Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

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Posted on 28. Jun, 2008 by Brad in Uncategorized | Twitter: @bradhart |

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Flawless beauty, incessant partying, and constant fun – it seems like the ideal dream life and everyone’s greatest desire. This gripping sequel to Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (@scottwesterfeld)makes one think otherwise. In this thrilling futuristic science fiction novel, Westerfeld uncovers the unpleasant truth that comes with such a “perfect” life, and questions the value of superficial perfection.

Tally Youngblood, the protagonist, is a stunningly beautiful, newly transformed “Pretty”. She has deep, vulnerable eyes and soft, full lips, with Olympian strong muscles and unbreakable ceramic teeth. This is the result of an operation which transforms her from an unattractive, commonplace teenager into a superficially perfect adult. Tally is courageous-a natural leader-and somehow manages to constantly run into, and escape from, trouble. Her boyfriend, Zane, is the only one who seems to understand her. He is slightly exotic-looking compared to the other Pretties, with extremer features than those of others, and hair dyed blue from calligraphy ink. Zane is a risk taker, a trouble-maker, and a rebel, who is not afraid to follow what he believes in, no matter what the cost might be. One of Tally’s closest friends is Shay, who is carefree and light headed-until she remembers a certain betrayal from Ugly days and becomes cold and insensitive. In the midst of this perfect life, however, is a secret, mysterious police society known as Special Circumstances, which keeps a close eye on the Pretty community and keeps a curb on the intelligence and independence of its members. This organization is headed by the clear minded antagonist, Dr. Cable. Her beauty is fierce and cruel, intended to intimidate those in custody. Her build is for speed and strength, with lightning-quick reflexes. “Humanity is a cancer”, she believes, and makes sure to stop it from multiplying into something unmanageable.

In Pretties, Tally has finally come of age to undergo the operation which transforms her into a physically flawless Pretty. Her new look initiates the time of her life-countless parties and bashes, thrilling balloon rides and bungee jumps, and an airborne ice skating rink. What’s more, an adventurous Ugly past has led her to leadership of the hottest clique in town. It seems like everything that the naive Tally has ever desired, from her days as a toddler to those of the awkward, ugly phase which preceded her surgery. But an adventure through New Pretty Town with Zane leads her to uncover a letter which she had written to herself as an Ugly, and the not-so-pretty truth behind this perfecting surgery floods back to her. During the operation that transforms the sixteen year old into a Pretty, the message reminds her, the surgeons insert tiny lesions in the patient’s brain. This makes all Pretties constantly fuzzy-minded, peaceful, docile, and obedient. On being reminded of this shocking truth, Tally embarks on another adventure with Zane: a struggle to clear her mind and realize her true self.

This novel is set in the future, at a time when the current human species has gone extinct and another, highly developed human being has taken its place. The majority of the novel takes place in New Pretty Town, the city which holds the community of newly transformed Pretties. The town is built for entertainment: costume parties and white tie events, bungee jackets and balloon rides. The novel begins with a mood of confusion-content, yet strangely out of place; thrilled but overwhelmed to a feeling of wrongness. This feeling of wrongness gradually morphs into an uneasy feeling of being supervised and tracked, which leads to bizarre and dangerous encounters.

Pretties was a captivating novel with adhesive content. From its thrilling entertainment to suspenseful adventure, it keeps the reader turning pages until the end of the story. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld deserves a four star rating for its gripping plot and its thorough and unique descriptions. It has a superb storyline which could possibly mirror the future Earth.

Anitha Ahmed is media and marketing director of http://www.coffeeta.com/. For more book reviews, poetry, and short stories visit http://shoni43.blogspot.com/.

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