Pretties | Scott Westerfeld | Cliff Note Books
“Pretties” is the second book in Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series. The novel follows Tally Youngblood, who has now undergone the Pretty surgery and lives in New Pretty Town. The story explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of societal conformity.
Summary:
After undergoing the Pretty surgery, Tally Youngblood has lost her memories of her time in the Smoke and her previous life as an Ugly. She is now part of New Pretty Town’s elite social circle, enjoying a life filled with parties and superficial pleasures. However, her past actions have not been forgotten, and the rebels from the Smoke are determined to find a way to restore her memories and enlist her help in their fight against the oppressive regime.
As Tally becomes increasingly absorbed in her new life, she befriends a group of Pretties known as the Crims, who seek excitement and challenge in a world of conformity. One night, she receives a mysterious package from her past that contains pills and a letter from her former self. The letter reveals the truth about the Pretty surgery’s effects on the brain and urges Tally to take the pills, which will reverse the mental alterations and restore her memories.
Initially hesitant, Tally eventually takes the pills and slowly begins to recall her time in the Smoke and her love for David. As her memories return, so does her desire to fight against the city’s oppressive regime. Alongside her new ally, Zane, who has also taken the pills, Tally sets out on a dangerous mission to free their friends and bring down the Special Circumstances.
As Tally and Zane’s journey unfolds, they face numerous challenges and obstacles, including betrayal from within their ranks and the ever-present threat of the Special Circumstances. The novel reaches a dramatic climax when Tally confronts Dr. Cable and learns the shocking truth about the city’s plans for its inhabitants.
“Pretties” delves deeper into the themes of identity, resistance, and the consequences of societal conformity. Tally’s journey in this novel serves as a poignant reminder of the power of individuality and the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
THEMES
- Identity and self-discovery: Tally’s journey in “Pretties” revolves around her struggle to regain her memories and rediscover her true self. The process of self-discovery is a recurring theme in the novel, as Tally grapples with the consequences of the Pretty surgery and strives to understand her identity and purpose.
- Conformity and resistance: The novel examines the tension between societal conformity and individual resistance. In a world where people are transformed into Pretties to fit a certain standard of beauty and behavior, Tally and her allies challenge these norms, seeking freedom and autonomy.
- Power and control: “Pretties” delves into the theme of power and control as it explores the mechanisms through which the city’s government maintains order and manipulates its citizens. The Special Circumstances and the Pretty surgery are examples of how the ruling class exercises power over the population.
- The nature of beauty: The novel raises questions about the concept of beauty and its role in society. By altering people’s appearances to fit a specific standard, the government essentially redefines what it means to be beautiful. The story invites readers to consider the implications of such a definition and the extent to which physical beauty should be valued.
- Friendship and loyalty: The importance of friendship and loyalty is a key theme in the novel, as Tally navigates her relationships with her new friends in New Pretty Town and her past connections with the Smoke. Her loyalty is tested as she balances her commitment to her friends with her desire to resist the oppressive regime.
- Technology and its consequences: “Pretties” examines the impact of technology on society and the environment. The advanced technology that enables the Pretty surgery also has the potential to be used for more sinister purposes, while the novel also addresses the environmental consequences of the Rusty civilization’s unsustainable technology.
These themes contribute to the richness of the narrative and provide a framework for understanding the motivations and actions of the characters in the novel.
QUOTES
- “What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”
- This quote highlights the novel’s theme of inner beauty and the importance of individuality.
- “In a world of extreme beauty, anyone normal is ugly.”
- This quote reflects the society’s obsession with physical appearance and the pressure to conform to an ideal standard of beauty.
- “Change isn’t always for the best.”
- This quote suggests that not all changes, such as the Pretty surgery, are necessarily beneficial, and it is crucial to consider the consequences of those changes.
- “We’re not freaks, Tally. We’re normal. We may not be gorgeous, but at least we’re not hyped-up Barbie dolls.”
- This quote emphasizes the importance of embracing one’s true self and resisting the superficial standards imposed by society.
- “Maybe they didn’t want you to realize that every civilization has its weakness. There’s always one thing we depend on. And if someone takes it away, all that’s left is some story in a history class.”
- This quote serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of societies and the potential consequences of relying too heavily on a single aspect of civilization, such as technology.
- “Freedom has a way of destroying things.”
- This quote highlights the paradox of freedom, suggesting that the pursuit of liberty can sometimes lead to chaos and destruction.
- “It’s not the scars that define us, but how we wear them.”
- This quote underlines the importance of resilience and the power of embracing one’s past experiences, regardless of their nature.
These quotes capture some of the novel’s themes and offer insight into the characters’ thoughts and perspectives.
