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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I started reading this book in the afternoon, thinking I would only read a few chapters, only to be COMPLETELY HOOKED. I finished the book in less than 4 hours.
I loved Bianca's character. She was sassy and rude but that's what made her so lovable.
I couldn't help but fall in love with Wesley. I thought I would never like his character after Bianca and Wesley's initial meeting at the Nest but I quickly grew to love him.
You can't believe how much I ship these two.
This book was such a good read and well worth 4 hours of my day today.
I loved Bianca's character. She was sassy and rude but that's what made her so lovable.
I couldn't help but fall in love with Wesley. I thought I would never like his character after Bianca and Wesley's initial meeting at the Nest but I quickly grew to love him.
You can't believe how much I ship these two.
This book was such a good read and well worth 4 hours of my day today.
It's SO GOOD omg. It's been a while since I've watched the movie so I didn't remember much. I wish I had read this when it came out. I would've been 23 and much closer in age to the intended audience. But as a 30 something year old lady who was the DUFF in high school, the story still worked.
Bianca is so annoying and so relatable. She represents the internal misogyny we were all raised to create inside ourselves. She projects her own judgments on to other people but stick around to watch her learn her lesson. She also goes through some serious family shit that really hit home for me. So do a lot of the students. But that's the point, right? We never know what other ppl are going thru and we don't have the right to judge anyone's journey. We've all fucked up and made mistakes. Some of us are ready to learn from them. Some of us still need more time to fuck around and find out. It's not our job to decide for anyone but ourselves.
I cannot believe the author was 17 when she wrote this! It's so well paced, entertaining, and provoked a lot of introspection. I'm not inclined to read the rest of the series bc I'm old and I'm not interested in the high school dynamics of every student at Hamilton High but I would have ate them up as a teenager/young adult/new adult.
Bianca is so annoying and so relatable. She represents the internal misogyny we were all raised to create inside ourselves. She projects her own judgments on to other people but stick around to watch her learn her lesson. She also goes through some serious family shit that really hit home for me. So do a lot of the students. But that's the point, right? We never know what other ppl are going thru and we don't have the right to judge anyone's journey. We've all fucked up and made mistakes. Some of us are ready to learn from them. Some of us still need more time to fuck around and find out. It's not our job to decide for anyone but ourselves.
I cannot believe the author was 17 when she wrote this! It's so well paced, entertaining, and provoked a lot of introspection. I'm not inclined to read the rest of the series bc I'm old and I'm not interested in the high school dynamics of every student at Hamilton High but I would have ate them up as a teenager/young adult/new adult.
Plot: The plot of THE DUFF is simple, yet complicated at the same time. Its about a girl, Bianca, who is having a hard time. Her family is having some issues and it's complicated by friends and ex-boyfriends. She's under a lot of pressure - so what does she do? She falls into bed with Wesley, the man-slut. The guy who will fall into bed with anyone. I thought it was a little predictable for most of the book, and then about three-fourths of the way in I was hooked. I wanted to know the ending. And the hopeless romantic in me wanted them together so bad. I thought the ending was a little easy, but still enjoyable.
Characters: Bianca was a little hard for me to connect to. She and I have very different personalities, which may have been the largest factor. She would react violently differently in situations then I would, but that did make reading the novel a surprise for me. Wesley, however, is all worth it. Wesley is somehow charming and and utterly annoying at the same time. He was a very genuine character, and I loved Keplinger for it. Bianca's friends were oddly similar and different at the same time. Their loyalty was nice, but I was annoyed by the utter obliviousness of one.
Themes: Body issues are a large part of this novel. Everyone is painfully aware of their faults - just like in the real world. This is a novel that everyone can relate to in that way. Body issues are a tough thing in today's world where tiny runway models and skinny actresses are the women we have to look up to, that we hold up on pedestals. The way Keplinger handles these issues alone makes this book worth a read.
Overall: I'm going to give THE DUFF four of five stars. It took me a while to finally get into this book, but when I finally did, I was hooked for good. If you haven't read it, you should. I fully recommend it.
Characters: Bianca was a little hard for me to connect to. She and I have very different personalities, which may have been the largest factor. She would react violently differently in situations then I would, but that did make reading the novel a surprise for me. Wesley, however, is all worth it. Wesley is somehow charming and and utterly annoying at the same time. He was a very genuine character, and I loved Keplinger for it. Bianca's friends were oddly similar and different at the same time. Their loyalty was nice, but I was annoyed by the utter obliviousness of one.
