Uglies by Scott Westerfield

For those who love the Hunger Games, this series is for you! However it was actually written before the hunger games. 'Uglies' is the first in the series followed by 'Pretties', 'Specials' and 'Extra's! 

Scott Westerfield

Uglies is set in an unnamed futuristic city in Northern California three hundred years in the future and the genre comes under 'Science Fiction '. 

On their sixteenth birthday all citizens of the fictional society receive this “pretty” operation which, as its name implies, turns people into the biological standard of beautiful. After the operation, the new pretties cross the river that divides the city’s inhabitants and begin the section of their lives in which they have no responsibilities or obligations. In total, there are three operations; the first transforms people from “uglies” (unchanged teenagers), to “pretties” (young adults over the age of sixteen free to do what ever they want). Another one transforms “pretties” to “middle-pretties” (adults who hold a job), and a third transforms “middle-pretties" to "crumblies. " 

IF EVERYBODY LOOKED THE SAME, EVERYONE WOULD BE EQUAL!

Gremlin

Tally Youngblood, the protagonist, is about three months from her sixteenth birthday at the opening of the story. Much like every other ugly in the city, she awaits the operation with great anticipation. Tally’s best friend, Peris, has already made the transition and motivated by her desire to see him,  she sneaks across the river to New Pretty Town, the home of all new pretties. There she meets the character Shay, another ugly who was also sneaking around in New Pretty Town. They quickly become friends and Shay teaches Tally how to ride a hoverboard. Shay also mentions thoughts of rebellion against the operation. At first, Tally ignores all these ideas, but is forced to deal with the concept as Shay runs away from the city a few days before their shared sixteenth birthday.

On the day of Tally’s operation, she is taken to Special Circumstances, a branch of her city’s government that is described to be “like gremlins, ” and “blamed when anything weird happens. ”. The character Dr. Cable is a woman described as “a cruel pretty” with a razor voice, sharp teeth, and non-reflexive grey eyes. She is the head of Special Circumstances and gives Tally an ultimatum to either help them locate Shay, and more importantly the Smoke, or to never become pretty. After some thought, Tally sides with Special Circumstances. Dr. Cable gives her a hoverboard and all the necessary supplies to survive in the wild, along with a heart shaped locket that is actually a tracking device. Once activated, it will inform Dr. Cable of her location, and thus the location of the Smoke. She then sets off to find her friend.

SMOKE=REBELLIOUS SETTLEMENT 

After a little less than a week of travel, Tally arrives at the Smoke, where she finds Shay, her friend David, and an entire community of runaway uglies. She finds herself reluctant to activate the pendant, and in her time spent stalling it becomes clear that David has a crush on her. One night, David takes her to meet his parents, Maddy and Az, who are the original runaways from the city, and they explain how the operation does more than “cosmetic nipping and tucking." It actually places lesions in people's brain to make them placid, or “pretty-minded. ” Expressing great horror at what her own city has done, Tally cancels any thoughts of giving away the Smoke, and, in a display of loyalty, throws the locket into a fire without telling anyone that it was a tracker. It is damaged in the flames, which causes it to activate, giving away the Smoke’s location.

(LEGIONS- DAMAGED TISSUE)

From here on they flee (Tally and David) and begin their adventure... A rescue plan. 

 As I am a massive fan of the Hunger Games I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It is writtenso cleverly and there is a quick pace which is brilliant so you won't get bored. I recommend this book there is romance, action and way more.

Recommended-- 12+ 

I loved this book as it is good for reflecting on today's world. There is so much pressure on everyone (especially youths) to look good or a certain way and this book takes this idea and takes it to the extreme. It makes you realise just how mental it is.