With all the recent hype on BookTok and other platforms from its Netflix adaptation, Scott Westerfeld’s young adult dystopian fantasy world has finally come to life, almost 20 years after its original release as a book series. Joey King’s Tally has prompted new readers to pick up the books and us older fans to search our book collections for the Uglies series, which consists of four books (the Uglies Trilogy consisting of Uglies, Pretties, Specials plus Extras, which has a different protagonist), and dust it off for any details we may have forgotten or missed. So what are you waiting for? Grab your hoverboard—or your bungee jacket if you’re brave like Tally—and let’s dive into the Uglies universe.
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The science fiction story of Uglies takes place in a dystopian future, about 300 years from now. Civilization as we know it has collapsed and died out due to genetically modified oil-eating bacteria that triggered a catastrophic chain of events. Most Rusties—as our current civilization is called—died in this apocalypse, and those who survived founded self-sufficient cities, developing high technology and using renewable energy sources. This made society evolve, though it is far from perfect, as it involves a lot of seclusion. Each city is secluded from the rest and, depending on their age and status, people are also divided into groups that live in different areas. The goal is to provide equal chances for all civilians, maintaining uniform goals and courses of life. Medical technological advances have a very important role in this, as part of this uniformity is undergoing a mandatory plastic surgery on your 16th birthday. This cosmetic surgery turns you from an Ugly to a Pretty, following a certain predetermined and specific standard that is even taught in schools. However, the surgeries don’t stop there, as there are further procedures later, following the same logic.
An Uglies city is separated into different areas. The Uglyville is where Uglies from 12 to 16 years old live. The children live away from their parents in dorms, getting their mandatory education and awaiting the pretty surgery that will usher them into the new era of their lives. Here, the natural insecurities of a teenager are amplified by government propaganda that puts the pretty operation on a pedestal as the only natural route of evolution. After their surgery, the New Pretties move to New Pretty Town, which is all about fun, parties, and letting loose after finally having achieved the goal they have been raised to desire. It is a beautiful, extravagant place, where everyone looks beautiful but eerily similar to each other. The coolest among the Pretties are those who have spent their Ugly years playing tricks, going on harmless rebellious adventures that make for great party stories. Once they grow up, Middle Pretties and Late Pretties live in suburbs where they work and start families, raising their children until they reach 12 to be sent to Uglyville and repeat the cycle.
Bookworms beware: Spoilers ahead!
The protagonist of the series is Tally Youngblood, an Ugly only three months away from her surgery. She and her best friend Peris, have been inseparable since childhood and even have their own “ugly nicknames”. However, Peris isn’t “Nose” anymore, as he has just gotten his surgery and moved to New Pretty Town. They promised each other they would stay in touch, but it’s been a month, and she still hasn’t heard back from him. Missing her partner in crime terribly, Tally crosses the river and sneaks into New Pretty Town to see him. She and Peris used to pull tricks all the time, so she’s no stranger to mischief. However, when she gets there, Peris is nothing like she remembers him. She feels foolish when she realizes he doesn’t have the scar from their blood pact anymore. Of course, they were going to remove it in surgery, but it feels like the procedure removed her best friend too. Peris urges her to return to Uglyville and wait patiently, as in just two months they will be reunited, partying in New Pretty Town without a care in the world. When the other Pretties realize she doesn’t belong there, Tally escapes in fear. She hides away but quickly discovers that she’s not the only Ugly hiding among the Pretties.
While in the bushes, she meets Shay, another Ugly who has the misfortune of being the youngest among her friends. The two girls realize they share the same birthday, and bond in this stressful, lonely time. Like Tally, Shay loves mischief, and shows her a whole new world of it in the Rusty Ruins, an uninhabited part of the city where the remains of the Rusty civilization still stand, decaying. Tally’s new friend shows her what a roller coaster is, and they ride it on their boards. Tally’s friendship with Shay makes her feel alive, although her friend seems troubled by thoughts Tally can’t quite understand. When Shay mentions that she’s not sure she wants to get the surgery, Tally starts to worry about her friend.
The day before their birthday, Tally finds a letter from Shay, in which she tells her she has left for the Smoke, a secret community of runaways that have escaped the surgery. Her friend, David, has promised her a better life there, and Shay wants Tally to follow her, so she leaves her coded instructions. Tally thinks it is foolish of her to follow such a dream, and refuses to give up on her own dream to become a Pretty. However, right before she gets the surgery, she is taken to an unknown, covert part of the city; Special Circumstances.
There, she sees a different kind of Pretties, the Specials, whose features are harsh and intimidating, a terrifying beauty that is meant to unsettle rather than appease, like normal Pretties. The Special assigned to her case, Dr. Cable, tells her that she can’t undergo the surgery until she finds Shay and brings her back. Tally quickly realizes that there’s no use hiding from the terrifying Specials, as they seem to know everything, including the existence of the Smoke and Shay’s encrypted letter. What they don’t know is the Smoke’s location, and they won’t let Tally get away until she leads them to it.
