Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books that Broke my Heart

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week a theme for a list is suggested. This week theme is Books that broke my heart a little.

I'm not going to differentiate between a little, a bit and a lot. These books broke my heart in some way - some of them managed to put it back to together, some left the scars still showing, some left it shattered forever more.

It was not easy to pick these books, though. Some were obvious to me, recent reads, those that really changed the way I see things. But like with everything else, time is a great healer, so it was hard to look at a title and figure out if that one broke my heart, and how it did so. With that in mind, this top 10 will not have 10 books. Oh, and it will probably have loads of spoilers. Proceed with care.



The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This is one of the freshest ones in memory, and in heart. It took a while before I had the courage to pick this book up - after all, it's set in Germany during WWII, heartbreak was bound to happen. But the amount of it was just... too much - deaths (oh, Rudy) and tragedy, and the strength of the main character - it all left my heart in pieces, and I'm still nursing it.






Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Plain Kate was another of last year's books that broke my heart. The story was sad, but what broke my heart the most was not what happened to Kate, but the antagonist of this story, whom I loved almost as most as Kate. And then there is Taggle, but at least with him, my heart was able to heal a bit.

Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
This is a book that I read for the first time oh, so long ago, but reread it a countless times since. It still shocks me to see a beloved character go, and Sorcha's departure is simply heartbreaking. But this is a case of a book that helped me grow, and be who I am.

La hormiga que quiso ser astronauta by Félix J. Palma
The way this book broke my heart is different from all the others - it didn't kill some beloved character or made love simply unattainable. It shattered my illusions that life can be magical. Surreality was just part of the main character, a Peter Pan complex of not wanting to grow up. And I can relate to that on so many levels...

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Another one dealing with WWII, and the hatred and prejudice that lead to it. The story is poignant, with silliness in the mix, which doesn't help soften the blow. It breaks my heart, and tries to mend it with laughter, but never intends to hide the scars it leaves behind.

Oath Breaker by Michelle Paver
Oath Breaker is the last in this list, and more of an afterthought. I read it some time ago, so time has helped me forget, but it's also a book that managed to heal my heart along the way. It starts by killing a character I learned to love - Bale - and that was part of why it hurt, it was not an instant-love kind of character, there was time and suspicion and surprise devoted to him. And of course, this death had its consequences - especially with Torak who felt the loss as I did, and the guilt that I wanted (so much) to pin on him. But it made the character grow, and he never once forgot what lead him in his quest, even if he came to realize that guilt and hatred and revenge were not doing him any good.

Liebster blog

This post is in Portuguese.

Recebi este selo vonito da Carla @ Cuidado com o Dálmata e da Ana @ Floresta de Livros. Thanks Girls!

O que fazer:

1 – Link de volta com o blogger que lho deu;

2 – Cole o selinho no seu blogue;

3 – Escolha 5 blogues para repassá-lo, que tenham menos de 200 seguidores;

4 – Deixar um comentário avisando que estão recebendo o selinho.

 

E agora, escolher 5 blogues a quem passar isto? E tenho de ver quantos seguidores!? Bem, 2 escolhas óbvias seriam as meninas que me fizeram tag neste jogo, mas vamos seleccionar outros 5 blogues, shall we?

 

1 - Bookeater/Booklover

2 - Livros, Livros e mais Livros

3 - Cantos Quebrados

4 - Este meu cantinho

5 - Ler e Reflectir

E é tudo! Agora façam o obséquio de ir visitar estes blogues :D

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

Title: The Folk Keeper

Author: Franny Billingsley

Date Read: January 20^th

On TBR for: a few hours

Format: Physical book - Paperback

Source: Bought - New

Challenges: 2012 Outdo Yourself




The Folk Keeper is a small book, the story Corinna, a young girl that disguises herself as a boy, Corin, to be able to be a Folk Keeper. Being a Folk Keeper is all she ever wanted to do. But when she is summoned by Lord Merton to be the Folk Keeper of the huge estate in Cliffsend she starts to see that maybe being a Folk Keeper is not all that it's cracked to be. There the Folk are vicious, and her own powers seem to lose strength.

Of course there are some good things to her new life in Cliffsend, Corinna lives with more comfort, and gains a friend, Finian, who is the reluctant heir to Merton Hall – he would much rather be a fisherman or a sailor. And then there are bad things that happen, of course, otherwise there would be no story.

