The DUFF

August 16, 2010
When school "man-whore" Wesley informs Bianca that, compared to her group of beautiful friends, she is the Duff—Designated Ugly Fat Friend—17-year-old Bianca is horrified, outraged, and can't stop thinking about the label ("I couldn't believe he was making me worry about such stupid, pointless, shallow bullshit"). Which makes it all the more upsetting when she starts hooking up regularly with Wesley (even though he continues to call her "Duffy"), as a distraction from her father's struggles with alcohol and the divorce her mother is seeking. Keplinger's premise will easily hook readers as she offers the kind of conventional romance (albeit one that is heavy on hookup sex) that summer teen flicks are made of in this well-written, irreverent, and heartfelt debut. Bianca's friends care about her deeply, so there is little drama between them; the arc of this story is more about Bianca coming to grips with her feelings for Wesley, who is actually a good guy, than about restoring her self-image. Bianca is consistently strong, witty, and confident, and while the nickname pinches, it does little to hurt her self-esteem. Ages 15–up.

September 1, 2010

Downing Cherry Cokes and watching her two best friends hoof it out on the dance floor of the local teen club doesn't make 17-year-old Bianca Piper feel good about herself. Especially when high-school man-slut Wesley Rush tells her she's the Duff, her friends' "designated ugly fat friend," and tries to cozy up to her in order to get into her friends' pants. Later on, somehow, someway, Bianca finds herself drawn to Wesley, and before she knows it, they've created a complex, enemies-with-benefits relationship that the YA market has never seen before. Their encounters are heatedly frank and full of humor, anger and rage, and soon the two learn they have more in common than they could ever have expected. Keplinger scores a first for a genre in which vampires and dystopian futures rule. Her snarky teen speak, true-to-life characterizations and rollicking sense of humor never cease in her debut. Teen readers will see both themselves and their friends in Bianca's layered, hostile world. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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November 1, 2010

Gr 10 Up-Bianca Piper, 17, is smart, outspoken, and loyal to her two beautiful friends. She is also convinced that she is unattractive, an opinion confirmed when school hottie and "man-whore" Wesley Rush calls her a "Duff" (designated ugly fat friend). Bianca responds by throwing her Cherry Coke in his face, but when her mother decides to divorce her father, who then lapses into drinking again, she becomes involved in a secretive sexual relationship with Wesley to take her mind off her problems. Bianca finds that as their love/hate relationship continues, she is falling in love with him. Not surprisingly, Wesley, who has family problems of his own, reciprocates and announces that, although he doesn't chase girls, he is chasing her. Eventually, everything comes to a satisfying but predictable conclusion. This debut novel is a fun read and surprisingly feminist in a number of ways. Keplinger makes good points about female body image and female friendship, and discusses how both men and women use offensive terms about women as a means of social control. Bianca and the other female characters are more believable and realistic than Wesley, who is straight out of female romantic fantasyland. It is a little difficult to understand why Bianca would get involved with him after he insults her, but in their romantic scenes, there is some seriously hot chemistry. These teens are realistically and openly sexual, and there are frequent discussions of such matters as birth control and STDs, as well as a few F-bombs. Older girls, including reluctant readers, will love this one.-Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

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