Uglies

300 years in the future, Tally Youngblood watches the lights of New Pretty Town, anxiously waiting for her sixteenth birthday when she will undergo the Operation to become Pretty. That is, until a sneak trip into New Pretty Town results in her befriending Shay, another Ugly, one who’s not so sure she wants to be a Pretty. The two become best friends, playing tricks and other Ugly things. But then, a week before their sixteenth birthday, Shay runs away. Resulting in Tally being taken to Special Circumstances where she is given a choice: to either leave the city and find Shay, or stay Ugly forever.

Tally had to decide quickly, and the choice she makes changes her world forever.

I found this book really interesting. It starts off slow, but the fact that the world is so different keeps you reading on.

About 1/4th of the way through the plot picks up and you get to experience a lot more of the setting. The conflicts and obstacles over this period are gripping and compelling, but can also be a tad boring at points. You are also introduced to a variety of new characters who are a add more depth to the stories initial plot.

Overall, I found this book extremely well written and insightful on how much beauty dominates us. While entertaining, it really makes you think. The book continues in a trilogy: Uglies, Pretties, and Specials, which is then followed by a companion novel titles "Extras".

The book is also being turned into a movie, which is rumored to be released in 2010.