Title: The DuffAuthor: Kody KeplingerPublisher: PoppyPublishing Date: June 7th 2011Length: 304 pagesKeywords: YA, contemporary romance, sexSource: BoughtSeventeen-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.Summary by Goodreads
The Duff. Sounds funny at first, but if you know what's hiding behind that term it doesn't sound entertaining or nice anymore.
Designated
Fat
Ugly
Friend
And with only these four words, one boy has the power to make a girl like Bianca our protagonist feel like only second choice or none at all. Wesley is that very macho guy, known as the school's male slut, who keeps bothering Bianca throughout the entire story.
Still Wesley is just the boy a girl like Bianca needs. She uses him as he uses her. And exactly the knowledge of him not caring about her seems to make it easy for Bianca to start distracting her troubled thoughts with him. It’s no love at first sight and not the sweetest romance of YA contemporary. Therefore their relationship is rough and carnal. Very different from others, nonetheless attractive.
I like that Bianca and Wesley are both so different in personality and yet they’ve got a lot in common. Although Wesley’s the school slut, I couldn’t but fall for his extreme charm and …advantages.
Their problems at home make these two characters, that appear shallow for only looking for physical contact, appear more sympathetic and one starts to feel for both of them. We meet their friends and families and see the effects their relationship has on their individual lives.
There’s a lot of sex. Raw, instinctive and meaningless. THE DUFF for once stands for another kind of contemporary romance. It shows that there doesn’t need to be that long painful struggle to get the guy you want. You can get him first and realise your feelings later. Don’t be afraid, there is still a big chaos of all kinds of emotions waiting for Bianca and Wesley.You'll get the full package!
It’s about teenage life and the difficult ways of falling in love, but also about the feeling of being a bad version of someone else, less attractive, less funny, smart, you name it. Kody Keplinger shows all the teenage girls and boys that there’s no need to feel like that. The message is about friendship and accepting yourself the way you are, no need to compare yourself to others and feel less important or clever or beautiful. You are just perfect the way you are!
1) of a great amount of giving in to the physical attraction
2) a funny approach on the feel of being the Duff
3) there’s always a chance to fall for the designated ugly fat friend
4) if there’s nothing to do, just play Scrabble
5) we’ll only order Cherry Coke from now on
4/5 **** THE DUFF- A snappy, witty, feel-good novel. A sexy debut about the struggles of a teenage life and the true meaning of being the Duff.
THE DUFF carries a fantastic and important message and you should definitely not miss Kody Keplinger’s awesome debut. A very different kind of love story, but one nonetheless thrilling and engaging!
* Want to read more? Check out SHUT OUT and A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHTMARE
* Read an excerpt of THE DUFF here.
* Here’s the THE DUFF soundtrack.
* For further information about Kody Keplinger and her books visit www.kodykeplinger.com
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