subject: Book Review For Specials [print this page] If you're looking for a futuristic trilogy that will leave you with that satisfied feeling of sharing in something greater, Specials, the third in the Uglies trilogy, is the book for you. In Specials, Scott Westerfeld pulls out all the stops. If you like the unpredictable, unknown, and unthinkable, Specials won't disappoint you.
Once the readers think they've finally figured out Westerfeld and his crazy plot twists, he throws a curve ball. In the second book, Pretties, the heroine Tally Youngblood has turned into her enemy, a "Pretty", or a human that's undergone extreme cosmetic surgery to become perfect. Throughout the book, Tally slowly accepts her new way of life while at the same time fighting it. Since she is pretty herself, her new enemies are become the "Specials", or the ones controlling everything that takes place in the pretty cities. In Specials, the unthinkable happens. Tally is kidnapped and turned into her new enemy, a special.
Just like the second book, in Specials Tally is changed. She sees things differently. Now, she sees pretties as stupid, brainless people that only care about frivolous activities and games. She is smarter, her senses are sharper, and her body is reinforced and strengthened to inhuman-like proportions. Unlike many books out there today, Tally is constantly growing and developing new views like a real human.
At the end of Specials, the reader is left with a feeling of wonder. The way everything ties together, the way Tally must struggle against her internal programming, and most importantly, the way she views others, is changed. This book shows humanity through three different sets of eyes and yet the same person. Specials reveals things about humanity that seem too deep for a mere novel, all the while keeping the reader engaged and hungrily turning the pages for more.
As the trilogy is brought to a close, Westerfeld pulls unlikely friends together, turns the tables on the readers, and shows that hope is always present in humanity. So find your reading glasses, get comfortable, and start reading Specials. Now the only thing you need to complete your reading experience is a safe home environment. One of the best ways to do this is through a home security system.
