm older. I do remember that a certain something that happened at the end of Pretties drove me crazy, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the last book, Specials, either. But other than that, I don't remember tons about the books other than a few major plot points.
ReplyDeleteThis definitely wasn't my favorite book. It was entertaining, sure, but written well? no. Good plot? no. Worth re-reading? nope. Just one of those fun one-time meaningless reads, you know?
ReplyDeleteRenae @ Respiring Thoughts
Natalie: So should I NOT read Pretties?lol
ReplyDeleteRenae: Yeah, technically it's not winning any awards. I wasn't even going to read it at first but I heard a booktalk for it as school and wanted another dystopian to read. I guess they all can't be 5 star books.
Hm, I keep hearing mixed reviews on this book, although the concept is intriguing enough that I'll probably still pick this up at some point anyway. Nicely reviewed!
ReplyDeleteFun review! I agree with many of the things you mentioned. I read Uglies and half of Pretties before giving up on the series. It was ok, but it just didn't feel good enough to bother sticking with. Like you said, things happened too quickly and with too much convenience to be believable. There wasn't enough depth to anything, I thought.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I think I would try hoverboarding. I can't stand up on a skateboard either, but hoverboarding sounds too cool to pass up. :)
Wendy Darling: Thanks! yeah, it's a "one-time-fun-read" type of book. Hope you will enjoy it though!
ReplyDeleteSmall Review: Yes, hoverboarding does sound awesome! Maybe if I rode one on my stomach I could handle it.lol
Great review! I really enjoyed the concept of this book and though it wasn't the greatest in general I love the series!!! The last book is my favourite :)
ReplyDeleteJaskirat~SeeitORreadit