In this first installment of the series - three different types of people are introduced. Uglies, Pretties and Specials. Uglies are essentially people as we would know them today. Normal people bearing the genetic markers from their parents. But when an ugly turns 16, they forgo an operation that turns them into a pretty. Their physical traits completely change and the person morphs into what the ideal physical specimen is considered at that time. Specials are essentially the police force of the new world. They are pretty but there's something other about them. Something dark. This book talks about them but goes into more depth in a later installment.
Enter Tally. She's on the cusp of her 16th birthday. She's fantasized about being pretty her whole life. Once she's pretty, she'll be able to reconnect with all of her friends that have also turned pretty. Her only worry will be what to wear for the next big party. Her only job will be to have fun. But her friend Shay isn't sure she wants to turn pretty at all. Shay runs away. Right before Tally is scheduled to have the surgery, she's taken to the Special facility. There she's issued an ultimatum - either bring Shay back or she won't be able to get the surgery at all. She'll be ugly forever.
I found Scott Westerfeld's version of the future compelling and out of the ordinary. I enjoyed the way he discusses the world of today through the eyes of the youth of the future. In one part of the book, Tally and Shay are in a library looking at fashion magazines. Granted in their time, these magazines are hundreds of years old. But the way both of them talk about the models that are in the ads is just really funny. They see this one model that is really skinny. Too skinny. You can tell from their description that she suffers from anorexia but neither of them can remember the name of the disease. Tally talks about how they would discuss this sort of thing in her history class but she considers this such a foreign concept in her world.
I'd say the only thing that I would've liked to see was a more in depth depiction of Tally as a character and person. You only really get to know Tally on a more superficial layer. Though since this is the first in the series, the author may go more in depth in future installments. I don't know. I haven't read the other books yet. Scott Westerfeld focuses more on the world and how it exists as a whole. Which is understandable when writing more futuristic-type novels. The multi-layered focus on the character is just my personal preference when reading a novel. Overall I'd say an enjoyable read. Entertaining and comical at times. I would choose this book if you're looking for a somewhat quick, easy read that's kind of fun. Though the mood of the overall book is fairly serious at times but still amusing nonetheless.
General rating for this book: B+
In the newest installment, the Psy are on the brink of civil war. The Snow Dancer clan (wolf changelings) are working on regrouping their pack after an attack in their territory by a right wing extremist group leader and Psy council member named Henry Scott. The main characters are Adria and Riaz. Both have difficulties dealing with their attraction to one another because of past relationships. Riaz has found his mate but can't have her because she's married to another man. Adria recently ended her long term relationship with someone because he couldn't handle her being more dominant than him. But because of that reason, they both find themselves being able to relate to each other in a manner that they wouldn't be able to with other people in the pack.
Out of all the books in the series, this one was not my favorite. I just wasn't as compelled with Adria and Riaz's story as much. What I found more interesting in this book and all her others previously is the world that the author creates. She not only unveils what's going on with the main characters and discusses their story but also discusses what's going on in the outside world. And how those specific characters effect that world and what their role is. So even though I still didn't prefer Adria and Riaz, I still want to find out what is going to happen with the Psy/Changeling/Human world.
Just so you know this is classified as a romance. A lot of my friends make fun of me because they think I read too many romances. Which honestly, I probably do. I know I need to branch out a bit...or a lot. But I feel that this series is more than that. I actually read it because of this futuristic world that Nalini Singh has created. It's so creative and different. I think in this particular case there was more going on with the macro world versus the micro world. And I love her all the more for creating this world and bringing it into existence.
General rating for this book: A-
