So Yesterday -- Scott Westerfeld

Okay. I loved this one. Again, granted that I really have a thing about the anti-consumerism books, but this one was great--and the narrator manages to tell the story without using any brand-names. (Well, almost none).

According to the book, there is a pyramid of cool. Here it is, top to bottom:

Innovators: "When you meet them, most Innovators don't look that cool, not in the sense of fashionable, anyway. There's always something off about them. Like they're uncomfortable with the world. Most Innovators are actually Logo Exiles, trying to get by with the twelve pieces of clothing that are never in or out of style.

Except, like Jen's laces, there's always one thing that stands out on an Innovator. Something new."

Trendsetters: "The Trendsetter's goal is to be the second person in the world to catch the greatest disease. They watch carefully for Innovators, always ready to jump on board. But more importantly, other people watch them. Unlike the Innovators, they are cool, so when they pick up an innovation, it becomes cool. A Trendsetter's most important job is gatekeeper, the filter that separates out real Innovators from those crazy people wearing garbage bags."

Early Adopters: "Adopters always have the latest phone, the latest music player plugged into their ear, and they're the guys who download the trailer a year before the movie comes out. (As they grow older, Early Adopters' closets fill up with dinosaur media: Betamax videos, laser discs, eight-track tapes.) They test and tweak the trend, softening the edges. And one vital difference from Trendsetters: Early Adopters saw their stuff in a magazine first, not on the street."

Consumers: "The people who have to see a product on TV, placed in two movies, fifteen magazine ads, and on a giant rack in the mall before saying, "Hey, that's pretty cool."

At which point it's not."

Laggards: "Proud in their mullets and feathered-back hair, they resist all change, or at least change since they got out of high school. And once every ten years they suffer the uncomfortable realization that their brown leather jackets with big lapels have become, briefly, cool.

But they bravely tuck in their Kiss T-shirts and soldier on."

Not only is there all of the above wonderful-ness, there is a kidnapping, a huge conspiracy, lots of action, a romance, and some really interesting and informative digressions, including the answer to this question: What actually was the deal with that Pokemon episode that gave people seizures?

Unfortunately, I only know two other people who have read (or attempted to read) this one. One liked it until the end, which she said was "too crazy", and the other couldn't finish it. So am I crazy for loving this book as much as I do? C'mon. Help me out.

Comments

[Danielle Wheeler]

i LOVED this book as well! it made me want to keep reading and reading and reading and never finish.. it was a WONDERFUL book..

[Rebecca]

You are not alone. This book kicks ass, and I have read it about five times since I bought it. I've read Uglies et al, too, have you?

[Leila]

I've read Uglies, but not the sequels, but I've also read Peeps and The Last Days -- I was especially over the moon about Peeps. It's fantabulous!

[Amanda Rice]

Yeah, I'm like the only one who would check this book out but it absolutly rocked!!!

[Chelsea K]

This book was one of the best books i have ever read. Absolutly amazing.

I had to read this book with school. Intersting. Different. I like! [=
Now i have to do a missing chapter. help.

[Jasmine]

To everyone out there who loves scott westerfeld. i advise you read the UGLIES, PRETTIES, SPECIALS & (EXTRAS!) Trilogy!. i have all three books and i am reading them again for the third time. I cant wait until EXTRAS comes out. so buy them and enjoy!!!!

[Maria G]

This book is absolutely amazing! It's definitely my favorite, or one of my favorites. Scott Westerfeld rocks! I've read all his books and I love them!

[Julia]

OMg i read the book but only for school i don't get it and i need to write a missin chapterrr Like helkp!!!

[Rika]

Honestly, I found this book very dull. The word 'cool' was overused too often. The beginning started off with a stutter, and I found Hunter's rants about history throughout the book unecessary and unimportant. I loved the Uglies, but the characters felt flat with maybe the exception of Jen. There were, however, some bright spots between the cheesy metaphors and Hunter's awkward description of unrelated events. Not the best YA book, but certainly not the best. I'm looking forward to reading Peeps among other of Westerfeld's books, but I'm afraid this one did not meet his standard for intriguing story arcs and interesting characters.