Review: Kody Keplinger - The DUFF

Kody Keplinger - The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)

• Pub. Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Format: CD - 7 hrs 39 mins
• Age Range: Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Oh my goodness, I seriously enjoyed this novel!! It was not at all what I was expecting, but it's in that super awesome good way! I was appalled and felt bad for Bianca at the beginning when Wesley treated her that way, but I figured what was coming next. I pretty much guessed it all, really, but that somehow didn't stop me from completely loving this book!

This novel certainly is not for everyone. I won't lie: I loved every swear word in this book. There are a ton, and I appreciated them! It may seem a little gratuitous to other people, but my life is one giant curse word, so it makes them feel more authentic to me. Shocking, maybe. But I loved it. Bianca's foul mouth kept me guessing what she was going to say next. It just felt real! Loved it.

I also enjoyed all the sexiness in this book. I was taken aback a bit by it all because it made me feel a little bit like a creepo since they're in high school. I got past that though.. haha. I was not a Bianca-type girl in high school. I didn't have the same cast of characters, and I didn't have her problems/confidence. But her experience made her realize an important lesson: we are who we are, and we're all basically the same. Judging someone doesn't help.

So if you're okay with swearing and sex in a YA novel, please check this one out. I went through all the emotions in this novel, and I laughed quite a bit too. I can't wait to read Shut Out now!!!

As for the narrator, Ellen Grafton, I'm not a huge fan. She kind of exaggerates adult character voices to the point where they sound unrealistic and a little ridiculous. And her voice just really didn't fit the attitude of Bianca, but again, this didn't stop me from seriously enjoying this book. I just may not listen to other stuff read by her. We'll see.

Yay for this novel!!

What I liked:

• The swearing. It makes it more like my own life. I love those curse words.
• The sexiness. I'm not saying that it's right for teens to have sex, but this read more like an adult novel, and sometimes I need more of that in my life.
• The plot. Of course it's the unlikely couple story, but who doesn't love that?

What I didn't like:

• Predictability. I said above that it was predictable but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel. This is true. I guessed what was going to happen, but I loved the story anyway.
• The narrator. She was not the right fit for this novel, and she didn't do the adult voices well.

Bottom line: Great YA novel if you're cool with sex and swearing! ;o)

Rating:

4.5 / 5 book sharks!