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50th out of 217 books
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Specials (Uglies #3)
Special Circumstances
Tally though they were a rumor, but now she's one of the them. A Special. A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.
But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn't better than anything she's ever known. Tally still has memories of something else.
But it's easy for her to tune that out—u...more
Tally though they were a rumor, but now she's one of the them. A Special. A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.
But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn't better than anything she's ever known. Tally still has memories of something else.
But it's easy for her to tune that out—u...more
Paperback, 372 pages
Published
September 11th 2007
by Simon Pulse
(first published May 9th 2006)
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So I didn't like Tally as much in this book. Her personality has been altered by the "special" surgery, so she looks down on anyone who isn't "special" themselves. Part of the plot line is that she is supposed to overcome this, but I didn't feel she completely did.
Other things that marred my enjoyment of this story...
I hated the cutting aspect. Several times they talk about cutting, and how "Icy" it makes them feel. Eventually Tally quit, but...more
Other things that marred my enjoyment of this story...
I hated the cutting aspect. Several times they talk about cutting, and how "Icy" it makes them feel. Eventually Tally quit, but...more
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This disappointed me so much. I really loved Uglies and there was a lot to admire about Pretties, but I found this to be a highly unsatisfactory conclusion. I’m still trying to figure out why it so completely failed to work for me. I think mostly it’s a case of character development: Tally goes through a lot of mental and emotional changes in these books, which makes sense, because her brain is being fucked with. In the first two books, Westerfeld took the time to explore these transitions, an...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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One thing I've noticed about Westerfeld's novels is how bittersweet the endings are. Although there is still a rainbow (or fireworks) to brighten the blow, there is still death, failure, destruction. Westerfeld knows life will never have a happy ending, just a bittersweet one.
Specials is no exception. Although the novel starts off slow, it quickly builds up speed, carrying you along Tally's final journey. She's now a Cutter, a Special Circumstances pet project. Cutters are stronger -...more
Specials is no exception. Although the novel starts off slow, it quickly builds up speed, carrying you along Tally's final journey. She's now a Cutter, a Special Circumstances pet project. Cutters are stronger -...more
Note: I am considering this book the finale of a trilogy, because Extras was an un-planned addition.
It is finally time for me to deal with Specials, the final book in the trilogy that began with
Uglies.
I have put off this review for a couple of days, because I honestly dont know how I feel about this one.
I think the main problem for me, is the fact that Specials is the conclussion to a trilogy, yet it certainly did not seem that way when I was reading it. Allow me ...more
It is finally time for me to deal with Specials, the final book in the trilogy that began with
Uglies.
I have put off this review for a couple of days, because I honestly dont know how I feel about this one.
I think the main problem for me, is the fact that Specials is the conclussion to a trilogy, yet it certainly did not seem that way when I was reading it. Allow me ...more
COUNT AS TWO BOOKS! Tally has been transformed into a strong, mean person like the specials she saw when she was an ugly and pretty.Everything is perfect, Shay and Tally are friends, the privileges of being a special type of special (a cutter), and she can have any crazy surgery she wants.When she helps Special Circumstances bring the Smoke down, her life as a pretty and ugly clash with her current life, making her decide if she should follow orders or fight for the places and people that bring...more
I have ambivalent feelings about this book. It's fatally flawed in my opinion, both in tone and content.
The tone is adolescent hyper-drama.... which is okay I suppose since it's written for a teen audience. But, as an example of literature, it falls flat and since my interest in YA lit is exclusively how it might be used in the classroom or whether I can suggest the book for outside reading, I have to say, it's a problem. Soaking in a gossipy, soap opera loop of teenage angst and a...more
The tone is adolescent hyper-drama.... which is okay I suppose since it's written for a teen audience. But, as an example of literature, it falls flat and since my interest in YA lit is exclusively how it might be used in the classroom or whether I can suggest the book for outside reading, I have to say, it's a problem. Soaking in a gossipy, soap opera loop of teenage angst and a...more
this series of books caught my interest when i read a review by another goodreads member who seemed to have tastes similar to my own. so i was a little surprised when i realized it was young adult fiction but seeing as i am always looking for what may be the next great dystopian work i decided to give it a go.
for the record i started out with the first in the series, uglies, but a week or so later i had torn thru the first three which seem to be the trilogy. there is another in ...more
for the record i started out with the first in the series, uglies, but a week or so later i had torn thru the first three which seem to be the trilogy. there is another in ...more
What happened? It wasn't the greatest series I'd ever read but c'mon! Did they give him time? It was worse the the third movie sequel that shouldn't have had a second. Where do I begin with this train wreck? There wasn't one storyline that was wrapped up. The plot was thrown together so hastily and it left more holes (and was as deep as) an 80's John Hughes film. The ONE character I thought was interesting barely featured and fizzled out pathetically... so much potential! Also, the endin...more
I have only commented on Goodreads on a couple of books I've read, but this one really bothered me. (I still liked it enough to not stop reading, hence the three stars.) By the time I finished all three, I felt I had been lectured to and virtually yelled at about how awful a people we currently are and how horrifying our lifestyle is. Even though I am more than twice the age of the target audience (:-), I think the target audience is well equipped to understand a more nuanced approach to the o...more
Oh Scott! I am so so proud of you! Only 2 'purchases' in the whole book! Such an improvement: like you can think for yourself, like youre curing yourself of bogus making writing! Bravo.
