Summary
Pretties is the second installment in Scott Westerfeld's acclaimed Uglies trilogy, published in 2005. This young adult dystopian novel continues the story of Tally Youngblood, now transformed into a “Pretty” in a world where extreme cosmetic surgery is mandatory at age 16. Set in a high-tech paradise where the newly turned Pretties lead carefree lives, the novel delves deeper into the darker aspects of this seemingly perfect world and the price of conformity. Westerfeld's vivid world-building and thought-provoking narrative have cemented Pretties and its Uglies companion volumes as a staple in the YA dystopian genre, alongside series like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Plot
In Pretties, the second installment in the Uglies trilogy, the formerly “ugly” Tally Youngblood has undergone the operation to become Pretty. She's now living a carefree life in New Pretty Town, where her only concern is having fun. However, her past comes back to haunt her when Croy, a former Smokey, appears at a party and leaves her a mysterious note.
Tally and her new boyfriend Zane, leader of the Crims clique, embark on a dangerous mission to retrieve the note. They discover it contains two pills meant to cure the brain lesions that keep Pretties in a perpetual state of vapid happiness. Tally and Zane each take one pill, but this decision leads to unexpected consequences. Zane begins suffering from severe headaches, while Tally's mind slowly clears.
As tensions rise in New Pretty Town, Tally and Zane plan their escape to the New Smoke, a rebel encampment. Their journey is fraught with peril, including a crash-landing that separates Tally from the group. She finds herself in a primitive village where she's revered as a goddess due to her Pretty appearance. Eventually, she escapes and reunites with David, her love interest from the first book, who takes her to the New Smoke.
At the New Smoke, Tally learns the truth about the pills and the devastating effect they've had on Zane's brain. She's faced with a difficult choice—stay with Zane or escape with David. Choosing to remain with Zane, Tally is captured by Special Circumstances. Pretties ends with the revelation that her former friend Shay has been turned into a Special, leaving Tally's fate uncertain.
Themes
The impact of beauty standards on society
The struggle for individuality in a conformist world
The power of friendship and loyalty
The consequences of technological advancement
The conflict between personal freedom and social control
The journey of self-discovery and identity
The ethics of human enhancement and manipulation
Setting
Pretties is set in a distant future dystopian world, where humanity has recovered from an ecological disaster caused by the excesses of our current “Rusty” civilization. The story takes place several centuries after this collapse, in a high-tech society that has developed advanced medical procedures and nanotechnology.
The main setting is an unnamed city, one of many similar urban centers scattered across the rehabilitated landscape. These cities are carefully controlled environments, separated from the wilderness beyond by invisible force fields. Within the city, there are distinct areas for different age groups—Uglyville for pre-teens, New Pretty Town for the freshly cosmetically transformed 16-year-olds, and various districts for older adults.
Characters
Tally Youngblood: The protagonist. Turned Pretty at the start of the book, Tally struggles with her newfound attractiveness and the cognitive changes that come with it. She tries to balance her carefree life in New Pretty Town with memories and promises from her Ugly past. Tally’s journey involves rediscovering her true self and fighting against the city's control.
Zane: The charismatic leader of the Crims clique and Tally's love interest. He shares Tally's desire to break free from the Pretty mindset and takes risks to achieve this goal. Zane suffers severe consequences for a bold action and becomes increasingly unstable.
Shay: Tally's former friend turned rival in Pretty society. Shay leads a group called the Cutters and eventually becomes a Special. Her transformation and her complex relationship with Tally are central to the plot's development.
David: A character from Uglies, the first book in the trilogy, who reappears near the end of Pretties. David represents Tally's connection to her past and the world outside the city. His arrival complicates Tally's feelings and loyalties.
Peris: Tally's childhood friend who becomes a Pretty before her. He serves as a reminder of Tally's past and helps her during key moments, though he ultimately chooses to remain in the city.
Dr. Cable: The head of Special Circumstances who continues to manipulate events from behind the scenes. She offers Tally a position as a Special, adding to the protagonist's internal conflict.
Andrew Simpson Smith: A member of a primitive village Tally encounters during her journey. He helps Tally navigate the reservation and provides insights into the city's experiments with human nature.
Croy: A former Smokie who contacts Tally at the beginning of the book. He sets in motion the events that lead to Tally rediscovering her past.
Quick facts
Pretties is the second book in Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series.
The main character, Tally Youngblood, was introduced in the first book, Uglies.
Pretties explores themes of conformity, free will, and the consequences of technological advancement.
Scott Westerfeld was inspired to write the Uglies series by a friend's offhand comment about plastic surgery.
The novel introduces the concept of “bubblehead” Pretties, whose cognitive abilities are impaired by the surgery.
Pretties spent over 50 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
The book's cover features a close-up of a person's eye, continuing the facial theme from the first book.
The Uglies trilogy was adapted into a Netflix film, starring Joey King as Tally Youngblood. Released in September 2024, the film received mostly negative reviews.
Westerfeld has written a companion series to the Uglies, set a few years after the trilogy's events, called the Impostors.
About the Author
Scott Westerfeld (1963-) is a prolific American author best known for his young adult novels. His writing often explores themes of free thinking, questioning authority, and coming of age, widely resonating with teenage readers. His most famous work, the Uglies, a dystopian trilogy exploring the toll of conforming to societal standards of beauty, has sold millions of copies worldwide and was adapted into a Netflix film. His Leviathan trilogy, a steampunk series offering an alternative history of World War I, has also gained significant popularity and is being adapted into an anime series.
A native of Dallas, Texas, Westerfeld has a background in philosophy and music composition. His novels have won many awards, including the Philip K. Dick (Special Citation), Indie Choice, and Locus, and have been named New York Times Notable and American Library Association Best Books of the Year. His work has also been recognized internationally, winning prestigious honors such as the Victorian Premier's Award in Australia and the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire in France.
Westerfeld is known for his engagement with fans and his collaborative projects. He has worked on graphic novels, such as the Spill Zone series, and co-authored the Zeroes trilogy with fellow writers Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti. Dividing his time between Sydney, Australia, and New York City, Westerfeld continues to be an influential voice in young adult literature, pushing boundaries and inspiring new generations of readers.
