For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell comes this powerful novel with the most fearless heroine-self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson-from Julie Murphy, the acclaimed author of Side Effects May Vary. With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine-Dumplin' is guaranteed to steal your heart. Dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked ...until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself.
So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant-along with several other unlikely candidates-to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she'll shock the hell out of Clover City-and maybe herself most of all.
I really enjoyed this one. I got sometimes frustrated with Will, especially when it comes to Ellen and why u letting something get between your fab friendship, Willow and her mom (I mean, you could try to understand each other more, and not be a dick over money issues) and Willow and Mitch. Because Mitch is such a nice guy and even she knows she's leading him on and that's not okay.. But what made this a good read despite this is that... I got it. I got why Willowdean was doing it. I got where she came from, and I understood she had to make these mistakes and act petty. We've all been at the place in our lives, to some degree and variation.
Also, I ship it - both friendship it and romantic relationship it. Ellen and Will are goals and Bo is such a cutie. I wish we got to see them actually coming out, now that it's implied that Willowdean is going to give them a chance despite their insecurities, because Bo deserves it
I also really enjoyed how this book is about Willow actually coming to believe all that she's pretended to be about all her lives - that fat girls deserve love, and to be queens, and to be accepted, and fuck you if you can't do that.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
27 November, 2016:
Finished reading
-
27 November, 2016:
Reviewed