I liked Corinna because she is not the sweet little girl one would expect of a children's book. She is angry and vindictive at times, and always makes sure she comes out on top. As I read the book, which is in diary form, I started to realize why she is the way she is. She is an orphan, and a girl, which would mean a life of being a servant. But she decides to pose as a boy, gathering the knowledge of Folk Keepers apprentices in exchange of doing chores, and making sure that wherever she is Folk Keeper, she is essential.

This may seem cold, and in a way, Corinna is cold. But it left an opening for a great duo, between her and Finian, who is the sweetest and most cheerful of people. He has a deeper intelligence, and see things that others don't – not through any special power, but because he cares enough to look.

The action, though, has very little to do with their interaction, and more with Corinna discovering herself. And I also liked that part – there was a bit of darkness in it, with stories of crazy maidens and forays into graveyards in the middle of the night and murder attempts! And all in such a tiny book!

The feeling at the end was of a pleasant book. Not stellar, but it will leave your heart a little bit warmer.


Rating: 4 out of 5

This Book on: LibraryThing | GoodReads | BookDepository UK | Book Depository US | Amazon UK| Amazon US| Wook

January Ins and Outs

The New Year is in, and so are new books. I know I said I was trying to cut back on buying/acquiring books, so it's understandable that some eyebrows might be raised at the sheer amounts of books on the INS side. But in my defence, this year I have only bought 2 books, and those were at a book fair, because a) they were cheap, b) they were pretty, and c) they were books.

On the reading side there was not as much movement as in the INS side, but still some reading done, and mostly books that I really liked. I am also participating in 4 different challenges and a book bingo with some friends. You can always check my progress here (or somewhere in the sidebar).

On other news, I am moving (again), but this time not so far away as Barcelona or Edinburgh. I'm going to work in Lisbon, starting tomorrow (in fact, when this post goes live, I'll be in Lisbon, hopefully with a place to live). The working might mean less reading, the coming home on weekends by train means a total of 6 hours that have nothing to do but read (or sleep, or write, or draw, or listen to music, but mostly read).

And now, for the gigantic list of books:

INS

Bought - new 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett
Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett
Jingo by Terry Pratchett
Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
Thud! by Terry Pratchett

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

I know I said I had just bought 2 books. What are these, then? Well, I bought them last year, it just took them a while to get here. the first bunch was a order that I did with a friend at Amazon, just so we could use the Free Delivery. I made a super-secret post to document its arrival here (now not so secret).

The Folk Keeper has been bought in September, but it was returned to Book Depository, and when I complained, they sent it again.

Bought - at a book fair 

The Secret by Charlotte Brontë
The Spell by Charlotte Brontë

Look at them! Aren't they pretty? I had to bring them home


Swap sites
*WinkingBooks*

The Forest House by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Gone by Michael Grant
Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières
The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain

I had points, so I used them. I think I am finally going to read the Mists of Avalon, book 1 is on its way, and I already have book 2. With Gone, the name rang a bell, of a dystopian book, so I asked for it. Only later did I realize that a friend of mine had already read it (she was not impressed). As for the Louis de Bernières book, after I read Red Dog, I want to read something lengthier of this author. I have never read anything of Mark Twain, and I liked the tittle of this one (besides being available to mooch, of course).

Freebies
*Won a Giveaway*
2012 is proving to be a good year. New job and already 4 books from giveaways.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Thanks to Jen @ Cuidado com o Dálmata for this book!

Age of Giants - awakening by Rob Reaser
Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout

Thanks to Bonnie @ Bookish Ardour and the authors for these books!

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Thanks to Emily @ What Book is That? for this book!

*Gifts (Christmas Gifts!)*

Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 7 by Hiromu Arakawa
Geist by Philippa Ballantine
The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo
I Am Mordred: A Tale of Camelot by Nancy Springer

Finally! My Christmas gifts arrived almost a month after Christmas!

OUTS

Physical books
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones [Review]
Restoration by Carol Berg [Review]

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley
A short, and sweet, book about a little girl that poses as boy to do what she feels is her calling - to be a Folk Keeper, and also to get away from doing hard work. But when she moves to bigger house, she discovers the Folk there are more vicious and a lot more about herself.

