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trin's review against another edition
1.0
This disappointed me so much. I really loved [b: Uglies|24770|Uglies (Uglies, #1)|Scott Westerfeld|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443904172s/24770.jpg|2895388] and there was a lot to admire about [b: Pretties|24768|Pretties (Uglies, #2)|Scott Westerfeld|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388314207s/24768.jpg|1568076], but I found this to be a highly unsatisfactory conclusion. I’m still trying to figure out why it so completely failed to work for me. I think mostly it’s a case of character development: Tally goes through a lot of mental and emotional changes in these books, which makes sense, because her brain is being fucked with. In the first two books, Westerfeld took the time to explore these transitions, and Tally’s growth was really interesting. However, by the time we get to book three and Tally’s brain has been reset AGAIN, it’s becoming frustrating and it doesn’t help that in this final book Westerfeld doesn’t take the time to explore what’s really going on with her. Add to that Shay’s many reversals—I kept expecting it to be revealed that she’s totally PSYCHOTIC, but apparently not—Zane’s quick dismissal, and the almost complete absence of David (after he was also barely in the last book) and you can’t help being disappointed with the conclusion to these characters’ stories, because they barely seem like the characters you started out with and that Westerfeld made you care about. Also, the dissolution of Dr. Cable’s system seemed waaaaay too easy, so I didn’t find this satisfying on a plot level, either. Sigh. Well, I guess I’ll just have to remind myself that 1) I really liked the first book and 2) the next two were nowhere near as bad as, say, the Matrix sequels.
drifa's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.25
cobycoyle's review against another edition
2.0
It took me way longer than I normally need to get through this book.
Some of it just felt so...long-winded. I'm thinking of the parts where Tally makes grand journeys or escapes. You think they'd be interesting, but it was so hard to keep my attention.
I also am slightly put off how cutting/self-injury is glamorized by the "Cutters." In the end, Tally decides she "never needs to cut to feel icy again" but it just felt so shallow and not true. Also she's supposed to go through this big change at the end with her brain, and while I can tell that she did, I feel like it didn't go as far as it needed to. Sure, she ran off with David at the end, but does she really desire to do that? Does she even enjoy David's presence anymore still? And then the cryptic message she sent everybody at the end left a lot to be desired as well. And Zane deserved better than what he got for his death scene as well.
Just...disappointing overall.
Some of it just felt so...long-winded. I'm thinking of the parts where Tally makes grand journeys or escapes. You think they'd be interesting, but it was so hard to keep my attention.
I also am slightly put off how cutting/self-injury is glamorized by the "Cutters." In the end, Tally decides she "never needs to cut to feel icy again" but it just felt so shallow and not true. Also she's supposed to go through this big change at the end with her brain, and while I can tell that she did, I feel like it didn't go as far as it needed to. Sure, she ran off with David at the end, but does she really desire to do that? Does she even enjoy David's presence anymore still? And then the cryptic message she sent everybody at the end left a lot to be desired as well. And Zane deserved better than what he got for his death scene as well.
Just...disappointing overall.
calistacyq's review against another edition
5.0
Action-packed and thought-provoking, Specials by Scott Westerfeld follows where the second book has left off as Tally navigates her new life as a Special, with her body and mind changed yet again.
Summary: Tally Youngblood has been turned into a Special against her will, but she has since been brainwashed into accepting her state. When the New Smokes threaten the controlled order in the city, the Cutters have to get to the bottom of it, and Tally is eager to prove her worth as a Special.
Tropes/Genres:
• dystopian
• science fiction
• young adult
• post-apocalyptic
Review: The brainwashing is so much more evident in this book. I feel so bad for Tally even though she doesn't feel bad for herself because the way she thinks has been altered by the procedure that turns her into a Special. Anyway, it's very interesting to read through her perspective now that her mind has been changed yet again!
It was advertised that being a Special turns you back to normal (not pretty-minded, basically) with some perks. However, in this book, it becomes clear that Specials are also brainwashed to think in a certain manner, and they can't help but possess a sense of superiority over others. Their memories of the past are also altered to suit the agenda of Special Circumstances. It's harrowing. Tally just can't catch a break.
Once again, Shay is irritating. I know it's just how her character is. I don't mind it that much. I just find it funny how they somehow altered Tally's memories, making her think that David played with both Shay and her to make him out to be a villain in her mind. Shay and David never dated. Shay merely had a crush on David, but David liked Tally, and Tally liked David back. That's it. Well, anything to turn Tally against the New Smokes, I guess. It's scary how easy it is to twist the truth to change someone's opinion on something.