Ok, as far as the series is concerned, this is where I'm abandoning ship. I held on this long in hope that somehow you would bring me around and show me how to like Tally, but it kind of went the opposite direction, you know?
Anyway, I'm stopping here because youve given me no reason to continu...more
Ok, as far as the series is concerned, this is where I'm abandoning ship. I held on this long in hope that somehow you would bring me around and show me how to like Tally, but it kind of went the opposite direction, you know?
Anyway, I'm stopping here because youve given me no reason to continu...more
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Original/full review here: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2009/05...
Review
Scott Westerfeld concludes his remarkable trilogy with his final installment, Specials. (Yes, I said TRILOGY. In my opinion, Extras was merely an after thought.) With Tally now a Special, she has even more power to change the course of events in her life and in the world. And she does.
Specials was even better than its two predecessors, Uglies and Pretties, though they too, were great. Westerf...more
Review
Scott Westerfeld concludes his remarkable trilogy with his final installment, Specials. (Yes, I said TRILOGY. In my opinion, Extras was merely an after thought.) With Tally now a Special, she has even more power to change the course of events in her life and in the world. And she does.
Specials was even better than its two predecessors, Uglies and Pretties, though they too, were great. Westerf...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Even though I have The Host waiting for me, I just really had to find out what happened to Tally, Shay, David, and especially Zane. This book was a good conclusion to The Uglies Trilogy, but it didn't have the same magic Pretties held for me. What I really liked about the trilogy is that Tally is very different in every book, and I think Westerfeld handled those changes very convincingly. However, that's also what I didn't really like about Special. Tally was so changed in Specials, and I re...more
Tally...WHY? I have to check out alternative ending now. I still have one more book to go but I really like this series. It's like right on the edge of gettting 5 stars. You know me I need romance dam it! And there is not to much but I found myself addicted to Tally's story. The message in these books are fantastic and the non stop action made my heart race. I keep chatting GOGOGOGOGOGO when Tally was in a tight spot. Aaahh it was exhausting..lol I want more of Tally but it seems like this is t...more
Sami
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
10+
Recommended to Sami by:
6th grade teacher and friends
Shelves:
uglies-trilogy,
all-time-favorites♥
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Tawny Gause
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who don't get too attached to characters and their relationships:)
Recommended to Tawny by:
Arianne...she knows i hate bad endings
Um, I am very sad to say that this book really didn't leave me as fullfilled as the last two. Not even close. I was so excited for everything to be resolved, and it just didn't happen very nicely. The whole book was great, very exciting and fun, then the ending came, one tiny aspect of the ending, and ruined everything!! And by tiny aspect, I really mean HUGE aspect. I hated that ending! Endings are very important to me, they can ruin a book for me, which is what happened here. So, though I wan...more
I'm so.... confused. Overall, I guess I could say I liked this book, but it made me wonder again, "What's the big deal? Why are so many people seemingly obsessed with these books?" I can't quite fathom it. It was good, I guess. The main character still bugs me. Any endearing qualities she seemed to show in the second book were wiped away in this one, and I don't think it was just because of her newest operation. This book was sad... I read it all for one character who never play...more
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This was really more of 3.5 stars.
This is the 3rd book in the Uglies trilogy and while it was a good book it did not grab me as much as Uglies did. In a way it was sort of a repeat of Pretties taken up to another level. Tally once again has been transformed without her consent and has to “rewire” herself to remember who she really is. There is continued tension between she and Shay which I was really hoping would get resolved in a happy way. I would have liked to see more interaction b...more
This is the 3rd book in the Uglies trilogy and while it was a good book it did not grab me as much as Uglies did. In a way it was sort of a repeat of Pretties taken up to another level. Tally once again has been transformed without her consent and has to “rewire” herself to remember who she really is. There is continued tension between she and Shay which I was really hoping would get resolved in a happy way. I would have liked to see more interaction b...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Tally is a finally a Special. The highest level of recruitment. Tally and her forces try to keep the pretties stupid, and the uglies out of trouble. Until Tally gets a mision that changes her life forever. That is to tear down the Smoke, which is a group of runaways, trying to make people free, instead of thinking about only looks and not the real people inside themselves. But, Tally isn't expecting what's coming. Because instead of the Smoke being an array of tents and camping. It is the whole ...more
Oh goodness, I really should have read this book back in the day when I read the first two in the series. I loved those two books, but the shine is definitely off the apple with this one. Maybe it is because in the intervening years, I have read some remarkable young adult dystopian / science fiction novels and this one is showing its age.
