Uglies
I am writing about Scott Westerfeld’s book Uglies published in 2003. This book is fiction and based on the future. The theme of the book is evolution. Many problems arise because people are blinded by beauty and perfection. If you want to better understand this book you can read the whole four book series.
You can’t exactly compare this book to the world we live in now. It takes place about 300 years after a disaster destroys the old civilization. The city it takes place in is unnamed at some points they are in a city called “the Smoke”. Something you may not believe is the lack of social media even though the technology is definitely advanced. The main character is Tally Youngblood who is just about to turn 16 and she can’t wait. She became best friends with another girl named Shay. The book makes me believe that what is happening could be true. The detail is very precise and I feel like I can relate to them as well. As a teenager I think I can relate to this more than an adult or a younger child. I think I can relate mostly to Tally because she is different and definitely has her own way of living life.
In the first book of the series it is all about Tally waiting to become beautiful and free from her so called ugly life. We get a lot of details on what is going on inside of her mind. Every time she goes on a new adventure or meets somebody new we get all of the details. Tally needs to learn who she can trust and if she can even trust herself. If she can’t trust anybody how will she become beautiful and is it worth putting friendship on the line?
In my opinion this book is very complex. We have a very descriptive idea of everything but you get curious about other characters. I don’t agree with everyone perceiving Tally as a selfish person because she is just trying to help. I do agree with the author for the same reason though because it helps the plot. The book suggests that many problems will occur before anything gets better. I can relate to this book because it is about the insecurities teenagers feel, especially with a society trying to force them to be perfect or they’re considered insignificant.
This book is a great read for anybody interested in futuristic times. I can’t be compared to today’s world but could be something we strive for in the long run. I have no doubt one day everyone will feel like they need to look perfect to be happy with themselves. I highly recommend this book and will admit I have read it many, many times. This book would most likely be read by teenagers or anybody into sci-fi and the future.