Nothing Beats a Little Southern Charm and a Lot of Dolly Parton

Julie Murphy’s book, Dumplin’ has been on my reading list for quite some time. This is actually the second time that I have attempted to read this book. I am incredibly glad that I decided to give Dumplin’ another shot because it turned out to be an outstanding read. The first time that I sat down to read this book was towards the end of my time in college. My advisor (an all-around amazing woman and absolute guru on the perfect book suggestions) told me that I should give Dumplin’ a try. I don’t know why I doubted her, but for some reason I did, and I ended up giving the book back to her before I finished it—before I really even gave it a chance (I think I was only 50-60 pages in).

Fast forward to a few years later, and Netflix made an announcement that they were going to take Murphy’s story of the self-proclaimed fat girl entering her small Texas town’s beauty pageant into a Netflix Original Movie. After that announcement, social media and bookstores everywhere were abuzz with advertisements and promotions featuring Dumplin’. I decided that it was probably time to pick up a copy for myself and give this book a second chance.

I’m disappointed in myself that I waited so long to read this, and I’m a little disappointed in myself that I caved and watched the movie before I sat down to read the book. Dumplin’ resonated with me in so many different ways that when I look back on why I wasn’t able to finish it the first time, I am left wondering if I just wasn’t ready to accept the powerful messages that Murphy was able to convey.

Julie Murphy does an amazing job at bringing to life the story of Willowdean Dickson—called Dumplin’ by her mom—a high school girl living in the small Texas town of Clover City. Unlike most stereotypical Southern towns, where football reigns supreme, Clover City bows down to the annual Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Beauty Pageant. Willowdean struggles with everything from friends, boys, the loss of her aunt, her weight, and her overbearing beauty queen mom to discover what it means to love yourself.

After the death of her Aunt, Lucy, Willowdean feels as though she has lost the mother figure in her life due to the strained relationship that she and her actual mother share. Relying on her best friend, Ellen, and her love of Dolly Parton, Willowdean is just trying to make it through high school. Willowdean’s aunt Lucy, a diehard Dolly Parton fan, and a woman who also struggled with her weight, shared a bond with Willowdean that her mother just never seemed to understand. After some drama with her best friend—and a confusing budding romance with her coworker Bo—Willowdean decided to rebel and enter the beauty pageant that is so near and dear to her mother’s heart. Through her act of rebellion against the typical girls who enter the beauty pageant, Willowdean has inspired other, non-traditional beauty queen girls to enter the pageant as well. As the drama continues between Willowdean and Ellen, the plot thickens as her relationship with Bo intertwines with her relation with Mitch, and Willowdean and her friends turn to some Dolly Parton Drag Queens to help them find the confidence to accept themselves for who they are. Although the pageant started out as a joke, it turned into so much more.

For starters, I’m a sucker for anything Southern, and Julie Murphy has filled her books with Southern charm. Murphy does an excellent job at bringing Clover City to life and filling it with a host of amazing, beautifully written characters that everyone can relate to. What stood out to me the most about the characters in this story is that there are enough characters, with such unique backgrounds, insecurities, strengths, and passions, that there is a character that resonates with anyone who reads this book. I’m also a sucker for anything to do with Dolly Parton, and the country music legend plays a major role—in more ways than one—throughout this story.

One of the biggest themes that Murphy does an excellent job of conveying is Willowdean’s struggle with her weight and feeling comfortable in her own skin. The book does an amazing job at showing what it is like to have insecurities about your weight and some of the pressures and anxieties that come with being self conscious, but this book also provides an inspiring message about what it means to accept yourself and find the confidence to be secure in your own body. Murphy effortlessly combines this internal struggle with all of the other struggles that come with being a teenager: friendship, romance, work, family, and even loss. To bring all of these things together, Murphy includes quite a bit of humor throughout, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once (especially during the visits to the Hideaway).

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good laugh, a nice cry, and a story that is chock full of heart.

5 out of 5 stars!