Bianca Piper, or B as her unnaturally gorgeous but incredibly loyal friend’s call her, is the duff (designated ugly fat friend) of her group and feels like her friends, who live a charmed life in the eyes of Bianca, can’t understand what she is dealing with. As the pressures begin to stack up Bianca employs one of the most used military tactic in the book – run away! Unfortunately, she runs strait into Wesley Rush – the playboy of her town’s high school who happens to be trying to hide from some issues in his own life as well.

I really thought that this was a compelling book – it dealt with realistic problems faced by teenagers today. I identify with aspects of Bianca and some of the struggles she fights with but her flaws made her a realistic character that I could appreciate. Bianca does anything to take her mind off the crises in her life much like other people in society who ignore their problems until they have no choice but to face the monster they’ve become. Granted most of the time the way Bianca attempts to forget her troubles is far from typical and is highly destructive, the rawness of her pain and fear made me want to comfort her as a friend.

Keplinger, a self proclaimed duff, wrote her novel in high school in hopes to be as realistic as possible. In The DUFF she explores the psychological effects of labels and “name-calling” in society on young adults and how the breakdown of relationships affects people differently. This book is not for the weak of heart; that said it is a powerful story that I really enjoyed and find it worth reading again.