I enjoyed reading Uglies, although it was definitely written with a younger audience then myself in mind.  I like futuristic stories like this one and although it was on the simplistic side I still found it interesting enough to continue reading the series.

At first, did you hope Tally would get the operation? When did you change your mind? (Or did you?)

Actually, I decided very early in the story that the Pretties seemed rather dense and besides looking good I didn’t see the appeal in being Pretty.  All they did was drink a lot and party all night, every night.  I’ve never seen the “fun” in that kind of behavior so I was automatically anti-Pretty from the very beginning of the story when Tally first ventured into Pretty Town to find Peris.

Have you ever found yourself trusting someone more or paying more attention to what they said not because they deserved it, but just because of their looks?

I’d be lying if I said no, but I try very  hard not to favor certain people just because they are better looking.  Admittedly that is easier said then done.  Hey, I’m just being honest!

Would you give up your ability to think independently in exchange for being happy, beautiful, perpetually healthy, and rich?

Absolutely not!  The ability to think independantly is one of the greatest assets we have as individuals.  Personally I don’t see how you can be happy if you can’t even think for yourself.

How did David see Tally differently than she saw herself?

Tally had been brainwashed her entire life that she would be ugly until she became Pretty at age sixteen.  David, being raised away from that kind of thinking, saw Tally as she was.  Because David admired Tally for her bravery and intelligence he saw her as pretty.  Interestingly enough, Tally learned from David how to see someone as pretty even if society didn’t say they were.

If Shay could have gone back in time and never have met Tally, do you think she would?

I don’t really know.  Having read further in this series Shay continues to be angry with Tally and is not a very understanding or forgiving person.  She does probably regret meeting Tally.

Other than the pretty operation, what are the main differences between the pretty society and our own? (Are there any ways in which the pretty society is healthier than ours?)

The main difference that I can see is that only a select few people are chosen to remain smart after turning sixteen, depending on what job they do.  And I can’t tell that many of them actually have real jobs or do anything of any real importance, the book didn’t really go into any detail on that subject.  Since it’s a futuristic society their medical technology is decidedly advanced so in general they are healthier.  You don’t really hear about anyone getting sick.

To what extent did Tally decide her own fate, and how much did other people decide it for her?

She was brainwashed since birth, hardly any of her decisions were her own.  I think the only time she did make her own decisions was when she decided to stay in the Smoke and not betray them.  Also at the end when she chose to become pretty in order to test the cure for brain lesions.  Pretty much everything else she did was a result of manipulation.

The Rusty civilization collapsed because of its dependence on oil. In what ways is your lifestyle dependent on oil and gasoline? How easily would you survive if it all disappeared one day?

Let’s just say if I was a Rusty, I’d be doomed.

What would you do (if anything) to be a pretty?

Well, I do a lot of things to try and feel pretty, I don’t know if that’s the same thing.  I try to dress nice, I get my hair done, I wear make up.  But I’m not sure I’d ever have plastic surgery.  To be honest I’ve never really thought about it or had the opportunity so it’s not an issue.  One thing this book makes me sure of is there is a huge difference between pretty and different.  Just because one is different does not make they ugly.

Do you feel that our society’s pretties are given better & more opportunities then the rest of us? How or how not?

I definitely think pretty people get favored.  Studies prove this to be true.  Good looking people are more likely to get hired for jobs then less attractive people.  And I don’t know many celebrities that are considered ugly, so it’s stands to reason that you have a better chance of being famous if you have a pretty face.  Studies also show that if you are taller and better looking you have a better chance of getting electred into a political office (should you desire to do that).  So yes, I do think good looks give certain people an advantage.  But I don’t think it’s right.