*Disclaimer: I received this book through Around the World Tours.
When I first started hearing about The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger, I wasn't sure I'd like it. I wasn't sure it was the type of book I'd enjoy, so I kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. But, I kept hearing more and more about it, and everything I was hearing was positive, so when I had the chance to read it, I decided I'd give it a try. Big smile.:)
Reading the description of the book, a girl who gets into an enemies-with-benefits relationship to escape her problems, and then falls for him sounded like the high school version of a really cheesy romance novel, which I don't read. But The Duff has so much more than that to offer. It's about growing up, good friends, and accepting who you are.
Keplinger is a talented writer. Her characters are authentic and their reactions were always believable. Reading Bianca's thoughts totally brought me back to high school. When I would roll my eyes at her 'oh so witty banter' I had to stop and cringe because I've been there, thinking I'm so smart until an hour later when I think about how dumb I really sounded. (or listening to my little brother use the same arguments on my parents and thinking, wow... did I really sound that dumb?!)
I think the character I liked the most was Wesley. Not because he was the most likable character in the story, or anything, but because I actually liked him by the end. He is one of the reasons I was sort of avoiding the book. I didn't think I would ever like him, and when I started the book it reinforced that idea. He's a bit of a pig with a vastly over inflated sense of his own importance. But, as Bianca got to know him and started to realize that maybe he is a human being with a heart after all, I started to like him. He's got his own set of troubles, and while they don't excuse his bad behavior, it definitely makes his actions more understandable.
Bianca was also a wonderful character. She's more than a little cynical, but she's also fiercely loyal and protective of those she loves. She's a strong character made stronger by the fact that she doesn't really know how to handle everything that is currently happening to her. She does spend a little too much time trying to just run away from the problems, but we've all been there. I loved her realization toward the end of the book, and the message that 'duff' is a relative term and that everyone goes through the same self esteem issues at one point or another.
The only part of the book that I can genuinely say I didn't much care for was toward the end with Wuthering Heights. It just felt like a little bit too much, and I felt myself rolling my eyes throughout that whole section. The only thing that redeemed that passage for me was that Bianca herself acknowledged that she was being a little bit ridiculous.
Overall, it's a light, fun read with a surprising amount of depth and a cast of wonderfully drawn, very real characters.