YA Sci-Fi • Dystopian • Adventure
Summary
If you enjoyed the first two books in Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, Specials is a gripping and intense continuation that shifts the tone of the saga in bold new ways. This installment explores power, authority, and the consequences of physical and psychological transformation.
The story follows Tally Youngblood as she undergoes her most dramatic change yet. Recruited by Dr. Cable, she undergoes a procedure to turn her into a member of the Special Circumstances task force. With razor-sharp features, enhanced abilities, and a mind engineered for precision and obedience, Tally becomes part of a unit designed to enforce order and annihilate rebellion.
Former friends become enemies, and loyalties blur. The girl who found herself drawn to the Smoke now finds herself hunting down the very people who helped her discover her identity.
Impact and Theme
Tally’s character development is phenomenal. Maturity, strength, and resilience double over after everything she has endured, and the author has created such an impeccable ride from Uglies to Pretties to Specials that feels deeply authentic to that of a traumatized teenage girl undergone extreme change.
Like the previous two novels, Specials is laced with themes of power and corruption, the loose threads of identity, conformity, loyalty, and freedom in ways that are unique to the series. The tone is darker than the previous books, but it’s also more introspective. Tally’s internal battles mirror the external chaos, and the result is a story that is thrilling and emotionally layered. This series ends on a high note, even if parts of it left me emotionally wrecked.
My one gripe was the lack of romance despite the overwhelming tension from previous adaptations. I needed to see Tally reignite her former flames, to reclaim the pieces of herself that felt lost in the fog of transformation. That is not to say this novel lacks that eventual reconnection, however, I did anticipate a much greater romantic payoff. I will warn you that this book brought me to tears, but that’s part of what made this book so powerful.
Final Thoughts
I have to say it: Netflix did not do this story justice with the Uglies movie. The books offer so much more depth, nuance, and emotional weight that left the movie astonishingly lacking.
As a side note, I’m genuinely bummed that the fourth novel doesn’t follow the same cast of characters. Still, I’ll be reading it, because Westerfeld’s world is too fascinating to walk away from. Stay tuned for my final review in this thrilling sci-fi saga.
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