BOOK REVIEW - EXTRAS - UGLIES #4 by SCOTT WESTERFELD - YA DYSTOPIAN

By : Scott Westerfeld
Published By: Simon Pulse
Released : Available Now
Details : Hardback from library , 417 Pages

RATING 3 STARS

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.


As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But that's just until she gets to kick a good story for herself.


Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for.

BOOK REVIEW:

I really enjoyed the' Uglies, Pretties, Specials'. They all were a continuing story that grew. Tally grew, the other characters grew. I liked Extras but..hmmm...Scott Westerfeld was originally stopping at the trilogy and then added 'Extras'. I personally found the story readable and I liked it enough to finish it , but, I have to wonder if it should have stopped at the trilogy. This is my first book series where I have gone..hmmm...why did the author keep going??!!


Aya and her brother Hiro are kickers. This book although has the environmental morals woven through it, is a book about fame and face rank and kicking a story to upped your rank which eventually leads to something they never dreamed. Past characters do come back into play 2/3rds way through book. I just felt that Aya's story was just not enough to be classified as part of the series, the 4th book. I could quite easily see Uglies, Pretties, Specials as the Trilogy, end of the series. Especially the way Specials ended. I don't like feeling not altogether satisfied with a series. Again just personal opinion. I did get a couple little surprises throughout the book , but was it enough. I personally don't think so, sorry to have to write. It seemed almost a separate book.

Michelle