Uglies. By Scott Westerfield. Simon Pulse, 2005. 448 pages. PB $9.99 ISBN 978-0689865381
Summary: In the town of New Pretty, everyone under the age of sixteen is ugly. Fifteen-year-old Tally Youngblood is avidly anticipating her sixteenth birthday, when her ugliness will turn into her into a stunning beauty. Tally’s friend Shay is an anomaly. She wants to hold on to her ugliness, and opts to run away before her sixteenth birthday. Shay’s decision pains Tally and forces her to question her community’s values. However, to Tally the urge to become pretty is too strong, and when Dr. Cable informs Tally that her pretty operation will only take place if she finds Shay and brings her back to the community, Tally quickly sets out to find her friend. In the primitive town of Smoky, Tally finds Shay in a community where freedom is valued above all, and learns to appreciate this too. With time she decides that she doesn’t want to go through with her pretty operation. Unfortunately she hits her tracker in error, notifying Dr. Cable and New Pretty Town’s leaders of their whereabouts. Will Tally, Shay, and their friend David be able to escape, or will they be forced to become pretty?
Critical Review: Uglies leaves a lot for readers to look forward to in the series. Westerfield captures the anxiety that comes with physical development. Children have infinite freedom; they are not judged by their looks alone, and do not spend an infinite amount of time fretting about their appearance in front of a mirror. Yet, this all changes when children turn into adolescents. Tweens are different from teens and from children, as we’ve discussed in this course. However, the onset of secondary characteristics places tweens closer to the teen camp. Consequently tween girls are apt to pay attention to previously unheard of topics, such as fashion, diets, makeup, hairstyles, boys, etc. The media certainly does not help tween girls, by appropriating skinny models as the norm. It is wise to encourage tweens to rethink overly focusing on outer beauty. The Uglies series is a worthy step towards teaching tweens that genuine beauty comes from within.
Genre: Science Fiction
Reading/Interest Level: 12 and up
Awards: School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2005; Australian Science Fiction Achievement Awards (Ditmars) (Nominated for an Award) 2005
Reviews: Books in Canada; (2005, November 1); Voice of Youth Advocates (2005, June 1); Publishers Weekly (2005, March 21); Booklist (2005, March 15); School Library Journal (2005, March 1)
Series: the Uglies series
Similar Materials: The following books in the Uglies series: Pretties, Specials, Extras
Subjects/Themes: beauty; individuality; social norms; conformity; Big Brother; body image; self-esteem; coming of age
Character Names: Tally Youngblood; Pevis; Shay; Dr. Cable; David; Az; Maddy
Brief Annotation: A fifteen-year-old girl vacillates between choosing inner or outer beauty in a futuristic society.
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