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theromantasynerd 's review for:
Dumplin'
by Julie Murphy
A book that inspires you to accept yourself as you are and be confident in your skin.
“Dumplin’” by Julie Murphy is a contemporary YA coming-of-age story that follows Willowdean (nicknamed "Dumplin’" by her mother), a plus-size teenager who has always felt comfortable with her body and herself. She doesn't care that her mother was a teen beauty queen or that people have poked fun at her weight. However, all of this changes when she meets Bo, a handsome teenage boy her age that has expressed interest in dating her. Suddenly Will is full of insecurities and can't bring herself to date him out of fear of what others would think and say. In order to prove to her self-worth, Will decides to enter and win the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant.
I thought the writing was amazing, it was snarky with a great use of vernacular that gave a very Texas vibe to the setting. Will’s character was brought to life through the amazing writing, she was super confident but relatable at the same time. You see her confidence shaken at some instances and she starts second-guessing herself which was quite realistic. For once, the main character isn’t that stereotypical blonde, beautiful with striking eyes. By participating in this Beauty Pageant, Will wants to show that she’s as beautiful as the skinny or average girl even though she may be bigger. Her snarky and sassy character is just so empowering!
Her relationship with Bo and how it made her second guess herself was also intriguing to read. The book is pretty fast-paced; you get to see what’s inside of Will’s mind and her considering how other people see her. I love the message of the book and I feel it’s so important to have it in YA fiction because it encourages you to be confident in yourself and that’s what makes you beautiful! 🤍
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I was quite surprised by it. This book has also been adapted into a movie, so you could check that out too.
“Dumplin’” by Julie Murphy is a contemporary YA coming-of-age story that follows Willowdean (nicknamed "Dumplin’" by her mother), a plus-size teenager who has always felt comfortable with her body and herself. She doesn't care that her mother was a teen beauty queen or that people have poked fun at her weight. However, all of this changes when she meets Bo, a handsome teenage boy her age that has expressed interest in dating her. Suddenly Will is full of insecurities and can't bring herself to date him out of fear of what others would think and say. In order to prove to her self-worth, Will decides to enter and win the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant.
I thought the writing was amazing, it was snarky with a great use of vernacular that gave a very Texas vibe to the setting. Will’s character was brought to life through the amazing writing, she was super confident but relatable at the same time. You see her confidence shaken at some instances and she starts second-guessing herself which was quite realistic. For once, the main character isn’t that stereotypical blonde, beautiful with striking eyes. By participating in this Beauty Pageant, Will wants to show that she’s as beautiful as the skinny or average girl even though she may be bigger. Her snarky and sassy character is just so empowering!
Her relationship with Bo and how it made her second guess herself was also intriguing to read. The book is pretty fast-paced; you get to see what’s inside of Will’s mind and her considering how other people see her. I love the message of the book and I feel it’s so important to have it in YA fiction because it encourages you to be confident in yourself and that’s what makes you beautiful! 🤍
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I was quite surprised by it. This book has also been adapted into a movie, so you could check that out too.