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bookswithnichol's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gracebirdly's review against another edition
2.0
This series started off good for me, I absolutely loved the book “Uglies” and I was excited to read the next book. I ended up being super disappointed. Not only was the book boring, it wasn’t the same as the last book. I was never totally into the book as I was into the first one. I was only finishing the book to say I finished, hoping it would get better at the end. In the end, I’m not very happy with this book.
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Sequel to [b: Uglies|24770|Uglies (Uglies, #1)|Scott Westerfeld|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443904172s/24770.jpg|2895388], as I suppose is semi-obvious. I don’t want to say too much about this book because it would spoil Uglies, which I think a lot of you would enjoy. But, like volume one, this book was incredibly exciting and compelling. It falls a little bit into that sequel trap, repeating some of the aspects of the first book; in fact, there’s something frustratingly cyclical about the narrative. However, it has several thrilling set-pieces that are unique to it, and it introduces some interesting new aspects of the world, as well as some interesting new characters. Westerfeld has moved from the Tally/David romance of the first book to something of a love triangle in this one, and it’s very well done—whatever choice Tally makes, it’ll be the right one and the wrong one, which is just the sort of structural stability a good love triangle needs. (Normally, I would propose “Threesome!” as a solution, but these characters are 16, so that’s a little icky.) But then…cliffhanger again! Dammit. This Westerfeld guy is not to be trusted. ;-)
celinapaz's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
cobycoyle's review against another edition
2.0
The fact that he used the word "retarded" as an adjective and not to mean "slow pace" irritated me. I know this book isn't new or anything and at the time it was written that may have been a more "socially acceptable" term, but it was still derogatory despite its wide use between teens.
Also, I know the whole point is for Pretties to be obnoxious, stupid/empty-headed, shallow, etc. but the writing is just so...obnoxious. Maybe that's what he was trying to accomplish, but the vocabulary, just everything seems *too* shallowly written? I'm pretty sure I hate the word bubbly or anything close to it now.
Also some of the scenes were *so* slow and hard to get through. Tally finding the "outsiders" being researched and all was interesting for about two minutes, and then it was just...slow. Her journey there? Super slow. Hard to get through.
But, here I go to Specials anyway.
Also, I know the whole point is for Pretties to be obnoxious, stupid/empty-headed, shallow, etc. but the writing is just so...obnoxious. Maybe that's what he was trying to accomplish, but the vocabulary, just everything seems *too* shallowly written? I'm pretty sure I hate the word bubbly or anything close to it now.
Also some of the scenes were *so* slow and hard to get through. Tally finding the "outsiders" being researched and all was interesting for about two minutes, and then it was just...slow. Her journey there? Super slow. Hard to get through.
But, here I go to Specials anyway.
calistacyq's review against another edition
5.0
Thought-provoking and filled with adventure, Pretties by Scott Westerfeld follows where the first book has left off as Tally returns to the city to become pretty so that they can test the effects of the cure.
Summary: Tally Youngblood has turned pretty and lives in New Pretty Town, and she is about to join the Crims who behave recklessly to stay bubbly. Even then, she can't help but feel that something is wrong, When the New Smokes come to deliver her a message and the cure as planned, her life changes again.
Tropes/Genres:
• dystopian
• science fiction
• romance
• young adult
• post-apocalyptic
Review: This was an insane and good continuation of the first book. The author shows readers through Tally's primary experience what the city does to pretties. Even though it does a great job of maintaining peace, it raises the moral dilemma of whether it's okay to take away a person's right of choice even if the intentions are good. This book is thought-provoking in that sense.
Tally is different in this book. She has turned pretty not just in appearance but in thinking as well. Through this, readers can see through her first-hand experience as a pretty how the city manipulates the people. While it's nice to see Tally's efforts to overcome the pretty-minded wiring of her head, it's sad that there is everlasting damage to how she thinks about ugliness and prettiness. Regardless, she's still an absolutely strong and awesome character!
Even though I felt bad for David, I thought that Tally and Zane were cute. There's just something special about the two of them falling for each other and helping each other stay bubbly – when they are awake from their pretty-minded state caused by the lesions in their brains. Tally and Zane's relationship, however, does show readers how the system can disrupt a person's autonomy of thought and feelings. Their relationship wouldn't have existed if Tally remembered David, which would've been the case without the tempering of her brain.
I found Shay quite irritating in this book, but I think it was intentional. She had always been mildly irritating anyway ever since she left for the Smokes. She was oddly possessive over David when nothing had happened between them, and she was still angry with Tally when she became bubbly. I feel that she will have an even bigger role to play in Book 3. I also found Maddy irritating, but I understand that she's doing all that out of grief and suspicion. Either way, the characters are complex and understandable and are ultimately victims of the system.
