Simone Chen
Uglies
Scott Westerfeld
Science Fiction
Just right
P. 140

1. Right now Tally's friend Shay ran away to the town Smoke. They had the same birthday and were about to turn 16, which meant that they would get the operation that would turn them pretty. The uglies live in Uglyville until they are 16, when they get an operation and become pretty, and then move to New Pretty Town where they can have fun and party all night. Tally was really looking forward to this, but Shay didn't want to become pretty because she thought it would change her on the inside, and she would no longer be the same person. Shay tried to persuade Tally to go to Smoke with her, but when Tally refuses she decides to go by herself. Now Tally has to either turn her friend in, or never become pretty.

2. At the beginning the book was not as interesting because it was really confusing. But then it became more clear what was going on, and what the setting was like. I like the concept of "uglies" and "pretties", and how uglies turn pretty when they turn 16. However, i don't think the author did the best job with making the plot really interesting and, because during the first few chapters I was not really hooked onto the book. The book does convey a good message, which is some people are so obsessed with their physical appearance, and they don't realize that what really matters is what's on the inside.

3. A theme that I see is self-acceptance. What everybody in this book except Shay believes is that they are ugly and less important than everybody else, until they turn 16 and turn pretty. The reason why they go through the operation is so that they feel like they are equal to everybody else, because they are more pretty on the outside now. They can't accept themselves for who they are on the inside, so they think they have to go through a long and painful surgery to alter their natural appearance, because they think they aren't skinny, tall, or pretty enough.

4. My favorite character is Shay because she is the only one that realized that what really matters is your personality and the person you are on the inside, not what you look like on the outside. She is daring and adventurous, and overall a good friend to Tally. She really lifted Tally's spirits by teaching her how to hoverboard when Tally was sad that her old friend Peris turned 16 already and was in New Pretty Town. Shay tried to persuade Tally to run away to Smoke with her so they wouldn't have to get the operation that turned them pretty, but when Tally didn't want to go she didn't try to force her.

5. My least favorite character is Tally's friend Peris. He turned pretty before Tally because he is 3 months older than her. After he becomes pretty, Peris's attitude and personality towards Tally changes a bit. Although they swore they would be best friends forever, he doesn't act like it after his operation. He promised that he would still be best friends with her for those 3 months when he was pretty and she wasn't, but when she has a short encounter with him he acts like he didn't really want to see her. He sort of shoo-ed her away to protect his reputation with his new pretty friends in New Pretty Town.

6. I predict Tally will keep her promise towards Shay and not reveal her location. I think Tally will end up not becoming pretty and live with Shay in Smoke, but she'll be ok with that because she will also realize that appearances aren't the only things that matter.