You Could Be So Pretty

 

Set in a dystopian near future, where girls are expected to conform to exacting beauty standards and are constantly scrutinised and graded. Beauty comes at a price. And girls must pay. In Belle and Joni's world there are two options for girls: like Belle - follow the rules of the Doctrine - apply your Mask, work hard to be crowned at the Ceremony, be a Pretty. Or be like Joni - leave your face bare, work hard to escape to the Education, be an Objectionable. Bella, the highest rated ‘pretty’ in school, clashes with Joni, an ‘objectionable’ who refuses to follow the norms and wishes to be herself. The two girls initially clash and eventually work together to subvert the Doctrine.

This novel was really enjoyable and will hit a nerve with many young people today – is this so unbelievable when we look at our own attitudes and exposure to social media? It has been described as Uglies meets The Handmaid's Tale for the new YA generation, and that’s a pretty fair description. Read it and throw away your eyelash curlers forever!