A review by lizanneyoung
Uglies: Shay's Story by Scott Westerfeld, Devin Grayson, Steven Cummings

4.0

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my first time reading a graphic novel, and I loved it. It is an additional story in the Uglies universe, letting readers in on Shay’s life before, during, and after Tally during the timeline of the first Uglies novel.

Everything we learn about Shay adds so much to her character. I’ve read three Uglies novels so far, but knowing more about her relationship with David before Tally appeared and Shay’s thoughts on events we’ve only seen from Tally’s POV creates a well-rounded picture of the universe. With the movie coming out soon, I hope we get to see some of Shay’s thoughts incorporated into the narrative. 

I also think, maybe unintentionally, we get more depth to David’s character. It certainly paints him in a different light at times than the original series does, which was fun to read.

I love the artwork. This one is in black and white, and the cover page for each chapter is like a little map of what’s happening. I honestly don’t know how the illustrator captured such contrast in the nighttime scenes, but it is pretty and visually appealing, at least to a newbie like me.