But this post is not about that. It's about Puddin' by Julie Murphy, a companion novel to Dumplin'. A few weeks ago I accidentally discovered that Puddin' had been written. I quickly requested it from the library and was beyond giddy when my email came a few days later letting me know my hold was ready for pick-up. Honest to God, I squealed when I opened the email! Why? Because while I wanted to be critical of Dumplin', I loved it. I'm cautiously excited that it will be released as a movie later this year, and I love Murphy's writing.
I'm glad I read Puddin' two years after reading Dumplin'. I couldn't remember the details of the supporting cast, which is probably best. Had I read these two books in quick succession, I wouldn't have enjoyed Millie and Callie nearly as much. Puddin' opens almost exactly a year after the opening of Dumplin' and is told from alternating characters. Millie is sugar coated optimism, 100%. The kind of nice that I'd roll my eyes at in real life, but she's so sincere and genuine that I forgive her for being so nice. Millie has been sent to fat camp for several summers and she has decided this is the year she puts her foot down and tells her mom, "No!" Millie has accepted her body and what it will never be and has moved on to achieving her dreams and goals even if society says fat girls can't have it all. Honestly, more power to her but this was one of the only things that didn't quite ring true for a 17 year old. I'm 40 and I've only just started to come to this acceptance in the last few years. But hey, fiction!
Callie is seriously the kind of girl I judge and judge hard. She's co-captain of the school's dance team, popular, catty, has a rich boyfriend...you get the picture. And very, very early on in the book she takes part in vandalism of the local gym that had to drop their sponsorship of the dance team because of financial difficulties. Callie then has the nerve to act justified in her actions and surprised and furious at her punishment of the crime. I hated Callie for a good portion of the book knowing full well that Julie Murphy was going to redeem her...somehow. And if I'm honest, I kind of resented Murphy knowing she was going to make me care for her character. But that's what Murphy does best. She makes you care and believe in her characters.
Millie and Callie are forced into spending time together and that's where all the magic takes place. Puddin' has a lot of great messages about second chances and finding the friends we need, but the best thing about this book is that the characters find the courage to be who they really are and not what society expects them to be. Of course, I have some favorite moments. Like the scene where Millie uses her sweet talking to manipulate Callie's mom into relenting on her grounding for a night. It's hilarious as told from Callie's point of view. I also just loved that the old characters from Dumplin' are an important part of the story and Mitch, sweet Mitch, who had his heart broken by Willowdean gets a happy ending too.
Read this book. It's different from the first. Less splashy and fun plot line. Nothing could really top a band of "misfits" entering a beauty pageant, but the character development of Millie and Callie and the redemption Callie achieves make the story just as compelling. In truth, I can't decide which I like more!
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