Book Review: Specials

Specials by Scott Westerfeld (*NEW!*)

SUMMARY: "Special Circumstances": The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then 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. (adapted from the back cover)

OPINION: If you are a fan of Uglies and Pretties, you will definitely want to read this conclusion to the trilogy. And if you haven't read them, start reading now! Even though Westerfeld tries to clue you in with some background at the beginning of Specials, you will be lost. That said, as a fan of the series, I wish he'd spent less time explaining things at the start of the book and more time getting to the actual plot. But once things started to happen, I couldn't put the book down. It is just as full of danger, intrigue, and passion as the first two books, and it will keep you guessing until the very end. You can't predict what will happen to Tally, so enjoy the ride!