Themes: Body issues are a large part of this novel. Everyone is painfully aware of their faults - just like in the real world. This is a novel that everyone can relate to in that way. Body issues are a tough thing in today's world where tiny runway models and skinny actresses are the women we have to look up to, that we hold up on pedestals. The way Keplinger handles these issues alone makes this book worth a read.
Overall: I'm going to give THE DUFF four of five stars. It took me a while to finally get into this book, but when I finally did, I was hooked for good. If you haven't read it, you should. I fully recommend it.
The Duff is exactly what you expect it to be. A story about a teenage girl who is trying to figure out who she is while navigating through issues with family, friends and high school.
What makes Duff interesting is the main character. Bianca is a strong character with her own personality and choices. Bianca's family life is not the best, her love life is complicated and now she learns that she is the Designated Ugly Fat Friend (DUFF). While the plot may be one that has been overused, [a:Kody Keplinger|3095919|Kody Keplinger|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1260080297p2/3095919.jpg] does a good enough job to keep the reader interested. If the reader does not like books targeted to teen girls, then they will not like this book.
The plot is predictable, nothing too surprising happens but it's enjoyable enough to read. It's a short read -- I finished it in less than two days -- and leaves you with a satisfying end. This is not a book that is made to make you think, it's a book to make you escape for a brief moment.
Do I recommend it? Sure, but only if you like this genre of books. If you're looking for a book with a deeper message then this one is definitely not for you. I mean the book is called "Designated Ugly Fat Friend."
What makes Duff interesting is the main character. Bianca is a strong character with her own personality and choices. Bianca's family life is not the best, her love life is complicated and now she learns that she is the Designated Ugly Fat Friend (DUFF). While the plot may be one that has been overused, [a:Kody Keplinger|3095919|Kody Keplinger|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1260080297p2/3095919.jpg] does a good enough job to keep the reader interested. If the reader does not like books targeted to teen girls, then they will not like this book.
The plot is predictable, nothing too surprising happens but it's enjoyable enough to read. It's a short read -- I finished it in less than two days -- and leaves you with a satisfying end. This is not a book that is made to make you think, it's a book to make you escape for a brief moment.
Do I recommend it? Sure, but only if you like this genre of books. If you're looking for a book with a deeper message then this one is definitely not for you. I mean the book is called "Designated Ugly Fat Friend."
Update!!:
So I watch the movie Saturday (April 11th) and OMG I loved the movie so much more than the book! So if you like me didn't like the book definitely go watch the movie because it was nothing like the book ;D!
Book review:
2.5 stars.
Okay.... Bianca annoyed the hell out of me! - God I wanted to hit her all the freaking time! And what's worst she already knew she was fucked up!. Plus I really hatred how she treated her friends! I could go on and on how much I dislike her - but am getting mad just by thinking about her....
Wesley on the other hand - I liked A LOT! ;D and Bianca's best friends Jess and Casey - they were really sweet! :D
I never thought I would say this but - I REALLY hope the movie is going to be alot better than the book itself! :D
So I watch the movie Saturday (April 11th) and OMG I loved the movie so much more than the book! So if you like me didn't like the book definitely go watch the movie because it was nothing like the book ;D!
Book review:
2.5 stars.
Okay.... Bianca annoyed the hell out of me! - God I wanted to hit her all the freaking time! And what's worst she already knew she was fucked up!. Plus I really hatred how she treated her friends! I could go on and on how much I dislike her - but am getting mad just by thinking about her....
Wesley on the other hand - I liked A LOT! ;D and Bianca's best friends Jess and Casey - they were really sweet! :D
I never thought I would say this but - I REALLY hope the movie is going to be alot better than the book itself! :D
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I couldn't get into this one. After about 80 pages, I looked over at my bookshelves with the hundreds of books I have to read (including books I still need to read and review), and decided it wasn't worth it. I didn't connect with the main character at all. I felt like her "romance" with the male lead was cringe-worthy (and yes, I skimmed through and read what happened). I'm obviously not the target audience for this one, but maybe it will really resonate with teens and younger adults. This one just wasn't for me.
I enjoyed this book, probably because I went into it knowing it was going to be a very specific type of book, wanting the escapism of that sort of story, and already liking the character by default because her name was Bianca (a name I love, but which I have sworn solemnly to never give to my own children--a promise I will probably keep).
