Uglies: by Scott Westerfield

    So this blog post is a bit late due to our lovely friend Isaac, but I had to get it in sooner or later. I had already lost power at my house by the time I arrived at home on Monday night. I live right on Bayou Manchac in Prairieville, and our power lines can't put up too much of a fight. However, all this free time has given me a chance to read a lot more of Uglies, the first of a futuristic series by Scott Westerfield. I have now read 3 hours and fifteen minutes, counting from Monday through today.

    After reading the first few pages of Uglies I was immediately making connections. The book made me think of my life as a teenager, and how everyone wants to look as "perfect" as possible. Now granted not everyone worries too much about their appearance, but most girls and guys my age like to look presentable for their friends. In Scott Westerfield's futuristic world there is much more technology and science present, but the society and separation can easily be connected to my everyday experience. Everyone is considered "ugly" until they reach the age of sixteen, at which point they are put under an advanced version of surgery and become the ideal "pretty" person. This is similar to the life most kids ages 11-14 go through in school or sports. If you are better looking, or better at a sport, or in any way of higher class than the people around you, people will respect you. At the same time people will be jealous and afraid, but all together being "prettier" is better.

   So far Scott has made this point clear, as his characters Shay and Tally discover that being "pretty" can change you. Yes, people will look at you in a different way, but you will become different on the inside. You think highly of yourself as well.... i'm definitely hooked on the book and will continue spend these Dark Ages following the girl's journey.

-Stealing wifi for a few hours from my nice little grandma ;)
Mckenzie