katekintailbc | Specials by Scott Westerfeld (Reply)

Specials
by Scott Westerfeld
(Audio)

Boy, Tally and Shay are ANNOYING as Specials! There's nothing like taking a character you like and making her so that she thinks she's superior to everyone to make you start disliking a character. I remember tweeting my friend, Grace, and asking if they Special!Tally ever gets less annoying throughout the book and she replied that, no, she doesn't and to just enjoy the fun Tally & Shay bonding. So I relaxed and did so. I still didn't like her mentality or actions, but I don't hold it against her. Becoming a special messes with your head.

It was interesting to see what had become of the Smoke, and to see the city of Diego. And it was great to see Andew Simpson Smith again, now with a new and important role. It's great to see how a civilization can adapt and grow and live on, even when there are groups like the Specials trying to prevent change.

But, Tally and her friends are still able to stick it to Dr. Cable and Special Circumstances and free the whole world from the pretty-making lesions the operation puts on their heads. In fact, Dr. Cable is even scarier and less moral than she seems in the first few books (we find out things we can't forgive her for) so the revenge is especially sweet for that reason.

The end of the book finds Tally to be a strong, resillent character, and one who isn't sure exactly where she fits in. And, in the end, she and David are in place to watch over the world and ALL its civilizations, keeping them all in check as needed. It's not an entirely satisfying ending, because she and David are almost strangers again. But at least Dr. Cable can't do any more harm. And there's still one more book to read... even though it's more of a side note than the fourth in a series.