Books Like Uglies

Suzanne Collins

Like Uglies, it builds a controlled society on the surface and follows a teenage heroine who starts to see what the system hides. Its tense pacing and sharp critique of spectacle will suit readers who enjoyed Westerfeld's world.

M. T. Anderson

Its near-future world is saturated with corporate technology, and its teenage characters are shaped by what they consume. Readers who liked how Uglies questions a manufactured idea of perfection will find a similarly unsettling satire here.

Veronica Roth

A teenager must choose a faction and then questions the values her society was built on. Its fast, high-stakes plot and themes of identity and conformity echo the central tension of Uglies.

Margaret Peterson Haddix

A young protagonist discovers a hidden truth about her controlled community and must decide how far to resist. Its short, propulsive chapters and secret-keeping plot appeal to readers who enjoyed Tally's rebellion.

Cory Doctorow

A clever teenager takes on a surveillance state with technology and nerve. Readers who liked Uglies' theme of a young person seeing through an authority that claims to protect them will find it equally gripping.

Marie Lu

Two teenagers from opposite sides of a divided society find themselves in conflict with the state. Its fast pace, dual viewpoints and questions about what the government tells its citizens suit fans of Uglies.

James Dashner

A group of teenagers wakes in a mysterious enclosed world with little memory and must work out the rules. Its brisk pace and puzzle-like mystery will appeal to readers who liked the page-turning momentum of Uglies.

Neal Shusterman

In a future where death has been abolished, teenagers train to take lives, and the story questions the cost of a perfect society. Its engaging voice and moral puzzles suit readers who enjoyed Uglies' witty tone.

Marissa Meyer

A futuristic retelling with a sharp, funny heroine who doesn't fit the expected mould. Its light, energetic voice and fresh world-building appeal to readers who enjoyed Tally's spirit.

Scott Westerfeld

Not a sequel but another YA novel from the same author, set in an alternate history with a strong sense of invention. Its imaginative world-building and tense adventure match what readers loved about Uglies.

Lois Lowry

A quiet, thoughtful dystopia about a community that has removed pain and difficult choices. Readers who valued the moral questions behind Uglies' perfect city will find it a powerful companion.

Orson Scott Card

A gifted young protagonist is pushed by a system that uses children for its own ends. Its focus on a young person questioning authority and the costs of control appeals to fans of Uglies.