Scott Westerfeld is an American author of young adult fiction, best known for his Uglies series. Born on May 5, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, Westerfeld later moved to Connecticut and attended Vassar College, where he studied English and Philosophy. After college, he briefly worked in the publishing industry as an editor and a ghostwriter before pursuing his passion for writing full-time.
Westerfeld’s writing career took off in the early 2000s, with the publication of his first novel, “Polymorph,” in 1997. He gained widespread recognition with the publication of the Uglies series, starting with “Uglies” in 2005, followed by “Pretties,” “Specials,” and “Extras.” The series has been well-received for its exploration of themes like beauty, identity, and societal control in a dystopian setting.
In addition to the Uglies series, Westerfeld has written numerous other novels and series, such as the Midnighters trilogy, the Leviathan trilogy, the Zeroes trilogy (co-authored with Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti), and standalone novels like “So Yesterday” and “Afterworlds.” His work often combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary issues to create thought-provoking narratives that resonate with young adult readers.
Throughout his career, Westerfeld has received several awards and honors for his work, including the Aurealis Award, the Victorian Premier’s Award, and the Philip K. Dick Special Citation. His books have been published in over 30 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Westerfeld currently resides in Sydney, Australia, and New York City.
CHARACTERS
- Tally Youngblood: The protagonist of the series, Tally has undergone the Pretty surgery and is now a part of the superficial world of New Pretty Town. Throughout the novel, she struggles to rediscover her true identity and regain her memories of her time in the Smoke.
- Zane: A charismatic and rebellious Pretty, Zane is the leader of the Crims, a group that seeks excitement and challenges in a world of conformity. He becomes Tally’s love interest and ally in their quest to find a cure for the Pretty surgery’s mental effects and resist the oppressive regime.
- Shay: Tally’s former best friend, Shay has also become a Pretty and is a member of the Crims. Her relationship with Tally is complicated by their shared history, and their friendship is tested throughout the novel.
- David: Tally’s love interest from the Smoke, David plays a smaller role in “Pretties” as he remains in the wilderness with the Smokies. However, his presence is felt throughout the novel, as Tally’s memories of him and their time together resurface.
- Peris: Tally’s childhood friend who has also become a Pretty, Peris is a part of Tally’s new social circle in New Pretty Town. His character represents the allure of conformity and the difficulty of maintaining loyalty in a world driven by superficial values.
- Dr. Cable: The primary antagonist of the series, Dr. Cable is the head of Special Circumstances, an organization that enforces the city’s oppressive rules. She is determined to maintain control over the population and will stop at nothing to prevent Tally and her allies from undermining her authority.
- Fausto: A member of the Crims and an ally of Tally and Zane, Fausto helps them in their mission to resist the city’s control. His character highlights the importance of friendship and loyalty in the face of adversity.
These characters drive the narrative of “Pretties” and contribute to the exploration of the novel’s themes, including identity, loyalty, and the consequences of societal conformity.
SUMMARIES
Chapter 1: The novel opens with Tally Youngblood enjoying her new life as a Pretty in New Pretty Town. She attends a party with her childhood friend, Peris, and other Pretties, indulging in the superficial pleasures that come with her newfound beauty and social status.
Chapter 2: Tally meets a group of Pretties called the Crims, who seek excitement and challenge in their otherwise monotonous lives. The Crims are led by Zane, a charismatic and rebellious Pretty who shares a connection with Tally. They perform daring stunts and tricks to defy the city’s rules and push the limits of their physical abilities.
Chapter 3: Tally’s former best friend, Shay, who has also become a Pretty, joins Tally and the Crims in their adrenaline-fueled exploits. Despite their shared history, Tally and Shay’s friendship is strained, as Tally struggles to recall her past experiences in the Smoke and her reasons for leaving Shay behind.
Chapter 4: Tally receives a mysterious package containing a letter and pills. The letter, written by her pre-Pretty self, reveals the truth about the mental alterations caused by the Pretty surgery and implores her to take the pills to regain her memories and help the Smokies. Initially, Tally is reluctant to follow the instructions, fearing the consequences of remembering her past.
Chapter 5: Tally confides in Zane about the package, and they decide to take the pills together. After consuming the pills, they begin to experience side effects, including headaches and flashes of memory. Their decision to take the pills marks the beginning of their shared journey to resist the oppressive regime and restore their true selves.
Chapter 6: Tally and Zane discuss their plan to restore their memories and resist the city’s control. They decide to continue participating in the Crims’ stunts, using their newfound sense of purpose to push the boundaries and challenge the city’s rules.
Chapter 7: As their memories slowly return, Tally and Zane begin to devise a plan to escape from New Pretty Town and join the Smokies in the wilderness. They start gathering supplies and creating distractions to keep the city’s authorities off their trail.
Chapter 8: Tally’s relationship with Zane deepens as they work together to regain their memories and resist the city’s control. Meanwhile, Shay becomes increasingly suspicious of Tally and Zane’s activities, sensing that they are hiding something from her and the rest of the Crims.
