The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger - Review

Bitch, Slut, Prude, Tease, Dork, Cunt, Liar...The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)...

We, as people, at one time or another are all these things - maybe not each day, maybe not each week or month - but at some point or another, we think and feel about ourselves, the way each of these words makes us feel.

My mom often tells me that a person can hear 1,000 times that they are beautiful, amazing, respectful, sweet, loving...ect. But hear any of these words, just once, either from yourself or someone you love - and that becomes who you are, that word begins to define you, you begin to almost live by it - a word with no more than 5 letters suddenly defines you...who you are, whom you can become, as well as in some cases whom you allow yourself to love.

The DUFF reminds us, that everyone - look around you - EVERYONE is or has been The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), at some point in there life, as well as the bitch, or the liar.

None of us are perfect, none of us has the right to throw stones...if we all lived in glass houses, the world would be highly uninspiring (not to mention icky) - it's the differences that makes us whole, it's the bitchiness, the shyness, the sluttiness - that defines us, makes us who we are...The DUFF reminds us to embrace who we are, not hide from it.

Synopsis via goodreads:
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 "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that 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.

I loved The DUFF, it's empowering, though it deals with some rather hard topics, like teen sex, using others to make yourself feel good (or at least numb), alcoholism, best friends and boys – it's told in a poignantly real, effective way. Kody Keplinger – you can tell is a teen. NOT because her writing does not hold all the power of a more seasoned author – but with her teen status comes, authority on the subject of teens! She writes like she knows, like she's been there – like she lives in the mind of Bianca – and I guess, maybe a little part of her does. Being an 18 year old author, plays into Kody's hands with The DUFF, she just knows!

Kody's main character Bianca, makes some REALLY horrible choices, Wesley is a womanizing jerk, and Bianca's friends are typical – they want to help, but when Bianca pulls away they let her go...begrudgingly. All of them felt real to me, walking talking teens, with feelings, thoughts and desires. Everything they did, and said felt real, never pushed or rushed...Wesley's quips to Bianca, Bianca's outside shell, that she tries hard to hold onto, so no one can see her pain...and even “the friends” pushing, but only so much until they started to get ticked off!

The characters really nailed this one, but the plot is expansive; it's a book that really stands out from the crowd. I felt like each of the different aspects of The DUFF worked hand in hand with each other...often times I fall in love with the characterization or the plot – but when the two work cohesively together that's when a masterpiece – for me – is born. The DUFF had that, in spades.

Bottom Line - The DUFF is an emotional read, but not in the way that I was crying my eyes out – but rather in the way that, it made me want to push to become a better person, to stop being so judgmental, to remember that each of us IS the DUFF, at least some of the time. Kody Keplinger is an amazing talent, we in the YA world are lucky to have, she's got a gift – not of telling the most beautiful story you have ever heard, but of telling one of the most real, and authentic books I have ever read! I give The DUFF 5 mushrooms – it's a MUST read for teens today!

Buy, Borrow or Steal? With it's real and poignant voice, The DUFF offers a real look at teen life today, from what I can tell as a mom looking though her daughters eyes. Was it tough to read, yes but was it important, YES!

The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)
By: Kody Keplinger
288 Pages
Published: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Received via an ARC Tour for my honest review.