Ugly is Pretty
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld young adult science fiction novel. Set in a future dystopian society, everyone must go through an extensive cosmetic surgery in order to turn "pretty". The novel focuses on fifteen year old Tally Youngblood, a young girl that has been counting down the days until she can transform into a pretty. However, Tally befriends a girl named Shay who claims turning pretty is not as great as it may seem. Shay confesses to Tally that she does not want the procedure and instead plans to run away to "the Smoke" where being "ugly" is accepted. After Shay runs away, Tally is left face the consequences when she is threatened by the authorities. Tally is given an ultimatum: find Shay and turn her in or stay ugly forever.
This novel is an excellent reflection of the real world. Uglies has several underlying messages of present day issues. For example, the book deals with issues surrounding the idea of being beautiful and how our society views beauty as something superior to other qualities, such as intelligence. In addition, the novel promotes renewable energy and taking care of the planet. Despite having a connection to reality, Uglies provides an escape from the real world as well. In Tally's world, there are hover boards, hover cars, and robots. The entire book is filled with adventures, and each one is written with detail and strong imagery. Picturing any part of the city is possible with Scott Westerfeld's writing abilities.