Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Diary of a Wimpy Kid

I remember reading this in elementary / middle school and thinking it was so funny. This series had such a moment in the early 2000s. The book hasn't aged much, but I definitely have. I certainly did not find it as funny this time around, but I'm not in the target audience anymore so I can't really be upset about it.

I didn't realize how little of a plot the book actually had. There is no one over-arching goal Gregg is trying to reach and there is no grand lesson that he learns. I decided to read this again after re-watching the movie recently and it really shows how stiff the book is compared to the plot of the movie. Book Gregg doesn't seem to learn anything by the end. Movie Gregg had at least some redemption.

I also didn't realize how big of a jerk Gregg was written out to be. I'm glad that the movie re-wrote him a bit because he is so much more cold and selfish in the book.

Despite its flaws, I still really love the format of this. I think that was one of the big reasons the series took off in the first place. The hand written font with the simple drawings and smooth writing style made reading this a really enjoyable experience, even on the digital version.

This is a good book to go back to for nostalgia sake, but I can't see myself recommending this today

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insanebookperson's review against another edition

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funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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agatha_hopkins's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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wellreadandhalfdead's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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itsreirei's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

Re-read after 10 years, I didn't remember the toxic masculinity and the simplistic description of male/female interests&behaviours - although I suppose given the time it was originally published and the 12 y.o. narrator, it kinda makes sense.
Also, it just clicked in my head that Greg is a middle child which somehow explains certain things...

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nick13's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a fun, quick read to pass the time. Also, reading these books quite a bit older than the recommended age makes it fun to speculate on the theory about Greg Heffley being a sociopath (spoiler: he totally is!).

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thefunhouse's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Greg is a terrible person.

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