BOOK REVIEW - SPECIALS by SCOTT WESTERFELD - UGLIES #3

By : Scott Westerfeld
Published By : SIMON PULSE
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 372 Pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS


Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

"Special Circumstances":



The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.


And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.


The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.


Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.


BOOK REVIEW:


I really enjoyed this book the third in the four book series. Scott Westerfeld was supposed to stop at his trilogy and then wrote another book titled , 'Extra's'.

Shay , Zane, Tally, David , Andrew Simpson Smith and Dr Cable are some of the characters back in 'Specials'.

This book starts off with action and finishes with action. Souped up Hoverboards , Smokeys, Cutters,  Special Circumstances, Pretties, it's all here.

Tally's character just keeps evolving.  Shay,  I just love as you want to hate her but I can't bring myself to. Tally still has that sometimes annoying character where she keeps stuffing up with everybody around her but eventually does the right thing.  I have to feel sorry for Tally because her life has become forced upon her and she must try and  find her way back.  Scott makes you feel these 2 characters very well. Shay and her love/hate relationship with Tally. I would have liked to read more of David as I enjoyed his character. Andrew Simpson Smith has always had me wondering about his name, I am intrigued how this guy had a name like that in this book , yet by now we know he is one of the experimental villagers. His character name is quite out of left wing, or am I missing something? I don't thing I understood totally Andrew's reason for being more educated and well not so savage as the villagers. I felt so sad when one of my fave characters was killed off , I personally saw such potential in keeping the character, but Scott did what he felt he had to do, you will feel the loss.


In 'Specials' all is not what it seems, times are a changing, people are a changing and you don't see some things coming until POW!! they hit you.  Is their world coming full circle?


Scott Westerfeld has a wonderful imagination, melding environmental , political and social issues all into a great YA series. It does kinda make you stop and think!

Michelle