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A review by eggjen
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
4.0
I guess it is fitting that I read this book obsessively in one sitting. As the main character, Bianca, finds herself obsessed with "the wrong guy", I found myself obsessed with the story. I read in less than 24 hours, staying up too late and then immediately finishing it the next morning. This is the kind of story I think a lot of girls can relate to - we've all felt like the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) before, as Bianca eventually learns.
I liked the literary references and themes that ran through the book - as Bianca is reading The Scarlet Letter and Wuthering Heights, it's very clear how the stories relate to her world and reading the stories seem to help her understand herself better - and I'm always in support of encouraging people to read the classics (or anything, really - read anything).
Now the caveats: This book contains a lot of mature content - namely, sex. Far more than one would expect to find in a "young adult" novel - maybe I need to get with the times and acknowledge that this is realistic but I'd caution you not to recommend it to younger readers because I'm not sure the book sends an entirely healthy message in the long run. Everything works out well for the characters of the story, but even our main character will acknowledge that this is not always the case.
I liked the literary references and themes that ran through the book - as Bianca is reading The Scarlet Letter and Wuthering Heights, it's very clear how the stories relate to her world and reading the stories seem to help her understand herself better - and I'm always in support of encouraging people to read the classics (or anything, really - read anything).
Now the caveats: This book contains a lot of mature content - namely, sex. Far more than one would expect to find in a "young adult" novel - maybe I need to get with the times and acknowledge that this is realistic but I'd caution you not to recommend it to younger readers because I'm not sure the book sends an entirely healthy message in the long run. Everything works out well for the characters of the story, but even our main character will acknowledge that this is not always the case.