The DUFF, a refreshing combination of cynicism and hope

The DUFF. It sounds like a fun, sweet, funny, maybe even fluffy, read. Surprise, surprise, it’s not!

The DUFF has sweet, funny, highly entertaining moments but for the most part, it was realistic. And CYNICAL. And I love it.

Bianca, the main character is matured compared to her peers. She is sassy, badass, headstrong, and very much a cynic. I love her. She’s not your usual YA character. She’s not perfect. On the contrary, she’s flawed, stubborn, dark and twisted. She’s the DUFF, the designated ugly fat friend (she’s not ugly nor fat but her friends are prettier) and the whole novel is centered on her inadequacy.

Wesley Rush, on the other hand, is just as fleshed out. At first, he seemed like a typical jock – sporty, cool, handsome, and a womanizer. Bianca assumed he’s a shallow prick and it’s easy to think that way, right? But as the story progressed, Bianca saw that there’s more to Wesley than meets the eye.

I also liked the supporting characters, though they’re not as well-written as Bianca and Wesley. There’s a love triangle but it’s not as annoying as most love triangles are. I can even say with certainty that it worked for this novel. Toby, the other side of the triangle, is an interesting character and I love that he’s so different from Wesley. They have nothing in common but I found myself rooting for the both of them at different parts of the book. In general, the characters in this book are likeable and believable even when they’re doing things that I don’t agree with.

This book was written so well that it was hard for me to believe that the author, Kody Keplinger, is just 19 when she wrote this book. Nineteen! What was I doing when I was nineteen? Worrying about guys and my thesis, that’s what. But Kody here, she’s written a novel that spoke so much truth about teenagers (probably also because she’s also young and she’s been there). A lot of things that Bianca and Wesley and all the other characters in The Duff went through are things that really happen in real life.

The DUFF hit a lot of nerves… in a good way. It reminded me of high school and college, how I was a DUFF myself. I had friends who are prettier, cooler, taller (not hard to be taller around me, I’m 4’10) and like Bianca, it bothered me at times. But just like her, I also realized that it didn’t matter at all.

This book is not for the conservative types. It has lots of swearing and sex, which you don’t usually encounter in YA novels.

The DUFF, with its cynical main character, is also optimistic. An unlikely combination but that's why it's so refreshing. If you’re a fan of character-driven books and books about teens who are real and not all fluffy, read The DUFF. You won’t regret it.

Have you read The DUFF? Have you seen the movie (ugh. Such disappointment)? Which one’s better? Also, were you a DUFF in high school / college?

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