Originally published in 2006, the third book in the Uglies trilogy (which I have come to find out that there is a 4th book in the trilogy) has Tall...more
Originally published in 2006, the third book in the Uglies trilogy (which I have come to find out that there is a 4th book in the trilogy) has Tall...more
At least this book had a much better cover than the previous two, but that's all it has going for it my opinion.
It's another wild ride for Tally Youngblood as she navigates the dangerous world of a new brand of Specials called Cutters. What I don't understand is, if Shay became a Special to become more "bubbly" (or ïcy", as it's now called), why did they still need to cut? And I used to think Tally would be my personal tour guide into all aspects life in her society, ...more
It's another wild ride for Tally Youngblood as she navigates the dangerous world of a new brand of Specials called Cutters. What I don't understand is, if Shay became a Special to become more "bubbly" (or ïcy", as it's now called), why did they still need to cut? And I used to think Tally would be my personal tour guide into all aspects life in her society, ...more
I listened to the audio book for this one, also. I enjoyed reading about the adventures that Tally and Shay had while members of Special Circumstances. I admit that I cringed every time that Tally called Shay "Boss", even though she was the one responsible for making Tally "Special". I just feel that Tally is too independent of a character to be calling anyone "boss". And throughout the whole series their friendship goes through many ups and downs, which is really b...more
WARNING...Spoilers ahead...
Let me begin with what I loved about the series- they were many very exciting books and I couldn't put them down! I was reading all day and night until I finished them.
In Specials, Tally is a very difficult character to deal with. Sometimes many of her views become annoying, and you are left wishing that she felt a different way. In addition, Shay's character is very complex, and it left me thinking if she was really a good friend or not. Sometimes...more
Let me begin with what I loved about the series- they were many very exciting books and I couldn't put them down! I was reading all day and night until I finished them.
In Specials, Tally is a very difficult character to deal with. Sometimes many of her views become annoying, and you are left wishing that she felt a different way. In addition, Shay's character is very complex, and it left me thinking if she was really a good friend or not. Sometimes...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Pinky
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
My classmates or to anyone who loves The Third book In The Uglies siries!!!
Recommended to Pinky by:
The Library
Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
This book is about a girl who joined this special group to go to this party to destroy it. Her group and her are dressing ups as uglies so that the people at the party wouldn't recognize them. the party is at the park and all the kids from her school would be there. when they arrive at the party everybody is looking at them and Tally started feeling as if she was going to faint.
I would like to have Tally as a friend, because ...more
Author: Scott Westerfeld
This book is about a girl who joined this special group to go to this party to destroy it. Her group and her are dressing ups as uglies so that the people at the party wouldn't recognize them. the party is at the park and all the kids from her school would be there. when they arrive at the party everybody is looking at them and Tally started feeling as if she was going to faint.
I would like to have Tally as a friend, because ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is anyone disopionted about the ending like me??? | 21 | 93 | 19 hours, 33 min ago | |
| Zane or David? | 84 | 158 | Jan 31, 2012 04:09pm | |
| For people who've read all three | 37 | 220 | Nov 18, 2011 06:26am | |
| Should I? | 33 | 122 | Nov 18, 2011 06:25am | |
| Would you rather be a stunning pretty or a breath taking special? | 23 | 106 | Nov 01, 2011 02:52pm | |
| Mrs. Fabsik's 6th...: Finished Specials | 6 | 2 | Oct 18, 2011 04:40pm | |
| College Students! : Specials | 4 | 7 | Oct 17, 2011 08:47am |
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Scott Westerfeld is a New York Times bestselling American-born author of YA sci-fi literature. He was born in the Texas and now lives in Sydney and New York City. In 2001, Westerfeld married fellow author Justine Larbalestier.
His book Evolution's Darling was a New York Times Notable Book, and won a Special Citation for the 2000 Philip K. Dick Award. So Yesterday won a Victorian Premier's Awa...more
More about Scott Westerfeld...
His book Evolution's Darling was a New York Times Notable Book, and won a Special Citation for the 2000 Philip K. Dick Award. So Yesterday won a Victorian Premier's Awa...more
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“I don't want to hurt you but I will if I have too - Tally Youngblood”
—
249 people liked it
“ I love you all. But it's time to say good-bye, for now.
be careful with the world, or the next time we meet, it might get ugly.
-Tally Youngblood”
—
243 people liked it
More quotes…
be careful with the world, or the next time we meet, it might get ugly.
-Tally Youngblood”
