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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of those times when a book is not totally my thing but is so adorable it doesn't matter one bit.
men... VEM VANN?!
Jag vet att det inte har någon betydelse, att hela boken bygger upp på det. MEN JAG VILL ÄNDÅ VETA VEM SOM VANN OKEJ?!
Jag vet att det inte har någon betydelse, att hela boken bygger upp på det. MEN JAG VILL ÄNDÅ VETA VEM SOM VANN OKEJ?!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I just like Willowdean. I didn't pick this up to treat as a self help book for positive body imaging and that is what people seem to think this should be. It is about a girl who makes mistakes and has thoughts that we all have and maybe just don't voice and, yes, she's a "fat" girl. I'm not sure why a story from that POV has to be about overcoming it but that's what's expected apparently. She's human and flawed and I like her so much because of that, not in spite of it.
This was okay. I liked the writing style enough and felt compelled to continue but I couldn't stand Willowdean. For being so "body positive", she really isn't. And I hated how much everything revolved around her. Ugh. Wish I would've enjoyed this more, but it wasn't bad, but not good.
4.5 A fabulous book! Willowdean is such a great protagonist. She has flaws. She is insecure. She has an incredible love of Dolly Parton. She is navigating her way through love, a rocky friendship, her unbelievable pageant-obsessed mother, and that very pageant. This book is for anybody who has ever felt uncomfortable with themselves or ever doubted they could be more than just their label (so everybody). Willowdean doubts herself and is insecure at times, but she isn't ashamed of who she is. It's for any YA fan who wants to read about more than the stick-figure popular girls and boys. It's got a diverse range of characters and issues that anyone can find something to relate too. It's also funny and heartfelt with a feel-good ending.
16 year-old Willowdean, or Dumplin' as her former beauty queen mom affectionately calls her, is your average high school student. She has hopes and dreams, a best friend who is her world, and a crush on the hot private school basketball player she works with at her part-time fast food job. Willowdean also struggles with the typical female body issues: not technically obese but far from skinny, she has always tried to embrace her body as it is and not let other people or uncomfortable situations (like not fitting into a Halloween costume) affect her and her self-image. All that changes, though, when her best friend claims Willowdean is holding her back from life and the hot basketball player slash coworker seems to want to kiss her every time they are alone. Forced to evaluate everything she thought she knew -- including her friendship, her confidence, and her place as a curvy girl in this skinny world -- Willowdean decides to do the unthinkable: enter her mother's prized event, the Miss Clover City beauty pageant, shocking herself even more than everyone else.
Like so many girls, I was beyond self-conscious about my weight in high school. I still am, to be honest. (I still marvel at how I managed to land such a handsome husband!) In high school, I wore clothes to hide my figure as best as I could and I had a best friend who was not just skinnier than me but also prettier and much more confident. I used her as my safety blanket -- she always made me feel great about myself, she would never leave my side or make me fend for myself, and she was my biggest supporter. There was a part of me, though, that felt inadequate because I knew what people must be thinking: I was the "designated fat friend". My self-esteem was in the tank and the fact that guys wanted to go out with her and not me definitely made it worse. I couldn't even imagine that a guy would be interested in me. Turns out, I found out years later that there were a few who wanted to ask me out but didn't because I made it clear at the time that the only person I needed was my best friend. Willowdean and I have a lot in common, apparently: we sabotaged potential relationships due to our insecurities. Then I got my first boyfriend, who I thought was way better-looking than I deserved, and the insecurities skyrocketed. Does he really think I'm cute? Why would he want to date ME? Can he feel my fat when he hugs me? Dumplin' is my high school life story, but funnier and with a beauty pageant that my teen self never in a million years would have had the guts to take part in, and I adored reading every page. My only qualm? I would've liked to see more of the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and left me needing more closure even though I could clearly see where author Julie Murphy was leading Willowdean.
Teens and adults alike will love Willowdean, her friends, her potential love interests, and the kick-butt way she goes after life. Dumplin' is a story many can relate to: growing up, forging new friendships, adjusting old friendships, and dealing with insecurities and trust in yourself as well as those around you. We are all trying to find our place in this world, regardless of age, and Dumplin' captures this perfectly.
Like so many girls, I was beyond self-conscious about my weight in high school. I still am, to be honest. (I still marvel at how I managed to land such a handsome husband!) In high school, I wore clothes to hide my figure as best as I could and I had a best friend who was not just skinnier than me but also prettier and much more confident. I used her as my safety blanket -- she always made me feel great about myself, she would never leave my side or make me fend for myself, and she was my biggest supporter. There was a part of me, though, that felt inadequate because I knew what people must be thinking: I was the "designated fat friend". My self-esteem was in the tank and the fact that guys wanted to go out with her and not me definitely made it worse. I couldn't even imagine that a guy would be interested in me. Turns out, I found out years later that there were a few who wanted to ask me out but didn't because I made it clear at the time that the only person I needed was my best friend. Willowdean and I have a lot in common, apparently: we sabotaged potential relationships due to our insecurities. Then I got my first boyfriend, who I thought was way better-looking than I deserved, and the insecurities skyrocketed. Does he really think I'm cute? Why would he want to date ME? Can he feel my fat when he hugs me? Dumplin' is my high school life story, but funnier and with a beauty pageant that my teen self never in a million years would have had the guts to take part in, and I adored reading every page. My only qualm? I would've liked to see more of the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and left me needing more closure even though I could clearly see where author Julie Murphy was leading Willowdean.
Teens and adults alike will love Willowdean, her friends, her potential love interests, and the kick-butt way she goes after life. Dumplin' is a story many can relate to: growing up, forging new friendships, adjusting old friendships, and dealing with insecurities and trust in yourself as well as those around you. We are all trying to find our place in this world, regardless of age, and Dumplin' captures this perfectly.