Anyway, the book is about Bianca, often referred to as "B," and her disintegrating family and her need for a way to distract herself from the emotional pain of her parents divorcing, her ex-boyfriend (sort of) coming back to town with his fiancee, her mother's emotional and physical distance, and her father's relapse into alcoholism. She chooses to do this by kissing (and then doing other things with) the one boy she hates, Wesley.
Bianca and Wesley end up becoming sort-of friends through their hook-ups, but at the expense of her relationships with her best friends. As the book progresses, Bianca starts to realize that what she's doing is unhealthy and just a form of running away--like her mother's distance and her father's alcohol. The plotline was fairly predictable, but I felt like Keplinger did a good job of keeping her narrator in character, and of keeping the tone of the book light even though she was dealing with some pretty deep subject matter.
I've heard complaints about this book from various people and about various aspects, things about Bianca being unrealistic or unrelatable, about the moral of the story being too . . . moral . . . and about how unrealistically (or how ultrarealistically) teen sex was handled. Basically, if you didn't relate to Bianca as a narrator, that's one thing. I get that, I had that trouble with "An Abundance of Katherines," and if you're not relating to a main character, that pretty much means you're not going to enjoy the book. I can't do anything about that. The moral of the story--everyone feels ugly and under appreciated sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should run away from your problems (or jump into bed with the next guy you see)--may have been a little obvious, but this is teen lit, guys, what exactly were you expecting? I think it's still an important message to get out there, and for a YA novel, this book handles self-esteem issues surprisingly subtly.
The claims about teen sex I'm not sure how to answer either. There is certainly a lot of talk about sex, having sex, and wanting to have sex in the book. But it never seemed the focal point of the book, to me. Keplinger--and Bianca--are very careful to make sure the sex that does happen is safe (or as safe as it can be, under the circumstances). Nothing is described in detail. Bianca focuses on her emotions rather on what's happening physically. I think the most graphic detail given is "and then we were having sex". Compared to a lot of romance novels (and even movies), it was all pretty tame. It was the emotion of the act, not the act itself that was focused on. It's also a book geared toward the 16 and up crowd, too. To me, it felt more like the point Keplinger was trying to make was that sex shouldn't be cheap, it should be between two people who have some sort of commitment to each other, and who care about each other.
Finally, it feels like this is one of those books where, if you want to enjoy it, you have to keep in mind that it is pretty much a romance novel that deals occasionally with tougher issues facing young adults today. It's fluff. It's not supposed to be the be-all, end-all of teen lit, it's supposed to entertain you. It's supposed to be fun.
Anyway, the book is about Bianca, often referred to as "B," and her disintegrating family and her need for a way to distract herself from the emotional pain of her parents divorcing, her ex-boyfriend (sort of) coming back to town with his fiancee, her mother's emotional and physical distance, and her father's relapse into alcoholism. She chooses to do this by kissing (and then doing other things with) the one boy she hates, Wesley.
Bianca and Wesley end up becoming sort-of friends through their hook-ups, but at the expense of her relationships with her best friends. As the book progresses, Bianca starts to realize that what she's doing is unhealthy and just a form of running away--like her mother's distance and her father's alcohol. The plotline was fairly predictable, but I felt like Keplinger did a good job of keeping her narrator in character, and of keeping the tone of the book light even though she was dealing with some pretty deep subject matter.
I've heard complaints about this book from various people and about various aspects, things about Bianca being unrealistic or unrelatable, about the moral of the story being too . . . moral . . . and about how unrealistically (or how ultrarealistically) teen sex was handled. Basically, if you didn't relate to Bianca as a narrator, that's one thing. I get that, I had that trouble with "An Abundance of Katherines," and if you're not relating to a main character, that pretty much means you're not going to enjoy the book. I can't do anything about that. The moral of the story--everyone feels ugly and under appreciated sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should run away from your problems (or jump into bed with the next guy you see)--may have been a little obvious, but this is teen lit, guys, what exactly were you expecting? I think it's still an important message to get out there, and for a YA novel, this book handles self-esteem issues surprisingly subtly.
The claims about teen sex I'm not sure how to answer either. There is certainly a lot of talk about sex, having sex, and wanting to have sex in the book. But it never seemed the focal point of the book, to me. Keplinger--and Bianca--are very careful to make sure the sex that does happen is safe (or as safe as it can be, under the circumstances). Nothing is described in detail. Bianca focuses on her emotions rather on what's happening physically. I think the most graphic detail given is "and then we were having sex". Compared to a lot of romance novels (and even movies), it was all pretty tame. It was the emotion of the act, not the act itself that was focused on. It's also a book geared toward the 16 and up crowd, too. To me, it felt more like the point Keplinger was trying to make was that sex shouldn't be cheap, it should be between two people who have some sort of commitment to each other, and who care about each other.
