A review by billie_visible
Specials by Scott Westerfeld
3.0
I remembered nothing about this book because it's been 17 years since I read it, which is wild to think about.
Conclusions (or, pseudo-conclusions, given that Scott inevitably wrote a fourth book, then a continuation series) abound. Despite the obnoxiousness of teenage romance tropes, the continuation of Tally's attempt to rescue her beloved Zane is written in an endearing way (all the more so given its tragic spin).
As a newly minted Specials, Tally and Shay must now help take down the Smokies once and for all. What starts as a simple ploy to both turn a trick and track their prey results in catastrophic consequences.
Shocking props to Westerfeld for the insightful and realistic portrayal of self harm as an addictive coping mechanism, ableism, and the ever present themes of environmentalism. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, or for it to hold up as an enjoyable read as an adult.
Conclusions (or, pseudo-conclusions, given that Scott inevitably wrote a fourth book, then a continuation series) abound. Despite the obnoxiousness of teenage romance tropes, the continuation of Tally's attempt to rescue her beloved Zane is written in an endearing way (all the more so given its tragic spin).
As a newly minted Specials, Tally and Shay must now help take down the Smokies once and for all. What starts as a simple ploy to both turn a trick and track their prey results in catastrophic consequences.
Shocking props to Westerfeld for the insightful and realistic portrayal of self harm as an addictive coping mechanism, ableism, and the ever present themes of environmentalism. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, or for it to hold up as an enjoyable read as an adult.