The third installment of Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' series, 'Specials,' finds Tally Youngblood physically and mentally altered against her will, yet again. After being captured by Special Circumstances, the government agency that makes sure everyone becomes a submissive Pretty, and turned into a Special herself, Tally has become cold and dangerous. Together with her old friend Shay, who started her adventure by running away the night before she was supposed to become pretty, as well as several other elite Specials known as the Cutters, Tally sets out to track down and capture her former friends from the Smoke. However, Tally gets distracted from this goal by her feelings for Zane, who is still suffering from the results of the pills he took to reverse the effects of the pretty surgery on his brain. She and Shay devise a plan to break Zane free of the city grid, help him find his way to the New Smoke, and make it look like he deserves to be a Special too, in order to save him. In order to accomplish this, the two girls break into the city armory, and while they accidentally destroy it, they still manage to help Zane escape. Zane and the Cutters ultimately end up in the New Smoke, which is actually another city called Diego that allows people more freedom in their pretty operation and does not alter their brains. Unfortunately, when Tally's city discovers this, they declare war on Diego, blaming the innocent city for the destruction of their armory. Now it is up to Tally to end the war she inadvertently started.
This portrait of the future is chilling, while still being engrossing and enjoyable. In each book, Westerfeld shows a new Tally ? the result of the various surgeries she is forced to undergo. However, despite this wide range of personalities, she is still an endearing heroine that readers will root for till the very last page. She is realistic in these extraordinary circumstances because of her fallibility - Tally makes mistakes, but she always has the best of intentions, and readers will love her despite her faults. Westerfeld adds a dash of romance to the otherwise action and science fiction-oriented plot with the developing love triangle between Ugly David and Pretty Zane. The action is heart-pounding and shocking, and the suspense will keep readers up all night to see how the story ends. Westerfeld creates a spectacular world that draws readers in and makes them reluctant to leave when the novel ends. Readers will be anxious for the fourth and final sequel, 'Extras,' in which Tally is not the primary heroine, but still plays a key role in the development of the plot and ultimate salvation of the future world.
Casey Blackwell
Specials
The third installment of Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' series, 'Specials,' finds Tally Youngblood physically and mentally altered against her will, yet again. After being captured by Special Circumstances, the government agency that makes sure everyone becomes a submissive Pretty, and turned into a Special herself, Tally has become cold and dangerous. Together with her old friend Shay, who started her adventure by running away the night before she was supposed to become pretty, as well as several other elite Specials known as the Cutters, Tally sets out to track down and capture her former friends from the Smoke. However, Tally gets distracted from this goal by her feelings for Zane, who is still suffering from the results of the pills he took to reverse the effects of the pretty surgery on his brain. She and Shay devise a plan to break Zane free of the city grid, help him find his way to the New Smoke, and make it look like he deserves to be a Special too, in order to save him. In order to accomplish this, the two girls break into the city armory, and while they accidentally destroy it, they still manage to help Zane escape. Zane and the Cutters ultimately end up in the New Smoke, which is actually another city called Diego that allows people more freedom in their pretty operation and does not alter their brains. Unfortunately, when Tally's city discovers this, they declare war on Diego, blaming the innocent city for the destruction of their armory. Now it is up to Tally to end the war she inadvertently started.
This portrait of the future is chilling, while still being engrossing and enjoyable. In each book, Westerfeld shows a new Tally ? the result of the various surgeries she is forced to undergo. However, despite this wide range of personalities, she is still an endearing heroine that readers will root for till the very last page. She is realistic in these extraordinary circumstances because of her fallibility - Tally makes mistakes, but she always has the best of intentions, and readers will love her despite her faults. Westerfeld adds a dash of romance to the otherwise action and science fiction-oriented plot with the developing love triangle between Ugly David and Pretty Zane. The action is heart-pounding and shocking, and the suspense will keep readers up all night to see how the story ends. Westerfeld creates a spectacular world that draws readers in and makes them reluctant to leave when the novel ends. Readers will be anxious for the fourth and final sequel, 'Extras,' in which Tally is not the primary heroine, but still plays a key role in the development of the plot and ultimate salvation of the future world.
