Book Banter #3 The DUFF

It's time for another Book Banter! This week's topic, The DUFF by Kody Keplinger and guess what? For a change, I will actually be taking the positive on this one! Let's Get started.

Suey
1. Terrible Characters. I didn’t like anyone in this book. And I’m usually okay to find the good in even a questionable character. I’m often rooting for the villain, or liking the mean guy, or wanting good things to happen to the underdog, etc. But everyone in this book was just dumb and stupid. They had no brains, like, at all. I couldn’t root for anyone and when that happens, it makes me sad and the book becomes not fun at all.

Me

I don't think the characters in this one were great role models for teens or anything but they were characters I could sympathize with. I felt for Bianca. Too many teens have absent or fighting parents on the brink of divorce and add on a alcoholic father and I get it. I can see why Bianca did what she did. Besides her "bad" decision, Bianca is a good student. She's smart. She's succeeding at school and has plans for college. By the end of the books she owns up to her mistakes, takes responsibility and learns to be okay with herself.

Suey
2. Sex without romance.Call me old fashioned, but I find sex without love and romance to be no fun. Wrong for sure. Boring even. No chemistry. No feeling. No intense emotions. Mix in the fact that these are teenages and, yeah. Just, no. I kept hoping throughout the whole book that maybe, just maybe, they’d find some romance to throw into the mix. But nope. It never happened. Well, maybe at the very bitter end. And even then, I’m not sure they ever decided for sure if they really liked each other. Or if they were just jealous of anyone else who got to, you know, “be” with that person. Which was the reason I kept reading just to see if it would appear, the romance angle. I was disappointed and let down.

Me

Oh, man! What?! No! There was definite chemistry with these two. Romance comes in all shapes and sizes. This wasn't love at first sight or a slow burning love like we all might be used to but this was romance all the same. While I agree this should be a  NA book not YA, I still am okay with the sex. Mostly because the writing of it isn't too explicit. This isn't a erotica by any stretch of the imagination. And, honestly I could go into way too much personal info on my feelings about sex, but I won't scar anyone for life. I get that it started as a stress release for Bianca. Maybe a stupid decision and, yes, she was very lucky that the relationship turned out okay, but it's not like their relationship didn't progress beyond just sex. It did.

Suey
3.No point. Most books do try to make one. Sometimes it’s pretty vague. Sometimes it’s in your face. But usually you come of off a read with some sort of satisfying feeling, some sort of redeeming thought, some sort of accomplishment. This one had nothing for me. Nothing. Except maybe, “hey kids, perhaps if you feel bad you should talk it out with someone and not have nonstop sex with a guy you can’t stand.” Maybe that was it.

Me

What?! There was a point. The book is called, The DUFF. Designated Ugly Fat Friend. How many teens feel like a loser, unpopular, The DUFF? The whole message to this book was that we all feel like shit about ourselves at times no matter how perfect or put together our lives feel. Because of those feelings we stupidly lash out at others. But nobody is perfect and we can embrace ourselves and love ourselves in spite of everything and stop worrying about what others think. We're all the popular kids and the DUFFS wrapped into one awesome person!   

Have you read this book? How did you feel about it? Don't forget to check out Suey's post today and see what I loved and her rebuttal!