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YA Lit.: Dumplin' Part 2



This past weekend, I was eager to curl up with some hot chocolate and finish the last few chapters of Julie Murphy's Dumplin'. Since my last post about the novel, some serious drama had developed in all aspects of Willowdean's life, and I was curious to find out how Murphy would resolve the different conflicts her protagonist faced. As I closed the back cover, I admit I was happier with the book's ending than I had originally thought I would be. However, while the story was heart-warming and humorous, there were less reasons to recommend the book for classroom use than there were to offer it as a casual read outside of school.

While Murphy is able to deliver her narrative in a way that resembles a typical teen's thinking and speech, I found several places in the novel that lacked depth and insight from Willowdean. Murphy tries to balance a lot of concepts in one storyline: friendships, relationships, loss, self-image, homosexuality, family life, and community, just to name a few. The presence of these concepts in the story is not enough, however, to paint a realistic picture of an adolescent's struggle in trying to find their place within them. Furthermore, Murphy's protagonist does little beyond acknowledging the factors in her life causing significant stress, undercutting the themes which would otherwise portray Willowdean in a more realistic light. I am tempted to say that Murphy tried to balance too many concepts that universally impact teens, posing a lot of societal questions without offering a lot of insight or answers.

And then, there is Bo. I had so much hope that Bo would redeem the realistic portrayal of troubled teens, but the reader is still left wondering What's up with the love interest?  at the end of the book. Mysterious and somewhat aggressive, Bo tells Willowdean very little about his past; he was a jerk to his friends, especially his ex-girlfriend, which left me wondering whether or not his pursuit of Willowdean is really just an act of charity for personal redemption. The interactions between several of the characters, particularly Bo and Willowdean, seem to defy societal norms in ways that adolescents would strategically avoid. During a time in development when social connections are so important, adolescents thrive on peer acceptance and comfortably fitting into established norms. While bold and inspiring, I do not think Willowdean's quest is one many teens would embark on.

Dumplin' provides the reader with a witty narrative of an adolescent's battles with self-love. Light and fun to read, I thought the social concepts Murphy incorporated (however briefly) were essential to the reader's ability to relate to her characters. However, the lack of depth and involvement with the social concepts and norms mentioned in the story made it hard to become invested in the characters, their struggles, and their growth. While an enjoyable read for its overarching plot and humor, I would not recommend Dumplin' for classroom use because of its surface level examination of problems students would benefit from the deeper analysis and emotional processing of.

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