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Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Gazi Kitabevi
I’ve only seen one episode of The Twilight Zone. In this episode, a woman undergoes a battery of surgeries to look normal. At the end of the episode, viewers learn that this latest surgery has failed: the woman is still hideous. Except that to the audience she is beautiful. Online research led me to another episode where teenagers are surgically altered to live longer and conform to a unified standard of beauty (based on a limited number of acceptable “models”). “Uglies,” Scott Westerfeld’s dystopic novel, plays similar games of perception. The novel starts with Tally Youngblood a fifteen-year-old girl desperately waiting for her sixteenth birthday when she will be reunited with her best friend and, more importantly, when she will finally be pretty. “Uglies” is set in the distant future after a mysterious global catastrophe precipitated changes to the foundations of what readers would call modern society. Fearful of war and violence cities now operate as independent states (think Renaissance Italy as opposed to contemporary Italy). Isolated and self-sufficient, the cities have agreed to certain standards for the greater good. New technology ensures that citizens never want for food or luxury items, weapons of any kind are largely illegal, and at the age of sixteen everyone undergoes a series of extreme surgeries to better conform to societal standards of beauty. The logic being that, since humans are preconditioned to respond to certain visual cues in each other already (big eyes are non-threatening, a clear complexion and good teeth indicate that a person is healthy), applying these beauty standards will reduce conflict and create a more harmonious society. But in a world where everyone is movie-star-gorgeous (oldies like Rudolph Valentino and Greta Garbo are considered “natural pretties”), normal people are so not pretty. In short, they’re ugly. Things change for Tally when she meets Shay, another Ugly girl, who wants to run away before the operation to a place called The Smoke where people can live like “Rusties” (that would be us basically) in the wilderness without any surgery. As the novel progresses, and Special Circumstances (a government agency) coerces Tally into finding The Smoke for them, Tally is forced to choose what means more: friendship or beauty? As the plot might suggest, this is a science fiction novel. Just to be clear, the real difference between sci-fi and fantasy is that the technology in science fiction novels could conceivably work if someone ever built it (dragons, most likely, are never going to be genetically engineered so they’re a good indicator of a fantasy novel). At times this leads to more explanation of, say, hoverboard mechanics in the novel than is strictly necessary to the plot but the rest of the book makes up for this small shortcoming. What makes "Uglies" great, besides how it looks at cultural values, is Westerfeld’s use of language. The novel is not pretentious or brash. Instead, Westerfeld creates a narrative voice that is really unique—especially for a sweeping sci-fi saga like the Uglies trilogy. The novel opens with Tally observing that “The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit.” That is not, it is fair to say, a typical opening for any novel. Yet Westerfeld moves from that observation seamlessly into the story. This book is the first in the Uglies trilogy (followed by “Pretties” and “Specials”) which focuses on Tally and her city. The scope of each book can largely stand alone, but to get the full story it’s best to read the entire trilogy. Additionally, Westerfeld released a companion book to the trilogy last year called “Extras” which is set a few years after the trilogy with different main characters. “Uglies” is simultaneously funny and frightening, showing how overvalued beauty can be while illustrating how Tally’s world has been conditioned to believe there’s no other way to live. The sections where Westerfeld describes the Rusty Ruins and the end of that era are particularly haunting (and eerily reminiscent of the History Channel’s recent documentary “Life After People”). Sci-fi book discussions often bring up a writer’s “world building” in reference to how well a writer creates their alternate universe. Westerfeld’s world is built really well. The cities have their own culture, the characters their own slang, but Westerfeld manages to bring in enough references to our own contemporary culture that it’s easy for readers to believe Tally’s world is built on the ruins of our own.
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Pyramid International
Beautiful. Suzanne Collins captures the essence of survival ad the need for people to stand beside you. The book reveals the mistakes of humanity and the growth from it only to repeat history. It was a perfect ending.
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Analiz Yayınları
This book is fantastic! I love the entire series!
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Seçkin Yayıncılık
Again, this was a fun series to read. This book was really interesting but not quite as philosophical as The Long Walk.
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: St. Clements University
One of the best ever. A must read!
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Altın Kitaplar - Çocuk Kitapları
This YA book was pretty exciting. I enjoyed the main character because she was willing to take chances and step outside of her comfort zone. At the same time she knew that she didn't really belong in the classification she'd been raised in so she felt compelled to make a change of some sort. Every year after children have reached 16 they are tested to see what branch of society they are best suited for - one that serves others completely, dedicates themselves to learning, is always truthful, is fearless or is dedicated to peace. Tris finds that she is divergent or contains some of several of these which is very unusual. Then it turns out that leaders of several groups want to overthrow the government and change how things are run. Tris and a young man from Dauntless, the fearless group she joins, must work to keep the worst from happening. I'm looking forward to book 2.
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Yabancı Yayınları
I've read this trilogy atleast 3 to 5 times now. Awesome character development and descriptions for fight scenes, and has some heavy duty philosophical questions as well to ask yourself once you take a look at the main character Drizzt. I will say this is my favorite series of books to read. If I were to be stranded on a island I would want this book with me. A must read for fantasy lovers
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Yamaha
Short review: This is a coming of age novel originally written in 1951. I appreciate that it is a book that is really about growing up and finding that you might not be the most important person in the world. Too many recent coming of age novels are about sex. This is not one of those books. There is a hint of romance in the book (discovering romantic love is part of growing up) but it is a means of exploring growing up and not the central theme. The book has some rough themes so be warned, alcoholism, suicide, war (or the results of war), affairs and divorce are all talked about frankly, but not luridly. Reading level is probably advanced middle school or early high school, but the themes seem a bit older than that. My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/camilla/
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Pegasus Yayınları
Again, I found the movie ascinating and said one day I will resd the book. That day came, and I was glad I did. This book took me longer to read than I expected. His writing is a little wonky, not very linear for a story teller, but as I let go of that struggle and went with the words, I found it very enjoyable.
Tarafından yazılmış kitap Tarafından: Altın Kitaplar
Very well-written autobiography. Mia Farrow has led an interesting life and made some surprising choices. I recommend the book.
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