CMN Library Book Series: Uglies

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

In humanity's future, a new type of society has been formed after a disastrous oil-bug was released upon the planet that killed 98% of the human population and left many cities in ruins. The new society is composed of about one hundred small post-scarcity, independently-run city states, spread out across the seven continents. Tally's city is located somewhere in southern California. The new society holds three values at its core: Sustainability, Peace, and Equality. The new society promotes these values through the use of The Surge, a type of extreme cosmetic surgery that all citizens undergo at the age of 16. The Surge transforms ordinary humans into paragons of beauty, right down to perfect facial symmetry. Within the post-Surge part of a persons life, everyone's common beauty inspires peace and equality among the citizens.