The Duff
I love the crap out of this book.
It was smart, witty and I felt it was one of the few young adult book that actually captured the voice of a 21-century teenage girl.
It literally scared the shit out of me how much I related to the main character of Bianca. She, had the all insecurities of a normal girl, but also a hard exterior that really did negatively effect her and the relationships she had with other people. I also loved that every time she teetered to the edge of being an annoying self-centered character, the writer brought her back. It showed a self awareness on the part of the writer and I applaud her for it.
Her friends, Casey and Jessica were amazing characters with very little development. Especially Casey who overturns blonde, cheerleader and thin girl stereotypes without being overly obnoxious. Also, she kept Bianca's character in check. Alot of times friends will just nod over and allow themselves to be walked over. Not Casey. She is the voice through which we readers get to tell Bianca to clam the fuck down.
Jessica was a good person as well, even if she didn't get alot of fun parts. Every cynic needs a bubbly friend. It's the law.
Bianca's relationship with her parents was refreshing. There were high points and low points, but at the end she realizes that even though things aren't going the way she wanted people have to be responsible for themselves. You can't make people be happy.
As for the relationship between Bianca and Wesley, which is the meat of the book, I have to honestly say I love it.
Let me explain.
Their story is not a love story. It is a survival story.
People enter sexual relationships for different reasons and her reason is to distract herself from the troubles at home and the past. Is it a good thing? No, and it isn't presented as such. She looses contact with those important to her, but it treated as a negative trait. It isn't even the guy pulling her back. She needs her 'fix' and she's gonna get it good or not.
Casual teenage sex rubs people the wrong way, but as far as I'm concerned this book didn't glamorize it. In fact, 2/3rds of the book talk about what's wrong about sleeping with someone you don't have real feelings for. Not to mention they use protection and him putting on a condom is actually in the description.
(I hate books where it goes: "Tomdickharry ripped my underwear off and he entered me..." page 56 and then on page 76 "we used protection." When? Because if you put it on after sex it doesn't help much.)
My only problem with the book is the ending with Wesley. I found his change a little shallow, but at the same time I don't feel as if Bianca forced it to happen, more like the writer did. It gave me a mixed feeling at the end because for one I felt like it was promoting that "you can change him" thing that I hate. On the other hand, I love Bianca's whole handling of the situation.
Final Grade: A-
This is a debut book and it is excellent. It is realistic, fun, witty and doesn't try and glam up the reality of life. My favorite thing about this book is the ending message about the word "Duff." In reality everyone feels like the Duff, even the most beautiful women in the world see something wrong with themselves. The only thing we can do is love ourselves before anyone else. My second favorite thing is the fact that it shows that the perfect guy, is only perfect when we imagine him. In reality, the people we love the most are the ones that piss us off. If a couple doesn't hate each other at least 10% of the time, then don't know each other well enough to love one another.
I would just like to say that Kody Keplinger is only 18 years old, but had shown better writing abilities than those older than her.
It was smart, witty and I felt it was one of the few young adult book that actually captured the voice of a 21-century teenage girl.
It literally scared the shit out of me how much I related to the main character of Bianca. She, had the all insecurities of a normal girl, but also a hard exterior that really did negatively effect her and the relationships she had with other people. I also loved that every time she teetered to the edge of being an annoying self-centered character, the writer brought her back. It showed a self awareness on the part of the writer and I applaud her for it.
Her friends, Casey and Jessica were amazing characters with very little development. Especially Casey who overturns blonde, cheerleader and thin girl stereotypes without being overly obnoxious. Also, she kept Bianca's character in check. Alot of times friends will just nod over and allow themselves to be walked over. Not Casey. She is the voice through which we readers get to tell Bianca to clam the fuck down.
Jessica was a good person as well, even if she didn't get alot of fun parts. Every cynic needs a bubbly friend. It's the law.
Bianca's relationship with her parents was refreshing. There were high points and low points, but at the end she realizes that even though things aren't going the way she wanted people have to be responsible for themselves. You can't make people be happy.
As for the relationship between Bianca and Wesley, which is the meat of the book, I have to honestly say I love it.
Let me explain.
Their story is not a love story. It is a survival story.
People enter sexual relationships for different reasons and her reason is to distract herself from the troubles at home and the past. Is it a good thing? No, and it isn't presented as such. She looses contact with those important to her, but it treated as a negative trait. It isn't even the guy pulling her back. She needs her 'fix' and she's gonna get it good or not.
Casual teenage sex rubs people the wrong way, but as far as I'm concerned this book didn't glamorize it. In fact, 2/3rds of the book talk about what's wrong about sleeping with someone you don't have real feelings for. Not to mention they use protection and him putting on a condom is actually in the description.
(I hate books where it goes: "Tomdickharry ripped my underwear off and he entered me..." page 56 and then on page 76 "we used protection." When? Because if you put it on after sex it doesn't help much.)
My only problem with the book is the ending with Wesley. I found his change a little shallow, but at the same time I don't feel as if Bianca forced it to happen, more like the writer did. It gave me a mixed feeling at the end because for one I felt like it was promoting that "you can change him" thing that I hate. On the other hand, I love Bianca's whole handling of the situation.
Final Grade: A-
This is a debut book and it is excellent. It is realistic, fun, witty and doesn't try and glam up the reality of life. My favorite thing about this book is the ending message about the word "Duff." In reality everyone feels like the Duff, even the most beautiful women in the world see something wrong with themselves. The only thing we can do is love ourselves before anyone else. My second favorite thing is the fact that it shows that the perfect guy, is only perfect when we imagine him. In reality, the people we love the most are the ones that piss us off. If a couple doesn't hate each other at least 10% of the time, then don't know each other well enough to love one another.
I would just like to say that Kody Keplinger is only 18 years old, but had shown better writing abilities than those older than her.