Common Sense Media Review
By Li Lai
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
First book in popular dystopian series tackles materialism.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Based on 133 kid reviews
Kids say that the book is a mix of adventure and friendship in a dystopian setting, but opinions are divided; while some readers loved the engaging plot and character exploration, others criticized its pacing, character development, and rushed ending, with many feeling particularly frustrated with the main character Tally's choices and behavior. Despite the mixed reviews, several readers praise its thought-provoking themes around beauty and self-identity, making it appealing to those who enjoy the genre.
- friendship and adventure
- character development
- mixed reviews
- thought-provoking themes
- pacing issues
- rushed ending
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In UGLIES, 15-year-old Tally Youngblood can't wait to turn "pretty," an operation that every teen in this dystopian future automatically gets at the age of 16. But when she meets Shay, a teen who wants to stay "ugly" and who runs away to join a secret group of "uglies" living outside of city bounds, Tally has much to confront about the ideas of beauty and identity. She'll have to decide whether or not turning "pretty," and spending her adulthood following the same path as everyone else, is truly right for her.
Is It Any Good?
With simple language that makes it possible for preteens to enjoy, this action-packed novel is exciting enough for older readers, too. Uglies centers around reluctant hero Tally Youngblood. She's not as decisive or as fierce as many of her young adult sci-fi peers—less heroic than The Hunger Games' Katniss, with fewer natural-born abilities than Divergent's Beatrice. But Tally's flaws (and general ambivalence about "right" and "wrong") might be what makes her such an interesting character. She eventually learns to take the harder path in order to do what's best for society, but for much of the book, you might be groaning over Tally's slow journey to understanding what readers already know: that being "pretty" and following the crowd isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how cosmetic surgery is treated in Uglies. The book's citizens are taught that natural-born differences cause jealousy and conflict, so making everyone equally "pretty," with equal access to the same resources, is the ideal solution for lasting peace. In what ways do you agree, or disagree?
Do you consider Tally a strong role model? What about Shay or David? Why, or why not?
Would you rather live in the Smoke as an "ugly," or in New Pretty Town as a post-operation "pretty"? What are the pros and cons of both livelihoods?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Activism , Friendship , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : June 26, 2006
- Number of pages : 425
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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