Overall, I recommend this book to fans of dystopia. There is a lot of pretty language in this book, which makes the pretties sound like airheads. New Pretty Town can be annoying for people who can't stand that, but that's part of the experience. This is certainly an interesting book.
Summary: Tally Youngblood has turned pretty and lives in New Pretty Town, and she is about to join the Crims who behave recklessly to stay bubbly. Even then, she can't help but feel that something is wrong, When the New Smokes come to deliver her a message and the cure as planned, her life changes again.
Tropes/Genres:
• dystopian
• science fiction
• romance
• young adult
• post-apocalyptic
Review: This was an insane and good continuation of the first book. The author shows readers through Tally's primary experience what the city does to pretties. Even though it does a great job of maintaining peace, it raises the moral dilemma of whether it's okay to take away a person's right of choice even if the intentions are good. This book is thought-provoking in that sense.
Tally is different in this book. She has turned pretty not just in appearance but in thinking as well. Through this, readers can see through her first-hand experience as a pretty how the city manipulates the people. While it's nice to see Tally's efforts to overcome the pretty-minded wiring of her head, it's sad that there is everlasting damage to how she thinks about ugliness and prettiness. Regardless, she's still an absolutely strong and awesome character!
Even though I felt bad for David, I thought that Tally and Zane were cute. There's just something special about the two of them falling for each other and helping each other stay bubbly – when they are awake from their pretty-minded state caused by the lesions in their brains. Tally and Zane's relationship, however, does show readers how the system can disrupt a person's autonomy of thought and feelings. Their relationship wouldn't have existed if Tally remembered David, which would've been the case without the tempering of her brain.
I found Shay quite irritating in this book, but I think it was intentional. She had always been mildly irritating anyway ever since she left for the Smokes. She was oddly possessive over David when nothing had happened between them, and she was still angry with Tally when she became bubbly. I feel that she will have an even bigger role to play in Book 3. I also found Maddy irritating, but I understand that she's doing all that out of grief and suspicion. Either way, the characters are complex and understandable and are ultimately victims of the system.
Overall, I recommend this book to fans of dystopia. There is a lot of pretty language in this book, which makes the pretties sound like airheads. New Pretty Town can be annoying for people who can't stand that, but that's part of the experience. This is certainly an interesting book.
asaph95's review against another edition
3.0
This review probably won't be liked all that much but I just have to say exactly what I thought about the book.
I won't say I didn't like it, I did, cos I read it fast. But I felt that it had basically the same plot as Uglies did, just with a few new added characters and.
So what was so special about it? Nothing at all. I literally felt like I was experiencing deja vu for the whole duration of reading this novel. Like seriously.
I didn't click with any of them, Shay turned into a mahoosive bitch and David decided to go all weird on her. (I get he didn't want her to be pretty, but it's what's on the inside that counts right? Or wrong? He obviously can't see past her pretty face anymore, ironic I guess).
I'm not even sure if I'll be willing to read the final instalment of this trilogy. I just have a feeling it'll be the same thing again, only in the end they'll all live happily ever after. Although I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong .
So if you've read the first book, I'd honestly tell you that this book just sn't worth it. It really isn't.
I won't say I didn't like it, I did, cos I read it fast. But I felt that it had basically the same plot as Uglies did, just with a few new added characters and
Spoiler
Tally is now a prettySo what was so special about it? Nothing at all. I literally felt like I was experiencing deja vu for the whole duration of reading this novel. Like seriously.
I didn't click with any of them, Shay turned into a mahoosive bitch and David decided to go all weird on her. (I get he didn't want her to be pretty, but it's what's on the inside that counts right? Or wrong? He obviously can't see past her pretty face anymore, ironic I guess).
I'm not even sure if I'll be willing to read the final instalment of this trilogy. I just have a feeling it'll be the same thing again, only in the end they'll all live happily ever after. Although I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong .
So if you've read the first book, I'd honestly tell you that this book just sn't worth it. It really isn't.
socolorfull's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
What an absolute SLOG this book was to get through, which is really disappointing, because Uglies was so much fun.
This book though... 75% of it was boring as heck. Just like Pretty life must be boring as heck. The last 25% of the book was a page turner, but the journey to get there was awful.
And then the book ended with ANOTHER cliffhanger. I said to myself - I don't want to read another one of these books if it's going to be like this. And then by the end, I wanted to know what happened next. However, I'll be taking a little break from the series before I do that.
This book though... 75% of it was boring as heck. Just like Pretty life must be boring as heck. The last 25% of the book was a page turner, but the journey to get there was awful.
And then the book ended with ANOTHER cliffhanger. I said to myself - I don't want to read another one of these books if it's going to be like this. And then by the end, I wanted to know what happened next. However, I'll be taking a little break from the series before I do that.
jmtanner's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
The slang in this book was too annoying and my favorite character from the first book was hardly even in this one. I am done with this series but might recommend it to my middle school daughter.