Chapter 9: Tally and Zane execute a daring plan to leave New Pretty Town by stealing a hot air balloon during a fireworks display. Their escape is fraught with danger, but they manage to evade capture and make their way toward the wilderness, where they hope to reunite with the Smokies.
Chapter 10: As Tally and Zane journey through the wild, they face numerous challenges, including harsh weather conditions and a lack of supplies. Despite these obstacles, they remain determined to reach the Smokies and join the fight against the city’s oppressive regime.
Chapter 11: Tally and Zane find an abandoned ranger station in the wilderness, where they take shelter and restock their supplies. They also find a hoverboard and learn more about the Rusties, the civilization that preceded their own, which fell due to its unsustainable lifestyle and environmental impact.
Chapter 12: As they continue their journey, Tally and Zane’s bond deepens, but Zane’s health deteriorates due to the mysterious side effects of the pills they took to restore their memories. Despite his worsening condition, Zane remains determined to reach the Smokies and fight against the city’s regime.
Chapter 13: Tally and Zane encounter a group of runaway Uglies led by a boy named Andrew Simpson Smith. The Uglies have escaped from a nearby village, which is secretly controlled by the city as part of a social experiment. Tally and Zane agree to help the runaways in exchange for information about the Smokies’ whereabouts.
Chapter 14: Tally and Zane learn that the villagers worship a mysterious god called “The Sky,” which turns out to be the city’s all-seeing surveillance system. They devise a plan to disable the system and free the village from the city’s control, hoping to gain the villagers’ trust and support in their quest to find the Smokies.
Chapter 15: Tally and Zane successfully infiltrate the village’s temple, where they disable the surveillance system and confront the village’s leaders. They convince the villagers to reject the city’s control and join their fight for freedom, earning their gratitude and gaining valuable allies in their search for the Smokies.
Chapter 16: With the help of the villagers, Tally and Zane build a makeshift aircraft to continue their journey toward the Smokies. As they prepare to leave, Tally reflects on the impact of their actions in the village and the importance of fighting for freedom and individuality.
Chapter 17: Tally and Zane fly towards the Smokies’ rumored location, but their makeshift aircraft struggles to stay airborne. They are forced to land in the wilderness and continue their journey on foot, using a hoverboard they had found earlier.
Chapter 18: As they travel through the wild, Tally and Zane come across a group of Special Circumstances agents, led by Dr. Cable, who are searching for them. They manage to evade capture by hiding and using the hoverboard to their advantage.
Chapter 19: Tally and Zane finally arrive at the Smokies’ camp, where they are reunited with David and the other rebels. However, their joy is short-lived, as they learn that the camp has been infiltrated by Shay, who has become a member of Special Circumstances and is now working against them.
Chapter 20: The Smokies’ camp is attacked by Special Circumstances, led by Dr. Cable and Shay. During the chaos, Tally, Zane, and David attempt to escape, but Zane is captured. Tally is faced with a difficult decision: rescue Zane or leave him behind to ensure her own survival and the continuation of the rebellion.
Chapter 21: Tally, David, and a few other Smokies decide to rescue Zane and the captured rebels from Special Circumstances. They devise a plan to infiltrate the city by posing as Pretties and using their knowledge of the city’s infrastructure to their advantage.
Chapter 22: Tally and David infiltrate a party in New Pretty Town, using the event as a cover to gather information about Zane’s whereabouts and Special Circumstances’ plans. Their mission is complicated by the presence of Shay, who has fully embraced her role as a Special Circumstances agent.
Chapter 23: Tally and David manage to locate Zane, who is being held in a high-security facility within the city. They devise a risky plan to break him out, using hoverboards and their knowledge of the city’s security measures to evade capture.
Chapter 24: Tally, David, and the other Smokies successfully infiltrate the facility and free Zane, along with the captured rebels. However, their escape is complicated by the arrival of Dr. Cable and her Special Circumstances agents, leading to a tense confrontation and a high-speed chase through the city.
Chapter 25: Tally, Zane, David, and the rescued rebels manage to escape the city and return to the wilderness. However, their victory is bittersweet, as they mourn the loss of their comrades and face the realization that their fight against Special Circumstances is far from over.
Chapter 26: Tally, Zane, David, and the rescued rebels regroup in the wilderness, trying to recover from their harrowing escape. Tensions rise as they debate their next course of action, and Tally is torn between her loyalty to Zane and her feelings for David.
Chapter 27: As they plan their next move, Tally and her friends discover that the pills they took to regain their memories have had unintended consequences. Zane’s health continues to deteriorate, and Tally fears that she may be responsible for his suffering.
Chapter 28: Determined to find a cure for Zane and help the other rebels, Tally and her friends embark on a mission to infiltrate a high-security laboratory in the city. They hope to find information about the pills and the city’s plans for controlling the population.
Chapter 29: Tally and her friends infiltrate the laboratory, using their knowledge of the city’s security systems to evade detection. They manage to locate the information they seek, but their mission is complicated by the presence of Special Circumstances agents, including Shay.
Chapter 30: Tally and her friends narrowly escape the laboratory with the information they need, but they are pursued by Special Circumstances. As they flee, Tally must confront her former friend Shay, who has become a formidable adversary in her role as a Special Circumstances agent.
Chapter 31: Tally, Zane, David, and the others return to the Smokies’ camp with the information they obtained from the laboratory. They learn that the pills had a dual purpose: one to restore their memories, and the other to create physical side effects that would allow the city to track them.
Chapter 32: Armed with this knowledge, the rebels work together to develop a plan to counteract the city’s control and free the population from the influence of the Pretty operation. They also search for a way to help Zane, whose health continues to decline as a result of the pills.
Chapter 33: Tally and David grow closer as they work together to fight against the city’s control. Their relationship is complicated by Tally’s feelings for Zane and her guilt over the role she played in his suffering.
Chapter 34: The rebels execute their plan to undermine the city’s control, using their knowledge of the Pretty operation and the information they obtained from the laboratory. Their mission is successful, but it comes at a cost: several rebels are captured, and Zane’s condition worsens.
Chapter 35: In the aftermath of their mission, Tally makes a difficult decision: she agrees to turn herself in to Special Circumstances in exchange for Zane’s freedom and the safety of her friends. She hopes that her sacrifice will give the rebels a chance to regroup and continue their fight against the city’s oppressive regime.
Chapter 36: Tally is taken into custody by Special Circumstances and brought to a high-security facility. She is interrogated by Dr. Cable, who tries to manipulate her into revealing information about the rebels and their plans.
Chapter 37: While in custody, Tally learns more about the city’s plans for control and the true extent of their manipulation of the population. She struggles to maintain her individuality and resist Dr. Cable’s attempts to break her spirit.
Chapter 38: David and the other rebels, unaware of Tally’s decision to turn herself in, launch a daring rescue mission to free her from Special Circumstances. They manage to infiltrate the facility, but their plan is complicated by the presence of Shay and her fellow agents.
Chapter 39: In the midst of the chaos caused by the rescue mission, Tally is confronted by Shay, who accuses her of betraying their friendship and choosing David over her. Despite their differences, Tally tries to convince Shay to join the rebels and fight against the city’s control.
Chapter 40: Tally, David, and the rebels successfully escape the facility, taking Shay with them. As they regroup in the wilderness, Tally must come to terms with the consequences of her actions and the impact they have had on her relationships with Zane, David, and Shay.
Chapter 41: Tally, David, and the rebels, along with Shay, regroup and plan their next move. They decide to infiltrate the city once again to expose the government’s control over the population and dismantle the Pretty operation.
Chapter 42: The group splits up, with Tally and Shay working together on a mission to sabotage the city’s surveillance system. Despite their strained relationship, they gradually begin to rebuild their friendship as they work towards their common goal.
Chapter 43: Tally and Shay successfully sabotage the surveillance system, which causes chaos throughout the city. Meanwhile, David and the other rebels work on obtaining evidence of the government’s manipulation and control over the citizens.
Chapter 44: As the city descends into disarray, Tally, Shay, and the rebels use the confusion to their advantage. They broadcast the evidence they have gathered, exposing the government’s secrets and inspiring the citizens to rise up against the oppressive regime.
Chapter 45: The city’s rebellion gains momentum, and Tally and her friends continue to lead the resistance against the government. However, they face new challenges as the government becomes more desperate to maintain control and crush the uprising.
Chapter 46: Tally, Shay, David, and the rebels continue to inspire the citizens’ rebellion against the government. They devise a plan to take down the leaders of the regime and dismantle the Pretty operation once and for all.
Chapter 47: The group infiltrates the city’s central headquarters, where they confront Dr. Cable and the other leaders of the regime. A tense standoff ensues, with Tally and her friends using their newfound knowledge and skills to outmaneuver their opponents.
Chapter 48: In the midst of the confrontation, Zane’s condition deteriorates further, forcing Tally to make a difficult decision about his fate. Despite her feelings for him, she chooses to prioritize the fight against the city’s control and their shared goal of dismantling the Pretty operation.
Chapter 49: Tally and her friends successfully overpower Dr. Cable and the regime’s leaders, bringing an end to the city’s oppressive control. The citizens of the city are freed from the Pretty operation, and a new era of change and growth begins.
Chapter 50: In the aftermath of their victory, Tally and her friends must come to terms with the consequences of their actions and the new world they have created. They face the challenge of rebuilding the city and forging a new society based on individuality, freedom, and equality.