I think that this trilogy puts forth a great message that free will and truth are more important than a false sense of security. Even though the people in the city are safe from the dangers, and the environment is protected, the fact that people are under control cannot be brushed off. It's simply not ethically correct to rob people of their autonomy to their body and mind. Brainwashing people into consenting is false consent. I think that message is good.
Overall, this is an interesting conclusion to the trilogy. There isn't much of a romance subplot in this book, but the action and adventure are awesome. I find Tally's journey of rewiring her brain to what it used to be on her own through her experiences quite cool. She's just special.
Summary: Tally Youngblood has been turned into a Special against her will, but she has since been brainwashed into accepting her state. When the New Smokes threaten the controlled order in the city, the Cutters have to get to the bottom of it, and Tally is eager to prove her worth as a Special.
Tropes/Genres:
• dystopian
• science fiction
• young adult
• post-apocalyptic
Review: The brainwashing is so much more evident in this book. I feel so bad for Tally even though she doesn't feel bad for herself because the way she thinks has been altered by the procedure that turns her into a Special. Anyway, it's very interesting to read through her perspective now that her mind has been changed yet again!
It was advertised that being a Special turns you back to normal (not pretty-minded, basically) with some perks. However, in this book, it becomes clear that Specials are also brainwashed to think in a certain manner, and they can't help but possess a sense of superiority over others. Their memories of the past are also altered to suit the agenda of Special Circumstances. It's harrowing. Tally just can't catch a break.
Once again, Shay is irritating. I know it's just how her character is. I don't mind it that much. I just find it funny how they somehow altered Tally's memories, making her think that David played with both Shay and her to make him out to be a villain in her mind. Shay and David never dated. Shay merely had a crush on David, but David liked Tally, and Tally liked David back. That's it. Well, anything to turn Tally against the New Smokes, I guess. It's scary how easy it is to twist the truth to change someone's opinion on something.
I think that this trilogy puts forth a great message that free will and truth are more important than a false sense of security. Even though the people in the city are safe from the dangers, and the environment is protected, the fact that people are under control cannot be brushed off. It's simply not ethically correct to rob people of their autonomy to their body and mind. Brainwashing people into consenting is false consent. I think that message is good.
Overall, this is an interesting conclusion to the trilogy. There isn't much of a romance subplot in this book, but the action and adventure are awesome. I find Tally's journey of rewiring her brain to what it used to be on her own through her experiences quite cool. She's just special.
heathercottledillon's review against another edition
2.0
I was, for the most part, disappointed with this conclusion to the Uglies series. It felt like the same old story from "Pretties"...Tally has had her mind tampered with, but the good guys come along to remind her which side she's on. For most of the book, it was same-old same-old. However, that said, there's a big twist toward the end that I liked, and I was definitely happy with the ultimate conclusion. It was worth ready just for that, but I wish the beginning was more original and engaging.
yousrabushehri's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
karrama's review against another edition
5.0
So Icy, eh? the trillogy comes to an end. Tally vs. the world she inhabits.
phoenix2's review against another edition
3.0
So, Tally was ugly, became bubbly and now she's icy. We found her as special this time around, working with the Cutters, a special unit of the SC, with Shay as the leader. Okay, the plot wasn't that good. I mean, the main idea was to make Zane special, and so he had to prove that he worth being special. But for me, and I don't know if it was something that the book tried to pass through as well, it was more about Tally finding Tally again. And, to be honest, I like David more than Zane, but that's just me. I did like, though, the first part of the book, and Tally's jounrey through the wild. But the ending ruined the rest of the book. It was too rushed, and then the final chapter... Where did that come from? When did Tally started carring for those matters? I can't get into it, though, because there are too many spoilers. Bottom line is, that although the writing was brilliant, and Tally's character well structured and balanced, for all the changes she had to go though, the idea didn't help the book reach it's full potentials.
blove0312's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Mostly satisfying conclusion. I will not be reading the fourth and have removed it from my shelves. I highly doubt I ever think back on this series at all. I’m annoyed with how the “love triangle” was resolved though at least it wasn’t the primary focus of the book.
I’m not even sure what the message was in the end; aside from over throwing your government when it steps too far out of line of course. You can’t have free rein without all sorts of destruction - thousands of years of human history have proved as much. Anyway. Not wasting any more of my time on the series by writing some unnecessary review.
schofield24's review against another edition
3.0
This one didn't keep me quite as captivated but I still was invested in the main character.