Rating: 4 out of 5


The Eye of the Heron by Ursula K. Le Guin
Science Fiction, and by an author I really like, this book has been on my TBR for ages, and for some reason I never got around to read it until now. It's more philosophical than science fiction, about non-violence in the face of violence, tyranny and slavery. I did like most of it, but towards the end I started to feel that the story had stretched a little too much (strange, since it's such a tiny book).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Borrowed from a friend who asked me if she could chose the book I would read for the Romance category in the book bingo. I said yes, and she chose this Historical Romance. Not my normal genre, and not one that I really like. It was an amusing read for most part (and maybe not the best one to read on train). There were parts of it that bored me, but I liked the interactions between Evie and Sebastian (yes, those other kind of interactions as well). I might have understood the world of the Wallflowers a little better had I read the previous 2 books. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Brave New Worlds: Dystopian Stories edited by John Joseph Adams
A very good anthology of dystopian short stories and novellas. It's a really big book, and the theme is mostly dark, so it took a while to get through it. But most of the stories are good, some really good, and some not so much. Overall, I liked it and found that it was very well edited.

Rating: 4 out of 5


Ebooks
Entwined by Heather Dixon [Review]


Audiobooks
The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The book bingo I am doing called for an audiobook, and since I had some stuff to do that required my hands and eyes, but not my ears or attention, I decided it would be the perfect occasion to listen to one. I choose The Sign of the Four, to continue with the Shelock Holmes series, and because it is short. I sort of liked it. It's gripping, and you keep guessing the how and the why, until you know. The last (really long) chapter that serves as an explanation to everything, seemed unnecessary or at least unnecessarily long.

Rating: 3 out 4



TBR Variation: +19 (From 201 to 220) Shame!

Restoration by Carol Berg

Title: Restoration

Author: Carol Berg

Series: Rai-Kirah

Date Read: January 15^th

On TBR for: 57 days

Format: Physical book - Mass-trade paperback

Source: Bought - New

Challenges: 2012 Outdo Yourself, Off the Shelf 2012



Restoration is the book that closes the Rai-Kirah trilogy, and reveals much of the secrets of its world, specially when it comes to Ezzarian mythology. Things do not start easy for Seyonne, who is living with Blaise's rebels, but trying to keep his demon in check. Only he sometimes loses his mind and gets this urge to kill all humans. He has been postponing crossing the portal that leads to Kir'Navarrin in part because he wants to spend as much time as he can with his son, and in part because he is afraid of what will happen when he does.

Things aren't going easy for Aleksander either. His father is dead, murdered, and the hegeds blame him, in order to get a more malleable emperor in his place. He finds himself empire-less, army-less, and mostly friendless because all his loved ones are being targeted by assassins, so he had no choice but to drive them away.

At first I was really excited with this book – Aleksander was once again one of the main characters, and even if things were going horribly wrong with him and Seyonne, I was having so much fun with their dynamics. This series strongest point is, undoubtedly, Seyonne and Aleksander's unlikely friendship. And for about half of the book that was what I got. For once, I was glad that Seyonne is one of the most high-functioning procrastinators ever, doing so much in order to not having to do what he must.

But as he accompanied Aleksander in his quest to find supporters and an army to get his empire back, he went through various changes, that at first were slight and understandable, but as they progressed something started to not feel right with Seyonne. Fortunately (I guess), this is the point where he decides he can't put off going to Kir'Navarrin any more.

At the end of Revelation, I thought that in Restoration I would have a nice banter between Seyonne and Denas, much in the fashion of the relationship of Seyonne and Aleksander in Transformation. I didn't get that, but I didn't complain because there was Aleksander, which made all so much better. But once in Kir'Navarrin there was no Aleksander, and I felt the injustice that had been done to Denas. It also didn't help that the pacing came to a complete stop in this part, with Seyonne mulling on his thoughts more and more, and being morose the way only he can be.

Even worse, his changes in personality didn't stop, in fact, they intensified. And even if he was helping his friends, I was not liking the direction the story was taking, and was starting to dread the ending it would have: I simply couldn't see it end well, or not badly. There were some twists to the plot, some thinking that occurred behind the scenes that I hadn't factored in, which meant that I got to be positively surprised on how the situation resolved itself.

I ended up liking this last book, even with the complete changes of pace and the transformation of the main character. Maybe not as much as the first one, but I think it brings a nice close to the series, the mythos of the Ezzarians explained, Seyonne with a somewhat happy ending, and Aleksander fulfilling his potential.


Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Reviews: Dragons, Heroes and Wizards | Ubiquitous Absence

This Book on: LibraryThing | GoodReads | BookDepository UK | Book Depository US | Amazon UK| Amazon US

Top Ten Tuesday - Freebie: Top Ten Good Books with Good Movie/Series Adaptations

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week a theme for a list is suggested. This week is a freebie, so I get to choose the top I want to do. So, this week's theme is Top Ten Good Books with Good Movie/Series Adaptations. Why this theme? Because it's easy to come across good books, and it's easy to come across good movies, but most of the times, if the movie is based on a book, it disappoints. It's a given that it's impossible to fit 300+ pages into two or three hours of film, but sometimes it's better to not even attempt it! (Earthsea please fans don't EVER watch Sci-Fi channel's TV movie Earthsea - you'll want to claw your eyes out and wish for memory bleach so you could forget it was ever made)

Howl's Moving Castle
Book: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones · My Review
Movie: Howl's Moving Castle directed by Hayao Miyazaki · IMDB

It's no secret that I love this series, and having recently finished it, it means it is closer to memory. But here is an example of a good movie adaptation that doesn't think that it has to stick with the story point by point, simply takes the important, and retells everything else. It helps that Miyazaki is a superb storyteller, of course. It doesn't matter in which order you see/read it, you'll love both versions.


Everything is Illuminated
Book: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer · LT | GR
Movie: Everything is Illuminated directed by Liev Schreiber · IMDB

I watched the movie first, and was completely in love with it. A mixture of stunning colours, humour and a poignant story, it's one of my favourite films of all time. I, of course, then wanted to read the book. It's wackier than the movie, and darker as well, but so, so good.


North and South
Book: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell · My Review
Mini-Series: North and South produced by the BBC and directed by Brian Percival · IMDB

Again, no secret how much I love this series. If most people prefer Pride and Prejudice, I'm wholeheartedly on the North and South team - it has more than just romance, and the social commentary is not just of the individuals, but of the society in general. I found it deeper in meaning than other books of the genre, and I loved the writing. The mini-series, 4 episodes long, manages to convey the feelings of the book really well.


The Lord of the Rings series
Books: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien · LT | GR
Movies: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson · IMDB · IMDB · IMDB

Many call it the masterpiece of Fantasy, and they are not very far from the truth. These are great books, that have been inspiration for many others. I lost myself while reading these books, everything else becoming unimportant, and it made me believe that there were hobbits and elves and dwarfs - that Middle Earth was real. Making a movie out of these books wasn't going to be easy, fantasy never is, from clothing to set decorations, it's expensive to make it look good, and if it's anything but good, it looks downright shabby. But Peter Jackson was a fan and he did a tremendous job of it. It goes close to 12 hours of film with the extended versions of all three movies, but it means that most of the books are there, and told right.


Stardust
Book: Stardust by Neil Gaiman · LT | GR
Movie: Stardust directed by Matthew Vaughn · IMDB

Stardust is a fairytale like story, which brings always a smile to my face, and then it's Gaiman, which means it is told right like I liked it. There is a hint of strangeness, a bit of humour, adventures and danger, but it leaves a warm fuzzy feeling in the end. What is there not to like? The movie captured all that, added a bit here and there, threw in a happier ever after ending and wrapped it all nicely in nice cinematography.


A Game of Thrones
Book: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin · My Review
Series: A Game of Thrones created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss · IMDB

I admit to only giving these books a chance because of the series, I knew about them but were mentally put on the category of maybe-to-read-if-a-copy-falls-on-my-lap. But since there was a series coming, and it was looking good, I got myself a copy and read it. Totally worth it! It's ploty and complex, and even if it's not very high on the fantasy-side of elves and stuff (there are dragons, though), it's good fantasy. And the series not only looks good, it follows the books pretty well.


Persepolis
Books: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi · LT | GR
Movie: Persepolis directed by Vincent Paronnaud abd Marjane Satrapi · IMDB

Another that I saw before reading, but enjoyed both versions. True, there isn't much difference, the book is a graphic novel and the animation is also done by Marjane. But what the movie brings in is the voice of the main character. Not Marjane herself, but the sarcasm in the book is very well delivered in the movie.


The Colour of Magic
Book: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett · LT | GR
Movie: The Colour of Magic directed by Vadim Jean · IMDB

Pratchett's Discworld is an amazing universe, and sometimes not really easy to picture. But I enjoyed the adaptation, it's a good look into that world. And I loved the character's portrayals. Rincewind was very good, but no-one can play an annoying side kick quite like Sean Astin, so he was wonderful as Twoflower.


