Uglies - Scott Westerfeld

I don't know anything of this author, but Britanie was reading Uglies when they visited for Thanksgiving. It's a post-apocalyptic YA fantasy, where, in an effort to create equality (supposedly), everyone is given a massive cosmetic operation at the age of 16, which gives them all the markers of beauty - symmetry, large eyes, etc. etc. The people are physically separated based on their stage of life, and the main character is Tally Youngblood, who can't wait to join her friend who, when he turned 16 a few months before she did, had his operation and went ahead to live the party-life of all the "New Pretties."

It's an interesting book with plenty to think about, like independence versus societal integration. It's a little heavy-handed at times (maybe that's intentional, so even inattentive young readers get the point) and the characters work better when they're doing something rather than being something - by which I suppose I mean the dialogue seems a bit forced. Still, it's a good story! Thanks, Britanie, for the recommendation! I'm looking forward to, well, finishing it, obviously, but also reading the sequels.