Book Review of “The Duff”

Reviewed by Reegan Burke, 9th grade student at Windham High School

Kody Keplinger has brought her readers a compelling, witty, and laugh out-loud romance novel with her release of “The Duff”. Bianca is a witty eighteen-year-old girl with two best friends and a tongue sharper than daggers. When Bianca’s life begins to fall apart piece by piece, she becomes more vulnerable than she has ever been before. What does not help her situation is when Wesley Rush, womanizer of Hamilton High, gives her the nickname Duff: Designated, ugly, fat friend.

Bianca is hurting more than she ever thought possible. Throughout her pain, Bianca tries to stay normal as to not worry her best friends, Casey and Jessica. Life is not getting better as people from her past begin to show themselves, and Bianca throws herself at the first distraction possible which just happens to be Wesley. Bianca struggles to keep her shameful relationship with Wesley a secret, while still fighting with every other aspect of her life.

Keplinger shows throughout the story that you can know someone and not really know them at all. Bianca, as well as the reader, begins to realize that maybe Wesley is not someone to compare to Satan; in fact, she might actually like him.

Keplinger shows character progression throughout this entire novel; there is no character that stayed the same during the progression of this novel. Readers will forever be changed while reading this novel and will soon realize we are all duffs in our own special way.

Readers who enjoyed “Duff” and are eager to get their hands on another book that will fill the hole that this book left in their hearts, should pick up the book “Obsidian” by Jennifer L. Armentrout. While this book is a fantasy romance, it has the same witty banter and grasping plot line that “Duff” contains. “Obsidian” is just the cure to the bookish hangover that is left after finishing “The Duff” by Kody Keplinger.