“Perhaps the logical conclusion of everyone looking the same is everyone thinking the same.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Uglies is the first book in the series of the same name written by Scott Westerfeld. Published in 2005, Uglies is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and anyone interested in young adult dystopian novels.

Tally Youngblood is about to turn 16 and she couldn’t be more excited. In Tally’s world, every 16 year old is required to have a surgery that turns them pretty. Tally is ready to leave the wrong side of town, turn pretty, and join her best friend in New Pretty Town. This mandatory plastic surgery will alter everything about Tally, turning Uglies into Pretties and eliminating any issues of jealousy, insecurity, suffering, and inequality across the world.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Enter Shay, who wants to leave before her surgery and run to the Smoke, a band of rebels who are opposed to everything that Pretty Town stands for. Tally can’t understand why Shay would want to leave, but circumstances soon drastically change for Tally, leaving her with no choice but to hunt down Shay. This book was rich with symbolism and had me on the edge of my seat, thinking about the consequences of a society so caught up on beauty and appearances that they are willing to sacrifice anything for the chance to be pretty.

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Interested in this book? Uglies is the December See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

Books in the Uglies series

1. Uglies (2005)
2. Pretties (2005)
3. Specials (2006)
4. Extras (2007)

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

Wednesday March 4th session will be meeting in the Story Room.

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

January 7 – She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

February 4 – Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

March 4 – The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

April 1 – Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell

May 6 – If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

June 3 – Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta