Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I just finished Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. It is about a young girl, Tally, who wants to be pretty like all other fifteen year old girls, and in her world that dream comes true...for everyone. Every single person has major full-body re constructive surgery to make them pretty as soon as they turn sixteen. Tally's world is turned upside down when she meets Shay, a soon-to-be-sixteen year old who doesn't want to be pretty. Shay runs away and Tally is sent to find her along with other "uglies" who had run away to avoid the surgery. Along the way, Tally learns some things that are less than great about being pretty, like the brain lesions...

This book is great. It definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. I finished it in two days, so it is an easy, fun read. I think that Scott Westerfeld is definitely making a statement about our society and where it is headed. We already have sixteen year olds (and even younger kids) who go get plastic surgery to look "pretty". Looking pretty has become the ultimate goal because pretty people seem to get whatever they want. I noticed some similarities between Uglies and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (which is one of my favorite books and I think everyone should read it). In both books, the society is being controlled through brain alterations first of all, and secondly through pleasure and happiness. They keep the pretties happy and let them do whatever they want so that they remain docile and complacent. It is the same way in Brave New World.

I thought this book was great, and I can't wait to read the next one, Pretties. That's the next book I'll be reviewing. I hope it's as good as Uglies!