Dumplin'

375 pages

English language

Published Nov. 8, 2015 by HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN:
978-0-06-232718-5
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4 stars (13 reviews)

Sixteen-year-old Willowdean wants to prove to everyone in her small Texas town that she is more than just a fat girl, so, while grappling with her feelings for a co-worker who is clearly attracted to her, Will and some other misfits prepare to compete in the beauty pageant her mother runs.

1 edition

Felt more real than the usual settings

4 stars

I enjoyed this one. There were some surprises along the way, characters with flaws who seem way more authentic than the usual teenagers/YA in high school settings. Also quite some relatable introspection going on. Unfortunately the story was kind of sloooooow at times but otherwise I can recommend. Looking forward to the third book in the series as that one seems to have a queer protagonist.

AmReading (Have to try whether this will federate or just end up in the timelines of people following my #bookwyrm account.)

Review of "Dumplin'" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I loved this book! There's not going to be much in the line of analysis in this review. It's a well written book that flows and has a great story. I wish this book had been available when I was a teen. Despite being a teen more than 20 years before this was written, it has a lot of relatability.

My only complaint about this book is that sometimes the characters seem a bit more grown up than high school in their self-analysis and the crap they are willing to take from their peers.

Review of "Dumplin'" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

When I first heard about Dumplin' it reminded me a bit of Little Miss Sunshine (which is an excellent film, watch it). The pageant itself isn't a huge part of this book, but it is a big deal in the Texas town Willowdean lives in. Her mother, a former Miss Teen Blue Bonnet, is on the pageant committee and every summer their house is taken over by sequins and banners.

Will isn't your average beauty queen. She's fat, and most the time that doesn't bother her. She is still reeling from the loss of her aunt the year before. Lucy was large too, from what we gather she was morbidly obese and that contributed towards her death. I thought it was an interesting choice to both have body positive Will and a cautionary tale in another character. It's OK to be a bit overweight but there is a point where …

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Subjects

  • Dating (Social customs)
  • Friendship
  • Overweight persons
  • Self-esteem
  • Beauty contests
  • Fiction

Places

  • Texas