Willowdean is my hero. She’s authentic, refreshing, brave and has a wicked sense of humor. Her internal struggles with body image is completely relatable and her acceptance is empowering. Murphy has delivered a fabulous and complex novel about relationships, acceptance and growing up.

I think perhaps my expectations were slightly too high for this one. The main reason I was disappointed was that the book ended up being kind of typical rather than the fresh take on body image I expected it to be, with the whole beauty contest ending up being a relatively minor part of the plot.

I also didn't really like Willowdean as a character. Of course, it was clear that she was made to be flawed on purpose, making her a much more realistic character, but that certainly didn't make her particularly likeable. I could forgive most things about her, but for the way she treated one of the characters. I mean, just because you have some issues of your own, that doesn't really excuse you from treating others badly, and the way that Willowdean treats that character really didn't sit well with me.

That being said, Will definitely was an intriguing character- she's incredibly sassy, and most of the time appears accepting of her own weight. At the same time, she does have her insecurities about her body image, most evident when she's suspicious about why Bo, a good looking coworker, seems to like her. Her insecurities also lead to her having a bit of a falling out with her best friend Ellen, who Will thinks is a lot prettier and skinnier than her. While I thought Will was being a bit unreasonable here, there's no doubt that she acted in a realistic way, especially when it came to her trying to make amends with Ellen.

Overall, Dumplin' was definitely a pro-body image novel that realistically examines the issues and insecurities that come with being overweight. Despite not enjoying it as much as I expected, I'd definitely still recommend that you give it a read.

What a great book! Willowdean is an awesome protagonist, with real feelings and concerns that will resonate, in some way, with every reader. She's charming and sassy and fabulous and fat, and doesn't let anyone (except sometimes herself) tell her otherwise. Her venture into the elusive world of pageantry is hilarious and inspiring, and I found myself feeling proud of this wonderful character for her wit and confidence despite her doubt.
It's a light Eleanor & Park-esque book, with the writing style of Morgan Matson and a little bit of John Green. I loved it; definitely worth the read!