Specials (theme and connections)

As I continued reading Specials this week, I have already witnessed many of my predictions come true. I continue to see Tally Youngblood, the protagonist in this series, characterized much in the same way as she was in the first book. Although she has undergone major changes in attitude and perspective, some qualities that Tally possesses are consistent, regardless of her circumstances. For example, she continues to demonstrate defiance towards authority, showcasing her strong sense of individuality and will to reach a state of justice. Along with this unwavering strength, she holds a steady weakness. Tally can never seem to maintain a relationship without carrying out an act of betrayal. Not even when she recognizes how much damage she has done, does she make an effort to change her approach towards confrontation. The stable portrayal of Tally Youngblood emphasizes the theme that even in the most extreme circumstances, a person's true character usually remains.

In many ways, I've been able to connect Specials to The Giver, a book written by Lois Lowry. In The Giver, the societal foundation of "sameness" strips people of color eyesight, memory and emotion. This is similar to the standard surgical operation performed in the Uglies series to make everyone Pretty, or equal in beauty. Both books are set in dystopian societies harboring twisted, even unethical, perspectives. Additionally, in both books, the protagonist becomes a nonconformist and an exception, unique compared to the rest of the "bland" members of the city/community. In a closer evaluation and comparison of these two publications, I'm sure many more similarities would be discovered.

Although I'm nearly finished with this book and I've definitely enjoyed this series, there are a few flaws worth mentioning. By the end of this series, I just wanted to know the final outcome. I didn't really need to read more about how Tally, once again, has a disagreement with Shay, about how she manages to break so many promises and relationships, or about how the same characters embark on another escape from the city. I thought the characters were developed extremely well but that there wasn't enough internal change throughout the books. The setting, however, offered some variety as it shifted from Uglyville and New Pretty Town to the Smoke and the wild and the Special Circumstances Headquarters. By the third book, the suspense wasn't nearly as high as it was in the first two books, partly because it became much easier to predict future events and how the characters would react. Science fiction isn't a genre I typically read, but these books interested me enough to read the whole series. But overall, the third book hasn't been up to par next to its predecessors. 

The above photo represents how Tally is constantly depicted as being different, and special, compared to the other members of society and even compared to her friends. These traits are also true for Jonas, from The Giver. This picture heavily relates to The Giver, not only with the theme of divergence, but also with minor details from the book such as the red apple and the black and white effect.


This is the link for The Giver movie trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJNNugNe0Wo

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

This week, I've been reading Specials by scott Westerfeld. So far, the plot hasn't really taken off from the exposition. The characters and setting have been introduced but the level of suspense present in the previous books hasn't kicked in yet. I have definitely seen character changes since the first book, however. Tally Youngblood has gone from a hopeful Ugly to a deceived Smokie to a rebellious Pretty to a programmed Special. She is working against the people she once worked with. Her desire for freedom from the confining restrictions of the city has been transformed into a desire to get revenge and take down anyone in the way of the city and its goals. Her mind has been manipulated just as much as her appearance, molded into a twisted view of beauty. I really wonder if she will ever be the same person she used to be, or if she fell into a permanent trap of obedience to Special Circumstances. 

Predictions:

I'm not very far into the book but I have a few predictions. I think Tally will find Zane and realize how the Special Circumstances has manipulated her and how wrong she is about the Smokies. (Just as a refresher, Special Circumstances is a "secret" organization within the city devoted to stopping rebels and the Smokies are people, mostly 'Uglies', who have escaped the city along with its corrupt values.) I also predict that, along with Tally's search for Zane and potential encounters she may have with the Smokies, Tally will face some tough decisions and make more than a few mistakes. This has been the trend in the other books in the series, too; just as guilt from one betrayal is released, another mistake is made and settles in Tally's conscience. I think it's also safe to say that alongside Tally's internal conflict, some problems may arise between Shay and Tally again, or maybe Tally and David. With these predictions come many questions for what will happen in the rest of the book.

About the Author:

Scott Westerfeld was born in 1963 in Dallas, Texas. With his B.A. in Philosophy, Westerfeld is a composer of modern dance music in addition to a popular author. He has written nearly 20 books and received many awards. His most recent novel is titled Afterworlds and was released just this year. Scott Westerfeld rotates between living in New York City and Australia. His book tours, blogs and videos have added to the success of his books and his career as an author. He writes mostly science fiction and young adult novels. Here are some reviews of a few of his books:

Uglies...

“Highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic techonologies and a disturbing commentary on our current public policies. Fortunately, the cliff-hanger ending promises a sequel.”
-School Library Journal (starred)

Extras...

“Just as thrilling as its predecessors, but it’s also a thoughtful novel of ideas, a brilliant parody of the modern obsession with fame.”
-New York Times

Leviathan...