Finally, it feels like this is one of those books where, if you want to enjoy it, you have to keep in mind that it is pretty much a romance novel that deals occasionally with tougher issues facing young adults today. It's fluff. It's not supposed to be the be-all, end-all of teen lit, it's supposed to entertain you. It's supposed to be fun.
The more you hate, the more you love...
I think this saying can pretty much sum up Bianca Piper and Wesley Rush's relationship. At first, Wesley is a complete jerk who calls Bianca the Designated Ugly Fat Friend because her best friends are pretty and hot (and he thinks she isn't of the same caliber) so naturally, she hates him with the intensity of a thousand suns.
Now Bianca has a lot of issues, her mother is an absentee parent, and her father is a recovering alcoholic -- their marriage is on the rocks. Bianca is also a little bitter about her ex-boyfriend who had been a two-timing jerk. These problems, accompanied with low self-esteem and an introverted personality made Bianca a really unhappy person. So how does she deal with it? By having meaningless sex with Wesley Rush --- the number one guy she hates most in the world. Not only is he a jerk but he's also a player with his own motto:
Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls. Girls chase him...
Of course, like any good romance they end up falling for each other as they discover the pains and secrets that the other has. Wesley is a womanizer because he's afraid to be alone; because his parents are always away; and because his grandma hates him and badmouths him to his sister.
Bianca doesn't tell her best friends at first and sneaks around with Wesley, but as soon as she realizes she has feelings for him she bolts and seeks comfort in her friends.
Sometimes I like Bianca, sometimes I don't. She is a smart girl but she really doesn't understand the needs of her aching heart.
Anyway, she finds a substitute in good guy, Toby Tucker. I like him. He is smart and funny -- a noble knight of sorts. But Bianca isn't really happy and Wesley seems miserable too. Wesley sends her flowers and a letter that is so sweet it makes your teeth ache. You know they're gonna end up together so at this point I'm really starting to get annoyed with Bianca for the delay.
Finally, in the end Toby confesses to still being in love with his ex, Nina, and encouraging Bianca to go back to Wesley. So she thanks him and lives happily ever after with her prince. Oh, and their family problems end up being resolved, so yehey.
I really like this book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes sappy romance novels.
I think this saying can pretty much sum up Bianca Piper and Wesley Rush's relationship. At first, Wesley is a complete jerk who calls Bianca the Designated Ugly Fat Friend because her best friends are pretty and hot (and he thinks she isn't of the same caliber) so naturally, she hates him with the intensity of a thousand suns.
Now Bianca has a lot of issues, her mother is an absentee parent, and her father is a recovering alcoholic -- their marriage is on the rocks. Bianca is also a little bitter about her ex-boyfriend who had been a two-timing jerk. These problems, accompanied with low self-esteem and an introverted personality made Bianca a really unhappy person. So how does she deal with it? By having meaningless sex with Wesley Rush --- the number one guy she hates most in the world. Not only is he a jerk but he's also a player with his own motto:
Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls. Girls chase him...
Of course, like any good romance they end up falling for each other as they discover the pains and secrets that the other has. Wesley is a womanizer because he's afraid to be alone; because his parents are always away; and because his grandma hates him and badmouths him to his sister.
Bianca doesn't tell her best friends at first and sneaks around with Wesley, but as soon as she realizes she has feelings for him she bolts and seeks comfort in her friends.
Sometimes I like Bianca, sometimes I don't. She is a smart girl but she really doesn't understand the needs of her aching heart.
Anyway, she finds a substitute in good guy, Toby Tucker. I like him. He is smart and funny -- a noble knight of sorts. But Bianca isn't really happy and Wesley seems miserable too. Wesley sends her flowers and a letter that is so sweet it makes your teeth ache. You know they're gonna end up together so at this point I'm really starting to get annoyed with Bianca for the delay.
Finally, in the end Toby confesses to still being in love with his ex, Nina, and encouraging Bianca to go back to Wesley. So she thanks him and lives happily ever after with her prince. Oh, and their family problems end up being resolved, so yehey.
I really like this book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes sappy romance novels.