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A review by happilyheatherafterr
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Previously before acquiring this book in my collection, I had watched the Netflix film. Although when I was reading the book I could not remember much from the movie. I did remember the plot and knew a general idea of the storyline.
I really loved Willowdean. She gave some body representation that is not often written about and I felt represented. Willowdean made me feel inspired to be myself and to stop letting silly fears hold me back from what I want to do. She felt real where one minute you can go from being body-positive to being utterly self-conscious about yourself, and I understood her.
I know the story is not supposed to be a romance but I do wish we got a better ending with Bo. I remember reading the page, ready to turn to the next only to find out it was over. It was an ending that left it up to the audience to decide what happens. Overall, I enjoyed the aspect of the story not being entirely focused on the romance but more about Willowdean's journey and friendships.
Something I found when I was reading that had me questioning was that there was a large amount of "prep" time for the pageant and that was the majority of the book. The pageant itself was squished into the last five or six chapters of the book. I wish we got to read more of their time during the pageant, get to explore and get Willowdean's thoughts on the other performances or at least find out who won.
This book would be great for ages 14+ because there are mentions of topics that may not be suitable for younger audiences. If I had read this when I was younger, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more as the connection between my feelings and the characters would be aligned.
I really loved Willowdean. She gave some body representation that is not often written about and I felt represented. Willowdean made me feel inspired to be myself and to stop letting silly fears hold me back from what I want to do. She felt real where one minute you can go from being body-positive to being utterly self-conscious about yourself, and I understood her.
I know the story is not supposed to be a romance but I do wish we got a better ending with Bo. I remember reading the page, ready to turn to the next only to find out it was over. It was an ending that left it up to the audience to decide what happens. Overall, I enjoyed the aspect of the story not being entirely focused on the romance but more about Willowdean's journey and friendships.
Something I found when I was reading that had me questioning was that there was a large amount of "prep" time for the pageant and that was the majority of the book. The pageant itself was squished into the last five or six chapters of the book. I wish we got to read more of their time during the pageant, get to explore and get Willowdean's thoughts on the other performances or at least find out who won.
This book would be great for ages 14+ because there are mentions of topics that may not be suitable for younger audiences. If I had read this when I was younger, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more as the connection between my feelings and the characters would be aligned.