“When a book pursues you into your dreams, you can’t ignore it."                                            -Sunday Telegraph

Afterworlds...

“Afterworlds is a wonderful book for any young person with an interest in growing up to be a writer.”
-New York Times

The following link contains more information about Scott Westerfeld and his books:

http://scottwesterfeld.com/books/

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (summary and review)

I just finished reading Pretties, by Scott Westerfeld. This is the second book in the Uglies series. This book proved to be just as captivating as its prequel, answering many of my questions but posing new ones as well. When Tally Youngblood turns herself into Special Circumstances and becomes Pretty, she forgets the real reason for her sacrifice - until she meets Zane. This book explores Tally's journey: testing the cure, escaping the confines of the city and developing relationships. The city realizes the danger that Tally might bring. Privacy is restricted, conversations are constantly monitored and locations are tracked. Obstacles such as these, as well as Shay's stubbornness and Zane's negative reaction to the cure, produce a lot of suspense and conflict. The following quote demonstrates the fact that the city doesn't tell its citizens the whole story, or give them a choice to stay ugly and keep their brain in tact:

"'Their reasons don't mean anything unless I have a choice, Peris. And they don't give anyone a choice'" (Westerfeld 232).

In this book, Tally, on her way to find David and Zane and the New Smoke society, finds herself trapped in a barbaric culture that is only in existence as a sociological experiment for Special Circumstances. She witnesses the terrible results of a powerful society that's based on cruel, corrupt ideas of beauty and perfection. As Tally slowly regains her memories, which were originally stripped from her during the operation, she remembers why she truly back came to the city and the one who helped her in the process, David. 

Overall, this book did an amazing job building off of the first book and creating suspense for the rest of the series. The foundation of this series is very interesting and the characters continue to develop and surprise. I'm left with some questions, however. What do Zane and Tally have in store for them with their return? Will the 'New Smokies' escape to safety? Will Tally join Shay and the Specials? I cannot wait to read the third book, Specials. I would definitely give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes fictional books centered around futuristic, dystopian societies, with some action and romance mixed in as well. In this trilogy, the characters are developed very well and they're individualistic in personalities. Brave and shy. Guilty and ignorant. Courageous and sentimental. Ugly and Pretty.

The following link displays various symbolic quotes from the book:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1568076-pretties

Uglies (summary and book review)

I just finished the book Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it! I still have some questions but I'm sure they will be answered in the rest of the books in this series. Through more mistakes and adventures, Tally ends up accidentally betraying the Smoke. She is forced to travel across rough terrain in order to rescue her friends. She learns about the history of the fallen civilization, the "Rusties", and what caused their destruction. Tally, David, Maddy (David's Mom) and Croy work together to make a new home in the rubble of the Smoke. Special Circumstances ensures that Shay falls victim to the operation and its mind-altering effects. Maddy, a former doctor for the city and passionate about her work, works to find a cure. The ending of the book is very suspenseful and very abrupt. Tally demonstrates massive amount of courage in order to protect her friends. 

I noticed a significant character change in Tally throughout the book, making her a dynamic character. She went from a lonely Ugly, counting down the days until she could call herself a care-free Pretty, to a rebel, plotting against the morals of the operation and leading a new generation of Uglies to the Smoke. Staying true to my prediction, Tally's beliefs and values shifted by the end of the book. Tally's character change is similar to the change Cassia undergoes in Matched. Both characters go from feeling pride towards their society to feeling rebellious and experiencing the need to escape.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about futuristic dystopian societies and suspenseful books. As a warning, the poor decisions made by some characters, specifically Tally, will annoy you throughout the book. There are so many points where I wished she would've acted or spoken differently. But without mistakes and conflict, the book wouldn't contain the same incredible amount of suspense within the plot. I cannot wait to read Pretties, the sequel to Uglies and the second book in this series. I have many predictions and questions that I hope will be answered!

This is a link from to Good Reads with some of the best and most popular quotes from Uglies:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2895388-uglies

Uglies (plot and connections)

This book has significantly developed in the past week I've been reading it. Tally runs into trouble when she must decide whether to betray her friend in order to become Pretty or give up her future and keep her promise to Shay. She uses Shay's coded directions to embark on a journey to the Smoke, a secret civilization far away from the city and one with a very different lifestyle and set of values. But Shay doesn't know Tally's true intentions for fleeing the city. As Tally meets new people in the Smoke, like David and his family, she notices how different they are compared to most Pretties she'd ever known. Along the way, Tally makes some poor choices regarding her friendships and the safety of everyone she just met. With many secrets kept, feelings hurt and promises broken, Tally realizes she may have made some mistakes. The following quote shows her attitude towards the Smoke and how her hopes for her future have changed,

"Still, she wouldn't have traded anything for this moment, standing there and looking down at the plains spread out below. Tally had spent the last four years staring at the skyline of New Pretty Town, thinking it was the most beautiful sight in the world, but she didn't think so anymore" (Westerfeld 209).

