Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

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Pretties
by Scott Westerfeld
(Audio)

When we leave Uglies, it's with the plan that Tally will undergo the pretty-making operation and let David's parents try the cure on her. But when we open on Pretties, it takes a while to figure out what happened to that plan: Tally turned pretty and forgot about it! Instead, she's in New Pretty Town with Shay and Peris and their friends, the Crims. Zane is the head of the Crims and he and Tally start spending more time with each other, outside amazing pretty-making parties. Soon, they start to realize they're able to think better when they do a really great trick that gets their heartrates up.

When a reminder of her life in the Smoke shows up, and she's given pills to take, Tally doesn't realize what she should do. So she and Zane each take a pill and they seem to start getting better. And the Crims, seeing them change, start wanting the same. They even get special tatts to show when they're getting an adrenaline rush. So they stage extravagent tricks... including an escape from New Pretty Town. Now, I must admit it took me some time to really start liking Tally when she's pretty. But I really liked the Crims and fell in love with Zane. In fact, I loved him so much it made me sad because I liked David so much by the end of the book. Once I got into the pretty world and pretty speak, I must admit I loved it. In fact, the easy way the reader is thrown into the culture and vocabulary is such a joy.

There's another group, however, that tries to get the adrenaline rush by cutting (i.e. they are the Cutters). Shay is part of that group and there's some tension building as to who knows what, who thinks what, and how far each person is willing to go. Peris, for example, isn't willing to give up his life as a pretty--and while I was sad about that, I like that Tally allows him to make that choice. And when Tally gets back to what used to be the Smoke, she's faced with some tough choices of her own.

It was great meeting some pre-Rusty tribe members to help us make their world fuller and more understandable. Andrew Simpson Smith is a great character. And Zane, well, I loved the guy. But it was also fantastic to see the characters I loved from the first book back again.

I definitely didn't love this one as much as the first book... the weight of certain parts is off and there are some great moments but not a while lot of action. But I found it fascinating and a great sequel. I certainly loved the characters and finding out what happens to them. And what happens to Zane literally breaks my heart!

The fairy tale that goes through the story is easy to understand, metaphorically, though the very end shocked me!