The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams · My Review
Movie: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy directed by Garth Jennings · IMDB

Douglas Adams's book is great as far as humour and sci-fi goes. It has all there, but it definitely on the wacky side, and this is not always well portrayed in the movies. The 2004 version of it was made to fans - not that anyone else can't enjoy it, but there needs be a predisposition to wackyness and absurd. That aside, a great adaptation of a great book.


Jane Eyre
Book: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë · My Review
Mini-Series: Jane Eyre produced by the BBC, directed by Susanna White · IMDB
Movie: Jane Eyre directed by Cary Fukunaga · IMDB

Jane Eyre has had a lot of adaptations throughout the years. I have only seen two, the BBC mini-series, before I read the book, and the 2011 movie, that I saw after reading the book. Both are excellent adaptations of this work, the first lengthier, the second making a twist in the storytelling by beginning at the middle of the book.



***Extra***
I have to include in this list the series Sherlock, even if the books don't really blow my mind. This retelling of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes in modern times is simply stunning. Great writing and great acting (Martin Freeman won a BAFTA, as all the internet sherlockians are aware). It doesn't require prior knowledge of the books to enjoy, because it's like Sherlock was completely reinvented, while maintaining the quirks that make his character so famous.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Title: House of Many Ways

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Series: Howl's Castle

Date Read: January 12^th

On TBR for: 83 days

Format: Physical book

Source: Bought

Challenges: 2012 Outdo Yourself, Off the Shelf 2012, What's in a Name 5



In the last of the Howl's Castle series of books, we start with Charmain, a bookish 14 year old, who gets volunteered by her great-aunt to take care of her distant great-uncle William's house. Well, magical house. Charmain is a respectable young lady (read: sheltered and spoiled) and, as such, she doesn't know how to do much besides reading a lot, and eating a lot of pasties. That includes washing clothes and dishes, and goes as far as making tea.

Luckily for her, the house is indeed magical, and does provide for her meals, and she has always her Uncle's recorded instructions, that help her navigate around the house and help solve some mishaps. Did I mention it is a magical house? Well, it is. From the outside it looks small, but turn left instead of right at a doorway, and you'll find yourself in a completely different room, or building.

To add to the joy, in comes Peter, great-uncle William's new apprentice that he didn't know about, and who doesn't know his master isn't home. Peter, unlike Charmain, does know how to do things around the house, which should have come as a relief, if he didn't botch every magic attempt. And there were a lot of attempts.

And, as one job isn't good enough for bookwork Charmain, she writes to the King to tell him she would like to help him and his daughter organize the Royal Library. I do understand the girl, of course, a library is such a wonderful place to work when you love books.

But there is something missing here, isn't it? Of course, it would fit the series if Howl and Co. weren't there. And they are. Sophie is helping the King with his financial and magical problems, and Morgan and Calcifer come along, of course. And Howl, because he couldn't bear to be left behind. So he appears in his most adorable form ever (I'm not telling what it is, though it's easy to see when reading the book).

And so, Charmain has some adventures with magic, kobolds and lubbocks, manages not to destroy a house or kill her housemate, while getting herself a puppy.

Did I like this book? Hell, yeah! It was a rollercoaster of fun, but that was to be expected. It's Diana Wynne Jones, after all. But I did like it more than Castle in the Air, probably because of Howl. But Charmain was also a reason – incompetent as she was in household tasks, she is a bookworm, so I can find no fault in her (well, I am able to overlook most faults). I loved reading her adventures and misadventures, and if there was a lot of fun on the Castle scenes with the regular cast, her interactions with Peter were really great.

Had there been more books to this series, I would have read them. As it is, I will treasure these three forever.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Other Reviews: Cuidado com o Dálmata

This Book on: LibraryThing | GoodReads | BookDepository UK | Book Depository US | Amazon UK| Amazon US| Wook

Challenges, Challenges, Part 3

Yes, one more challenge, but this one seemed too good to pass.

Fairy Tales Retold Challenge
Hosted by Debz Bookshelf



Basics
It goes from January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012
To sign up, go here
You can sign up any time from now until June-ish
I would love you forever if you would follow me, and if you're interested in fairy tales, then you'd probably find my blog interesting anyway!

