Bumped (Bumped, #1)

by Megan McCafferty

[rakesandrogues]

Review Overview:

Refreshing dystopian novel that will make you laugh out loud
Rocky start, but I ended up loving it by the very end
Incomparable to the Jessica Darling series – it’s fantastic in its own way

First impressions are never a good basis to judge a book. Despite my initial thoughts on BUMPED, Megan McCafferty has not disappointed me: in a year full of heavy, hardcore dystopia, BUMPED stands out as a light-hearted and funny novel that still tackles important issues on teen pregnancy. Yes, you will laugh out loud.

Don’t expect a scientific explanation about the virus. The book deals with more about the social aspect of being “bumped” than the science behind the whole epidemic. It’s not about politics, but more about the choices that these girls have at sixteen. It’s about what Melody and Harmony are experiencing – two girls from two very different backgrounds and how they are each handling the issue.

My initial qualms with the book was with Harmony. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of her Bible-loving character. Reading from her perspective was a little annoying since she was a bit eccentric and I couldn’t relate to her views. Furthermore, the alternating perspectives did turn out to be confusing for a while. Melody and Harmony have very similar names but opposite attitudes. While I knew the distinction in their character, I still had trouble putting the name to the character. I was able to sort it out around halfway through the book. It took long enough…

So what is so great about this book? McCafferty does a wonderful job tackling a controversial issue in this satirical dystopian novel. From the fake baby bumps to the silly jingles of Babiez R Us, I couldn’t help but laugh at it all. The whole novel is kind of silly and ridiculous. The whole concept of girls making a competition of how many they can birth before they’re 18? Massive sex orgies to see how many girls can get pregnant in one night? McCafferty makes it seem silly and fun, but when you really think about it, it’s a scary concept. And the worst part is, it isn’t too far from the truth.

BUMPED is incomparable to McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series. The protagonists have a completely different tone from Jessica Darling, and I don’t think that readers should try to compare the two series at all. BUMPED is targeted towards a different audience and market, and readers should be aware of that.

BUMPED is a fantastic dystopian novel that will stand out from the many others that are being released this year. It tackles controversial issues with wit and humor, but still manages the reader to think, What if? BUMPED is definitely my new favorite series and I am counting down the days for the next book.