♛Tash's Reviews > Dumplin'

"I’m fat. It’s not a cuss word. It’s not an insult. At least it’s not when I say it."

I love this charming book about courage, set in South Texas with a Dolly Parton soundtrack. I was gonna say body image, but truth is, body image is not the central theme of this book. It figures some of course, but it’s more about the courage to retain your shape when the world dictates you to be another.

Willowdean Dickson,Dumplin' to her former beauty queen Mom, is completely fine being fat (not a pejorative term). She’s happy with the fact that she wears drawstring skirts instead of pants for her Harpy’s uniform and being a third-wheel to her bestfriend, El and secretly crushing on fry-cook hottie Private School Bo. She's content with her life until she starts having make-out sessions with Private School Bo. Instead of getting that confidence boost when a crush likes you back, Will finds herself sunk in self-doubt and insecurity.

At this point in the book, I also began to doubt myself, am I really as open-minded as I think I am, or am I just a bloody hypocrite? When Bo shows the tiniest bit of interest in Will, I was immediately suspicious of him and was waiting for the big reveal of his ulterior motive, because why else would a hot former jock with sleeve-popping biceps be interested in a fat girl? When a “safer”option in the form of a shy, sweet, plain guy was given to Will, I rooted for him instead

“I terrify you”? The thought of it makes me feel bad, but it’s kind of nice, too. To not feel like the one who’s about the jump out of their skin all the time.”

Yes, I am a hypocrite, it is a bitter pill to swallow while reading this otherwise empowering novel. Good thing Julie Murphy isn’t like me, she believes that the fat, the unevenly legged, the bucktoothed girls (and boys) also deserve the hot guy (or girl) and the crown.

In her quest to regain the confidence lost from her summer fling with Bo, she decides to join Miss Teen Blue Bonnet. With this, she inspires and alienates the people in her town. This is the part when we see how expertly Julie Murphy writes Will’s character. Will is level-headed, funny and sassy. She has quips like: “liberally spread salad dressing across my plate because on the eight day God created ranch dressing”, but she gets angry when her mother suggests diet and exercise, and she also holds certain prejudice against girls who are fatter than she is. In short, Will is a wonderfully complex character and a witty narrator.

"I think you gotta be who you want to be until you feel like you are whoever is you're trying to become. Sometimes half of doing something is pretending that you can."

If you are looking for a book that is body & female-friendship positive with a side of romance and humor then add Dumplin' to your TBRs people. Add it!

***arc gifted by the publisher for an honest review***