After a trying journey following Shay’s instructions, Tally finally reaches the Smoke where she is shocked to find people of all ages living as Uglies against all odds—and, to her, logic. Even more strange, she meets and falls in love with David, an 18-year-old boy who was born and raised in the Smoke by the very leaders of the settlement. The Smokies’ rather primitive lifestyle shocks Tally, but that shock soon clashes with revelations about the true nature of the surgery. David’s parents, Maddy and Az, were doctors working for the Specials, and escaped when they found out the surgery forms lesions in the brains of Pretties, making them more docile and easy to control. Leaving behind the only world they’ve ever known, they have found a way to reverse the physical changes but not the brain lesions.
For the first time, Tally decides she doesn’t want to be a part of Dr. Cable’s evil schemes and prefers to remain an Ugly. Instead of activating Dr. Cable’s tracking device, she throws it in the fire and goes to sleep, finally free from the burden of betrayal that has been following her around ever since she arrived at the Smoke. When she wakes up, the Specials have raided the Smoke as, unbeknownst to her, the fire activated the locket. With everyone taken hostage in Special Circumstances, Tally and David are the only ones who manage to escape. Tally cannot stand by and watch the Smokies’ lives and legacy crumble within seconds, so she teams up with David to go back and save them.
They manage to infiltrate their base, freeing everyone except for two; Shay who has been forced into getting the surgery and Az, who has been killed. Crushed by the consequences of her subterfuge, Tally vows to do everything in her power to reverse the damage she has done. The escaped prisoners form a new hidden settlement and, motivated by the tragic loss of her husband, Maddy locks herself away for 20 days to try and find the cure. She emerges victorious, but the only possible subject to test it on is Shay, who is now a Pretty, unwillingly staying with them until she can “save” Tally from the Uglies. Shay refuses to take the pills, insisting that she now sees how miserable the existence of an Ugly is. Tally’s guilt builds up as she realizes she has stolen Shay’s life away from her. In a final desperate act of courage, Tally offers to surrender to the Specials and become Pretty herself and be the first one to test the cure.
In Uglies, Scott Westerfeld explores society’s obsession with beauty. The world of the Pretties can be paralleled to that of our own celebrities, where beauty is seen as the ultimate goal and serves as currency for acceptance and status. By stretching the metaphor, the novel asks what would happen if everyone had the opportunity to reach this impossible standard. Would that truly bring equality, and if so, at what cost? Can sacrificing individuality help one progress in life, when it takes away all sense of identity and self-perception? The characters have to choose between two extremes that the modern world has learned to balance haphazardly: accepting externally defined standards and forging a personal, authentic self.
Tally's society is built upon strict governmental control that extends into every aspect of life, from birth to death. This control is justified by the government as a means of maintaining order and preventing conflict. By making everyone equally beautiful and content, they eliminate jealousy, insecurity, and desire for rebellion. But in reality, this form of control strips people of their individuality and freedom of thought. Technology also plays a huge role in this, with constant surveillance and restricted information about the outside world. The people in this high-tech society think they are superior to the Rusties and those before them, but in reality, technology infringes upon their freedom and self-expression.
In a society when all freedom is stripped from civilians, the only thing that can break these heavy chains is self-acceptance. Self-acceptance is a rebellious act for the Uglies, and the only thing that can save them from a lifetime of ignorance and manipulation. The road to self-acceptance is hard and full of obstacles, just like Tally’s arduous journey to the Smoke. Even if you get there, it takes effort and an open mind to see the benefits through the hardships. Like in the real world, forging your own path takes a lot of courage and sacrifice.
The "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld takes readers into a world where beauty is enforced, and individuality is sacrificed for control. Tally's journey is about breaking free from these limits, embracing her true self, and challenging the system that demands conformity.
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At the end of Uglies, Tally surrenders to the Specials to save her friend Shay. Before doing so, she makes Shay write a contract for her, saying she agrees to be turned back into an Ugly. To make up for the pain and suffering she’s caused, she makes the brave decision to offer herself as the key subject that will test the cure and help save others. She finally reveals to David that she was the one who betrayed them, but he refuses to let her sacrifice herself. With Maddy’s help, Tally finally leaves with Shay and announces to the Specials that she is back to become a Pretty.
The first book starts with undertones of romance between Tally and Peris and continues as a love triangle between Shay, Tally and David. Shay is clearly in love with David and Tally does not want to betray her further, as she truly loves her friend deeply. However, David falls in love with Tally, and as things progress, she starts to love him back, a fact that breaks Shay’s heart and strains their friendship.
Even though David is the main love interest in the first book, Pretties introduces a new love interest for Pretty Tally, Zane. Zane is the leader of the Crims in New Pretty Town and shares many of Tally’s concerns, becoming a trusted confidante and lover. David is heartbroken but refuses to leave her side, even as the nature of their relationship becomes complicated. Tragically, Zane dies in the third book of the Uglies Trilogy, Specials, and Tally works closely with David in her fight to overthrow the system. Nevertheless, it is unsure whether their romance will be rekindled.
Eirini is a passionate book nerd with a keen penchant for the whimsical and the witty. She holds a degree in English Literature - because what's better than reading books for homework? - and delights in dissecting the subtleties of storytelling. When it comes to fiction analysis, she is determined to turn every stone and go through every theory of the stories that excite her. Known for her playful approach and keen observations, her contribution offers readers a delightful exploration of literary themes that resonate with enthusiasts and casual readers alike.
