Summary

In a future society, where mankind has had to rebuild, teens live in the bland residential zone of the Uglies - until they turn sixteen and undergo a surgery perfecting their physical features and enabling them to live happily in the world of Pretties. Tally Youngblood, who is about to turn sixteen, is ecstatic to get this perfect life until she meets Shay, a girl of similar age. They get along well except for the fact that Shay doesn't seem to want to have the surgery done to her and tells Tally how they can escape. Tally wants to forget about her: However, when she disappears, Special Circumstances wants to find her, and they plan to use Tally by threatening that she won't get the operation unless she does what they want.