Uglies #4

It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.

As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But Aya doesn't care; she just wants to lie low with her drone, Moggle. And maybe kick a good story for herself.

Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for.

The story wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought this would be a continuing story from the trilogy - continuing by showing what happened to Tally afterward. This story does take place after the events of the trilogy but the main character is another completely different person, although Tally does figure into the story a little later. Once I got past my upset expectation, I enjoyed the book.

This book arrived this week. Thanks so much, karendawn. I'm looking forward to reading this one even though I hear that it is different and distant from the first three books.

It's been a while since I read the first three Uglies books and in this case I think that that's a good thing. Because Tally wasn't so fresh in my mind it was easier to cope with the fact that she's not the protagonist of this installment (that and having been given a heads-up before I started the book).

It seems like Westerfeld was planning to end with book three, but was pressured to continue the series because of its success. This book is much different than the first three, and again it comes to a satisfactory conclusion so it'll be interesting to see whether he comes out with another book.

Anyway, I did like Aya - at times she was a bit too insistent on the importance of her "kicking", but I'm sure that's because she's a product of her city. I also really liked the character of Frizz.


I'm reserving this book so I can put it back into the Teen Virtual Book Box next time around.

I'm mailing this book off to BookCrosser CdnBlueRose today. She selected it from the Teen VBB on BookObsessed.

Received today - thanks morsie!! I'm excited to read this series, unfortunately I'm missing book #1!!!! Gonna have to track that down SOON as the other 3 all arrived in my mailbox this week.... :)

Another good book from Westerfeld!! Mailing out today to Geegal - ENJOY!

thank you CdnBlueRose!!!!