The Duff (Hamilton High)

by Kody Keplinger

[Amber]

The DUFF was one truly amazing read that I wasn’t expecting. I cannot describe my love for this book in just words, so you’re going to have to imagine me doing a happy dance slash binding ritual because I am in love.

The plot sounds fairly simple when you read the synopsis, but Kody Keplinger has thrown in many, many elements to make this story a lot more complex that it is made out to be. This book has serious depth as well as tonnes of humour mixed with serious topics. The DUFF is a relatable story and managed to grasp my interest from the first page. I cannot speak highly enough about this book.

Alcoholism, absent parents, teen sex, friendships, divorce and more all play a role in this book. I applaud Kody for creating such a fantastic novel that many, many young adults will be able to relate to. I must also add that I found it wonderfully refreshing that Kody didn’t create a main protagonist – or group of characters – who was a virgin, or afraid of sex. Too many books in the YA genre do that, and it was great to read about the other sides of the spectrum as teens are having sex, despite what Young Adult literature is leading you to believe. Not everyone is saving themselves for the perfect person, or for marriage.

I loved Bianca as a main protagonist in this story. She had huge flaws, certainly, and I loved seeing her overcome them and work them out with the help of Wesly and her friends. Bianca was a strong female lead and she wasn’t at all whiny. Two huge pluses in my book. She was interesting to read about, and had a lot going on in her life that made me feel for her, and also relate.

Then there is Wesly, who I have developed a HUGE crush on. He may be up there with Dimitri and Tod now. Wesly was charming and I completely fell head over heels in love with him as the story progressed. He started off as the school ‘man-slut’ but as we got to know him more and more, it was revealed that he also had a lot going on with his family and he wasn’t one dimensional in the slightest. I was totally rooting for Bianca and Wesly!

Kody Keplinger has a fantastic writing style that draws you in and doesn’t let you go. I will pick up anything this woman writes in the future because she’s simply out of this world.