The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend

By: Kody Keplinger

Narrated by: Ellen Grafton

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff”, she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

©2010 Kody Keplinger (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Different (and better) story from the movie

I saw the movie that is based on this book, not realizing how loosely based it was. I really liked the movie, so when I saw the book I decided to read it. I wish the movie hadn't changed the story so much! Just a little warning though, for those who liked the movie, if you are strictly a PG-13 person, this book is not for you! If they made the movie EXACTLY like the book, it would be rated R, But it is a really good story, and a very different story from the movie. Entertaining, and even ends up having a good moral by the end. So when I started audible to listen to books while I work, I was happy to see The Duff, and didn't even think twice about buying it. I am so happy with the narrator! She does an excellent job of getting the feeling of the book across. The performance is clear and smooth, and her voices are great. I have listened to this a few times, and am sure I will listen many more times. It has become my go to book for when I haven't found my next one and need something to listen to to get me through an otherwise boring work day.

Decent Story, Horrid Narrator

I started reading this book in the bookstore and the storyline is interesting, a little naughty without being raunchy - basically a fun fluffy read. When I got the audiobook I was shocked at how bad the narrator is. She is monotone, stiff and bored sounding throughout the first half of the book and the second half is only slightly better. I definately won't be looking for any other books narrated by Ms. Grafton.

loved it!

It was a very entertaining and fun! A good audio book. It kept me busy during work!

I wish I would have passed on The DUFF!

I saw the preview for the movie based on this book and thought that I would give it a listen. I wish that I hadn't! Okay there are so many things about this book that bothered me. First, the main character was annoying and a total downer. Second, the narrator wasn't great. Third, these teenagers are going around like they're 30-year-olds, having sex with many different partners and not caring about the consequences. Fourth, where were their parents, what parents leave their teenagers alone all the time?!? Fifth, the language was terrible! After finishing this book I just felt sad, even though it was supposed to be a happy ending. If this is what teenagers are really like now I'm scared for our world.

Loved this Book!

I was unsure as to whether I wanted to listen to this book or not and I am so glad that I did. I saw it was going to become a movie and I love to read a book and then see the movie to compare. Even if you don't want to see the movie, definitely read or listen to this book. I think every girl can relate to the main character. Even though the ending was predictable, it was a feel good funny love story.

Fun

A little over the top, but that's high school for you. Good narrator, entertaining story. I hope the film version doesn't change too much.

PG-17

This book was more vulgar than I had expected, but in a way it was written just as the mind of any 17 year old girl would have thought it. I like how the book incorporated the "readings" and "assignments" the girl conducted to build on her view of the world. I felt like her "democrat" or "liberal" views were honestly irrelevant to the story plot and added for the benefit of the author's ability to express their opinion. I would recommend it to a high schooler, but with a bit of reluctance because of the vulgar language used throughout. The reader did a great job developing the characters with voice changes, etc.

Disappointing

I really, really wanted to like this book. The concept has merit—I love the idea of it. The execution, however, was entirely cliché. And the narrator in the audiobook version is absolutely awful. Disappointing.

Omg

Loved the book can't wait to see the movie it is going to be awesome can't wait to see it

Loved it

I listened to this one in one sitting! I loved the characters and the story. The narrator was also great.

Loved this book!

This was the first audio book that I ever listened to and I wasn't sure if I'd like audio books or not. However 'The DUFF' proved me wrong! It was brilliant. After this I really want to listen to/read another Kody Keplinger book!

Disappointing

The concept of the book is brilliant, but it wasn't strong enough to hold up the whole book.I have no problem with sex & cussing in books, but it seemed to be haphazardly thrown in at times for no apparent reason, other than shock, possibly, but I wasn't shocked, just bored with unimaginative writing. I wish that the book had been written from the boys POV, but I'm not sure the writing would've been any stronger, sadly. The main character seened to be trying to find herself & become a stronger person, but, even in the last scene, she relied on a guy to make the final decision as to who she would be with. I hoped that she would grow through her codependance, but in the end she was still codependant. I found it a bit preachy, with things just thrown in to, perhaps, encourage a certain veiwpoint, but not really having anything to do with any other part of the story. I found this a bit boring, written more trying (& not succeding) to shock, than for engagement, action & pace. There was not a lot of depth written into the character, although she was written into situations where she could have had great depth imerging, but she was very flat. Give me a character to love, or even hate, & I will follow them anywhere, but throughout the book I found myself not interested in what might happen to her as she is such a bland, & VERY cleche'd character. I only finished it because it had been a book that was not bought with one of my credits, & I kept hoping something would happened with the character to make me care (at all), but it never did. It's a real shame the concept was let down by lazy writing.

Surprisingly good

Very different to the film. A lot of sex alluded to. But, the story is much deeper and more interesting and less reliant on comedy.

Loved it.

I truly liked The Duff. I enjoyed how the characters were flawed. I liked how the subject matter was not dumbed down for the YA audience. I think that most of all, I loved how Keplinger breathed some new life into the now horribly clichéd idea of the love triangle. Bianca was a pain in the ass at times and the narrator's voice exacerbated this as far as I was concerned. Wesley was a womanising git who will remind you of "those" boys in school. You know who I mean? The boys who wore to much boy-scented aftershave, walked with a swagger and never had anything nice to say to any girl who hadn't been on birth control since they were still in footsy-pyjamas!? Then there was Toby. He was so nice that it was almost annoying. I knew that I should want Toby to swoop in and save the day with all of his gentle, unsure geekiness, but I didn't! Wesley and Bianca's banter was hilarious. They both used each other but in doing so, they found equals. They challenged and changed each other.
I liked the friendship between Bianca and her best pals. This friendship was also flawed but sweet. I don't think it was as real as it was, perhaps, a little bit too forgiving and not snarky enough...but then that probably means I just have a lot of snarky pals! Whereas I liked the friends, Bianca's family irritated the crap out of me. Her mother escaped through work; her father escaped through booze... is it any wonder that Bianca searches for her own ways to escape? 
With all of the irritations and imperfections, I still loved this book. The language is coarse but the sexual subject matter is not glamorised. Bianca feels dirty and ashamed of herself after her nights with Wesley, but still,  this is a book which I doubt many parents would be comfortable with younger teens reading. 

Alright but not for me.

I was in the mood to listen to this style of book and, to be honest, I'm really not its target audience. Overall, it hit the spot nicely and I thought the narrator did an alright job.

enjoyable

This is one of my favourite books and loved listening to it through audio was very clear and engaging

Amazing!!

the narrator was amazing, and narrated the boon beautifully!! and I loved the story!! thank you!!

I love it!!

I couldn't stop listening to it!! It's soo amazing, I finished it within two days!

Story was okay

I really disliked the narrator and her voices for other people. Would rather have read the book than listen to her do accents for people. Bee's father, for example, made me cringe.

Narrator is irritating!

The story was an average high school romance story, nothing to write home about. Not sure why it was turned into a film to be honest! The narrator was really irritating too, I order persevered with this book as I had nothing else to listen to. Don't bother!