What Counts
Any retelling at all, or original fairy tales. When I say original fairy tales, I mean books that include many elements of many fairy tales, but aren't actually based on any fairy tales. Some examples are The Princess Bride by William Goldman or Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (BEST BOOK EVER!) Basically a book that should have a fairy tale based on it, but it's too late for it to be the other way around.
here

I'm going for level: Witch: 9 books


On a related note, I'm also doing a book bingo with some friends, you can see my progress here.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Title: Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Date Read: From December 14^th to December 16^th, 2011

On TBR for: 351 days

Format: Physical Book

Source: Gift - Christmas gift





The world of Uglies is our own, but after we damaged our planet and ourselves almost to the point of no return, society gets restarted in a place where everything is self-sufficient and no one is discriminated based on their physical appearance because, ta-dahh, everyone is pretty. Well, not everyone, everyone over the age of 16, because before that they are not old enough to go under the knife. So, these young teenagers who have yet to discover the wonders of cosmetic surgery are called Uglies. Because it's what they are – Ugly.

Tally is one of those, months away from getting her operation, and she can't hardly wait to join the rest of her friends in the parties and being simply amazing. She is the last of her mates to turn 16, so she feels really alone in Uglyville, so much that she decides to go sneak up to New Pretty Town, to check on her BFF, Peris, who has been there for so long and hasn't bothered to write. Or call.

Things do not go exactly as planned, Tally is trespassing after all, but she satisfies her need to see her friend, who makes her promise not to get into more trouble before she gets the operation, and she meets someone else doing the same as her, Shay, who becomes her new best friend.

They do stuff together all the time, enjoying their time left in Uglyville to play all the pranks they want, Shay even teaches Tally to hoverboard (yes, hooerboard, think Marty McFly and Back to the Future). But when the big day looms close (and it's the big day for both of them, they share a birthday), Shay tells Tally she doesn't want to pretty (*gasp* The Horror!), instead she is going to runaway and join a group of rebels who also don't want to be pretty, known as Smokies (they live in The Smoke). Shay would have liked to have Tally runaway with her, but Tally is not having that. She wants to be pretty. But since she is in such good terms with Shay, she promises to think about it, and Shay leaves her a coded message on how to get to The Smoke.

Tally would never use that, of course, if The Powers That Be hadn't noticed Shay's leaving and Shay's new best friend. As it was, they made her an Ultimatum, she either had to help them catch the Smokies (breaking a promise to Shay of not telling her secret) or she would be ugly forever. Poor Tally thinks, and thinks, and decides to help TPTB somewhat – she'll go to Smoke, see what it's all about, and then she'll decide whether to betray her friend's trust or not.

And so, with hoverboard in hand, a pack full of concentrated Spaghetti Bolognese, Tally hovers away to get to The Smoke, not without perils, since this girl almost got roasted alive (this section remind me of The Hunger Games).

And let me stop here before I summarize the entire book. (There aren't many spoilers, though, most of this is on the back cover, only much more concentrated summarized)

Anyway... It took sometime to have the courage to pick this book up. Why? Well, to me beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, and my eyes are sometimes different from other eyes. So, this world where everyone was pretty, it wasn't gathering points with me. But I started the book, and I understood the concept of beauty used here – mainstream beauty, evening out differences, going for the big eyes, pouting mouth look of innocence, that ensured that there was a biological/psychological need to protect and love that person. I would be utterly miserable in that world, of course, but I can understand the reasons why it worked. As I continued reading I could also see how this world could be seen as school metaphor – the younger Uglies earning to enter that cool place that is New Pretty Town (*ahem, cof, High School, cof*).

Tally, with her eagerness to also be pretty, never really impressed me. She was fun, but had the book been about someone else, it would have been the same for me – I was reading for the world and the society, not the characters. In fact, I will continue reading the series for those reasons, even if there was some growth, at least where Tally is concerned. There was also a bit of romance in there, which, unsurprisingly, didn't impress me either.

This book's strengths are both the worldbuilding, and the action. There is plenty of action going on, from Tally and Shay's pranks, to the lone trip of Tally through the wasteland that our world has become, to the events on Smoke, rescue missions, hiding and going undercover. Lots of stuff that kept the pages flying by.

It did end on a cliffhanger (one has to ensure that readers will pick up the next book, right?), and as such I want to know what happens next. I also want to learn more about the world.


Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Reviews: A Journey of Books | Book Chick City | Este Meu Cantinho | The Non Reluctant Reader

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