Westerfeld’s novel Uglies takes place in a futuristic world controlled by the government. At age 16, every person in this society has an operation to become a Pretty: simple-minded and vapent citizens. Tally and Shay, almost 16, await their own operations until Shay runs away to The Smoke, a rebellious settlement outside of the city that refuses the operation. When Tally goes to Special Circumstances to become Pretty, she is convinced to postpone the operation and help Special Circumstances find and capture the renegade civilization. Tally eventually finds The Smoke and alerts Special Circumstances of the location, causing her new friends to be captured. She then has a change of heart and rescues everyone from Special Circumstances, but not before Shay has been turned Pretty. The renegades discover a cure for the operation, and out of guilt for turning them in the first time, Tally agrees to let herself be caught by Special Circumstances and become Pretty to eventually return and test out the cure.



     Tally faces the morally ambiguous question of whether to do what she has always been taught and help capture the renegades, or ignore what she has been told and help her new friends remain hidden. Westerfeld’s world takes very prominent issues in the lives of teens (body image), and focuses squarely on the moral implications of "perfection," something many teens struggle with on a daily basis. This is a must read for teens, male or female, because it speaks so directly to them and what they have to face every day.



​Reviews

To check out The Guardian's review of Uglies, click here. And check out the Kirkus review here.



Extras

And check out LindsayAudioBooks YouTube for an audio version of Westerfeld's Uglies. Chapter one is down below!



And click here for a discussion guide for Uglies designed by Scott Westerfeld himself!



​