Would you give up a life of fame, popularity and gorgeousness for a life of intelligence? Have you ever wondered about a world where people lose the power to think by themselves?

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is a book that explores these possible imagined realities.

This story is about a fifteen-year-old girl named Tally. Tally lives in a world considered perfect. Everyone plays their role and does exactly what they are told. All Tally wants is to turn sixteen so she can finally become a ‘pretty’ and unite with her friends once again, however her newly found friend Shay stands in the way of that possibly ever happening.

Her odd friend likes to question the way they live and makes a dash for freedom by running away to a small camp named Smoke, leaving her unclear directions of the way there.

Tally’s dream is finally about to come true and as the day of her sixteenth birthday passes, Tally encounters intimidating and frightening people that want to know everything there is to know about Smoke, leaving Tally no choice but to break her promises and go after her friend. Tally arrives with every intention of going back to the city she came from and quickly realises life in the real world is hard work and you must earn everything you have.

However, once Tally finds out the real meaning of being pretty means that you sacrifice your own right of thought, she quickly reconsiders. She tries to stay but the people that sent her there won’t have it that way. She discovers that these people after her aren’t only trying to capture all the campers but want to control them. Instead of trying to save the camp something goes horribly wrong. Tally is convinced that it isn’t her fault but no matter which way you look at it, it is. Her best friend knows about her betrayal and Tally is left with no choice but to try to fix her mistakes, leaving you questioning are you in control, and who is the controller? Is it you?

Antoinette U., Year 8