The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend (Hamilton High, #1) in The Reader's Lounge

Jan 21, 2011 Jasprit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2015, contemporary, ya

4.5 stars

I didn’t really know what to expect going into The Duff, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to be left with a big goofy grin on my face throughout. Keplinger in the past has been able to change my assumptions and feelings I have held for characters before and was able to do it once again with The Duff. Wesley is presented as a womaniser, he’s always got some girl draping off his arm or clinging to him. The thing is Wesley knows he’s hot; he’s not shy about blabbing about his past experien 4.5 stars

I didn’t really know what to expect going into The Duff, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to be left with a big goofy grin on my face throughout. Keplinger in the past has been able to change my assumptions and feelings I have held for characters before and was able to do it once again with The Duff. Wesley is presented as a womaniser, he’s always got some girl draping off his arm or clinging to him. The thing is Wesley knows he’s hot; he’s not shy about blabbing about his past experiences, he has confidence oozing off him. Normally characters like Wesley I can’t stand, but for once I decided to give Wesley’s character a try, maybe there was more to him than the cocky full of himself guy that we were seeing all the time.

His first encounter with Bianca wasn’t the greatest; he basically disses her in his first few words that come out of his mouth. But like I said despite him being a jerk, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and he does end up being helpful to Bianca in more ways than one. Bianca reminded me of myself at times; always bottling up her feelings, telling everyone she was fine when she clearly wasn’t. And I really did feel sorry for her, she had great friends in Casey and Jess and a great dad, but when some crap thing happened in her life things just got worse and worse and instead of asking for help or sharing her problems with friends, she needed some other form of stress outlet and that’s where Wesley came in. Their sort of relationship escalated really quickly, but to be honest I loved every second of it. It was fun after the first few encounters to see how Wesley and Bianca would cope with it all at school and when other people were around them, Wesley was his usual cocky self, which made Bianca and me laugh, as I knew it when these two were finally alone they couldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other. Some would say Wesley and Bianca would be two characters that you wouldn’t ever suspect of being together, but once they started spending more time together, you could see that they had a lot more in common; stuff happening at home that was hard to explain to others. But once they started talking more I’m glad that they were able to be there for one another. I especially loved being able to see this different side to Wesley, this caring softer side. I like Bianca was quickly able to realise which way their relationship, (could you even call it that?) was heading. And I was all for it, but I at the same time I understood her reservations about it, I wish that she had handled it differently (view spoiler)

Despite the numerous bumps along the way I loved the character growth that both Wesley and Bianca went through especially Wesley. I liked his cocky nature at the beginning of the book, but some of his sweet gestures later on were to die for. Wesley and Bianca definitely left a great impression on me with this story, but I’m glad that Keplinger also included some great secondary characters such as Jess and Casey; not only were they great friends to Bianca, but they were also great friends in that they always spoke the truth, more so when Bianca needed to hear it the most. Keplinger once again was able to mix up well in The Duff, there were some emotional tough issues that a lot of our characters had to experience and it was hard at times having to see characters which had quickly become my favourites in a small amount of time go through this. But Keplinger really did deal with these serious issues really well. I also loved seeing when some of these characters were able to get through these difficult times, as then they were wonderful, bubbly, happy, funny characters that could have you bursting out laughing in an instant.

The Duff was a book which I had on my top pile for the longest time, I’m grateful for finally giving it a go, as I know now that it will become one of those books that I shall be reading time and time again. Now all I need is The Duff movie to be released in the UK as I need to see this movie like now!

This review can be found on: The Readers Den ...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Emma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romance, ya

With the movie fast approaching in the UK, next week I believe, The DUFF was this month's book club and ti was an opportunity to read it before the movie comes out. The DUFF is very much like Gossip Girl and it also reminded me of Stella by Helen Eve, which sadly was a book I really couldn't get on with. But The DUFF surprised me and it had a lot of positive messages under the surface of the novel.

Bianca, high school student and apparently a Designated, Ugly, Fat, Friend. She is essentially the With the movie fast approaching in the UK, next week I believe, The DUFF was this month's book club and ti was an opportunity to read it before the movie comes out. The DUFF is very much like Gossip Girl and it also reminded me of Stella by Helen Eve, which sadly was a book I really couldn't get on with. But The DUFF surprised me and it had a lot of positive messages under the surface of the novel.

Bianca, high school student and apparently a Designated, Ugly, Fat, Friend. She is essentially the piggy in the middle so to peak when it comes to Wesley Rush who thinks, hitting on her will make him score a hit with her other friends. B felt insulted and damn right annoyed, I would be too, so their relationship starts off with a Cherry Coke chucked in his face. You go girl!!!! At home, her life is a completely a different story when her family is completely breaking apart. When her dad receives divorce papers her whole world turns upside down and she doesn't what to do... so she escapes into Wesley Rush literally. She feel at peace when sex has become the only object that can truly distract her from life...But how long can it be before it's spiraling out of control, and she forgets her friends and her life. Sex can have consequences especially those close to you.