One prominent text-to-text connection I've made is the similarity of this book to Matched by Ally Condie. Both books are set in futuristic dystopian societies where authoritative control and scientific advancement are major elements. The protagonists in each book explore the outside world after realizing the home they've known for so long isn't as perfect as they thought. In Uglies, the authorities use the operation to alter the way people view each other, physically and mentally. In Matched, the government uses tablets to manipulate the minds of its citizens and their views on society as well.

I only have about 140 more pages in this book but I cannot wait to find out what happens next. I still have many unanswered questions. Will Tally fight for Shay and stick with her in the Smoke? Or will she break her newly developed trust and countless more promises? Will Shay forgive Tally for what happened with David? Will "Special Circumstances" find out about the Smoke? Will Tally ever see Peris, an old friend who turned Pretty a few months prior to Tally's departure, again? Even though I haven't finished this book yet, I can already say that I would definitely recommend it!

The following picture and links relate to my connection between Uglies and Matched.



Uglies GoodReads Link:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24770.Uglies?from_search=true

Matched GoodReads Link:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7735333-matched?from_search=true

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I recently started reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Although I'm only on page 110, the plot has developed significantly. The protagonist, Tally Youngblood, is a 15 year old girl who lives in a society that prioritizes "biological correctness". According to authorities and most members of society, people are born ugly and must undergo an operation at the age of 16 in order to appeal to the natural human sense of beauty. Tally has been waiting her whole life to finally become "Pretty", to experience the lifelong joy of partying and being surrounded by beautiful people. The following quote from the book demonstrates Tally's longing to leave 'Uglyville' and begin her new life as a Pretty:

"She'd spent the last four years looking out at New Pretty Town, wanting nothing more than to cross the river and not coming back. That's probably what had tempted her through the window so many times, learning every trick she could to sneak closer to the new pretties, to spy on the life she would eventually have" (Westerfeld 85).

The setting of this book is very intriguing, a futuristic society that hides information about the past and the outside world, and tricks its members into thinking that a good life comes from external beauty. But as Tally begins to explore beyond the river and as she gains information from her new friend, Shay, she slowly starts to question the principles of the world she's known and admired her whole life. 

I've really enjoyed this book so far. The rising action has begun to build up, with some major events taking place. For example, without giving too much away, Shay tells Tally about her bold, unexpected plan and Tally is brought to the "Special Circumstances" organization and given important information, right before she is about to have her Pretty operation. I predict that by the end of the series, if not the book, Tally will have a change of mind about the concept of Pretties and Uglies. I believe that she will become a dynamic character and will eventually rebel against society. I'm excited to continue reading this book and I can't wait to find out what happens to Tally and Shay.

This link contains book reviews, Q&A, discussion questions and more information about the book, Uglies:

http://scottwesterfeld.com/books/uglies/

Looking for Alaska (summary and book review)

I just finished reading Looking for Alaska by John Green. As mentioned in my last post, this book contained a lot of suspense. Many of the questions I encountered as I read the book were answered in some way. However, the author left the resolution open-ended in order to satisfy the reader's need for answers and leave some room for interpretation. The characterization increased throughout the book, with numerous additions to emotional, social, intellectual and physical descriptions to many of the characters. The book explored more of Alaska's past, Pudge's thoughts and beliefs, and Colonel's determination. I really enjoyed the deep analysis and various perspectives in the last half of the book, mainly the climax and falling action.

One of the underlying topics in the book is 'the labyrinth of suffering' in relation to religion and philosophy. In the beginning of the book, Alaska posed a question to Pudge about Simón Bolívar's last words and about 'escaping the labyrinth', 

"'That's the mystery, isn't it? Is the labyrinth living or dying? Which is he trying to escape - the world or the end of it?'" (Green 19). 

Throughout the book, Pudge reflects on these questions, relating them to his own experiences. Pudge writes,

"[We] had to forgive to survive in the labyrinth" (Green 218).

"We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations...But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail" (Green 220). 

I would give Looking for Alaska 4.5 out of 5 stars. The conflict, emotion, suspense and characterization in this book were sensational! Once the rising action began building, the book was very exciting. It got off to a slow start but John Green did a great job making sure the reader was engaged and curious as to where the story was headed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys emotional romance books that really make you think. This book has many strong themes and messages and I definitely enjoyed it!

This is a link from John Green's website about his book, Looking for Alaska:

http://johngreenbooks.com/looking-for-alaska/