A Review: Extras

Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi
#4 in the UGLIES series

"It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. 'Tech-heads' flaunt their latest gadgets, 'kickers' spread gossip and trends, and 'surge monkeys' are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol.Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.

As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. Her only chance to escape extra-land is to find a big story to kick-something wild and unexpected.

Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. But the Sly Girls are hiding something bigger-an explosive that may change the face of the brave new world forever. If Aya kicks this story, she'll be propelled into the world of fame, celebrity...and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for."

Fame. Danger. Surge-Monkeys. How cool does that sound? And this is a great read. It took me a while to get into, possibly because the main character, Aya, was obnoxious at first. But she realized her flaws and tried to change, and once I was half-way, whoosh! I couldn't and didn't want to put the book down.

Extras has some great plot twists and excitement, and continues to address deep issues like the other novels in the series do. I didn't like this novel as well as Uglies, Pretties, Specials, but I still enjoyed this novel. I would give it a 3.5 out of 5 and recommend it for older middle-schoolers and up.

What I learned: Sometimes you have to lie to find out the truth. Fame isn't always (usually) as good as it sounds/looks.

Tigers and Rhymes

It's poetry time! People in our culture don't read poetry much (unless it's in school), which is a shame, because it can be so beautiful and meaningful. This is one of my favorite poems because of the imagery and rhyme scheme.

The Tyger by William Blake

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright                                    
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?                                            
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?