Unlike her friends, B hates going to the club, Nest, so instead she talks a thirty-year old barman called Joe for the whole evening while being her friend's chaperon. She hates people like Wesley Rush, a womaniser to get who he wants and what he wants. Especially when he called her a DUFF. Way to go Wesley your really going to get her on your side. Yes The DUFF is a bullying and offensive word but through the novel, Wesley also mentions that it can be good thing, because your surrounded by these people. We are an aspect of being The DUFF in someway shape or form. That's what I loved about this novel, that there was a moral and positive message to the story. Your able to see and to the likeness of the characters through your own experiences and life observations.

Before I read this I read Trouble, it was similar in some ways but not in others. What it did remind me of was the ADULT film of Love & Other Drugs starring Anna Hathaway. (I highlight adult because in comparison to this book, it really isn't suitable for younger ages.) At first Bianca and Wesley were as bad as each other, all they really wanted was the sexual experience and euphoria of it and they forget about the outside world completely. I admit that I didn't dislike this side of B as I think this was a stepping stone for what is to come for her emotionally and life-altering. Her heart, was bruised, cut and broken from family and friends and Wesley was there in a way she never knew till the very end. Neither of them knew there feelings for each other before it was too late. All it was, was an affair, but you can say as the plot line progressed it was an affair of the heart.

The saying Books are better than Films will be tested like most major motion pictures based on the YA novels. Whilst I'm looking forward to the film immensely. I'm curious as it how it really differs. I've seen the trailer and I have my doubts so I can't wait to see it next week and draw my own conclusions. This was an incredible novel, thought provoking, intelligent, realistic and raw. It has its own originality. Bravo, Miss Keplinger.

Rating - 4.5

As part of this review Hachette books wanted me to add this strong message:

Labelling is a huge issue in our society today, The Duff are partnering up with Ditch the Label which is a charity who are trying to overcome this, if anyone of you are suffering with any bullying make sure you check out www.ditchthelabel.org for advice and someone to talk to.

This review and GIVEAWAY can be found my blog ...more

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Mar 22, 2015 Pili rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: readers-lounge-book-club

The DUFF was chosen as March's book for my book club: The Reader's Lounge and since I already had a copy gifted by my friend Becca from Pivot Point Reviews, I was all set and ready!

I didn't start the book till this week and surprisingly enough (or maybe not...) I was completely hooked and ended up reading it in one night! I do suck at reading a book in installments it seems!

Bianca is your cynical, too jaded for her age but somewhat sensible teen, and boy did I identify with her... I was pretty m The DUFF was chosen as March's book for my book club: The Reader's Lounge and since I already had a copy gifted by my friend Becca from Pivot Point Reviews, I was all set and ready!

I didn't start the book till this week and surprisingly enough (or maybe not...) I was completely hooked and ended up reading it in one night! I do suck at reading a book in installments it seems!

Bianca is your cynical, too jaded for her age but somewhat sensible teen, and boy did I identify with her... I was pretty much like that when I was 17 or 18 and I was the voice of reason for one of my excessively romantic friends. She's got two best friends that are quite different from her, a crush on the perfect boy and a rather complicated family dynamic.

It all start with Bianca being with her friends at a club, with them dancing and she fighting a headache (I liked dancing loads, so that was not something we have in common) and being approached by the biggest manwhore of the whole school that calls her a DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) which causes her to throw a drink on his face (I cheered!).

Bianca always felt like a very real and complicated teen (we are all bloody complicated as teens) and even though I obviously I didn't agree with all her actions, I could understand most of her motivations, even if I saw quite clearly what she didn't seem to manage to see, which means hindsight and some perspective works wonders.

I loved her friendship with Cassey and Jessica, and how they were all different and leveled each other up. I hated how Bianca kept herself so closed up with her friends and pretended she was alright all the time, but I surely can relate to that to an extent too. And despite their disagreements and whatever problems they had, they ended up talking things through and not resorting to simple name calling and catfight drama, which is a very positive example to show.

Every interaction between Bianca and Wesley had the potential to be hilarious, irritating and swoony all at the same time, and I really felt like like smacking Wesley for his continued use of the "Duffy" nickname even if it was quite clear that he wasn't trying to belittle Bianca at all by the use of it after a while. He seemed quite genuine and proved to be a good friend to her more than once, and I actually cheered when he defended Bianca from the "whore" accusations with a good punch.

It seemed rather funny that the guy that was the first to label her ended up being the other that also gave her the best kind of advice about labels of all sorts and the one that made Bianca realize that she is so much more than a DUFF, and that we are all labelled at some point and we all end up labelling others and almost always is because we want to feel better about ourselves by putting others down.

The family dynamics are very important in this one because Bianca's family life is not easy with her parents' issues and how they affect her. I loved that parents aren't perfect here in this book but aren't bad people just because it suits the story. They are not made the enemy, and are also made flawed people with redeeming qualities that are trying to do what they can and will not win a "parents of the year" award while they sort their issues but that do try to do the best they can once they're out of their own cave.

All in all, this was a deeper read that I was expecting at first, and although there were a few disturbing things for me, the main one having a 14 year old in a relationship that included sex with an 18 year old which I felt wasn't addressed as wrong well enough, it was full of positive messages for both teens and adults, because we all need the reminders about facing our problems, not lying to ourselves and accepting help from others, not labelling people and standing against those labels.

Very much well deserved 4 stars for this one! ...more

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