Book Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

I'm very excited that ICLW has brought some readers to my blog that have expressed interest in my list of books about trying to conceive. It gives me the encouragement I need to actually post reviews of the books I've read in the past two months or so. I also want to get to work on a list of books about pregnancy since I've come across SO many of those in my quest. Stay tuned.

Despite some dismal reviews I knew I wanted to read Bumped for several reasons. First, I had just read Margaret Atwood's seminal novel, The Handmaid's Tale (which I will review soon) with my book club and so the idea of a world in the not too distant future where a select group of women serve as surrogates for the majority of the population who have been rendered infertile was fresh on my mind.

Second, I admit, but I will pretty much read any Young Adult dystopian novels I can get my hands on. Ever since The Hunger Games came out, the genre has overtaken Chick Lit as my literary guilty pleasure. And they're ALL trilogies now so as soon as you finish the first book and realize the second book hasn't even come out yet you search desperately for a new series to read to keep you entertained in the mean time. Or is that just me?

Anyway, I will tell you this about Bumped so if you do decide to read it you will not pull your hair out. It is a parody. If you already are interested in the dystopian genre it will make it easier to appreciate, but essentially it is not meant to be taken seriously or analyzed at dinner parties. It is pure enjoyment meant for a target audience of 15 year old girls who probably don't appreciate how brilliant it is. That being said, the prose itself still may drive you crazy. Terms like "preggy," "neggy," "breedy," etc. are abound in the fictional world of Bumped, where most people are afflicted with a virus which means they cannot conceive after the age of eighteen.

The story features Melody Mayflower who, at 16, is a pioneer in the world of teen surrogacy for profit. Having inked a very lucrative deal with adoptive parents in her tweens, Melody awaits the day where she will be matched with a "stud" in order to get pregnant. The wait is longer than expected and in the mean time all the girls at school get pregnant and Melody deals with jealousy and self-doubt. Meanwhile teen pregnancy is glorified and young girls go around wearing fake bumps exclaiming "my extra thirty is so flirty!"

Enter Melody's identical twin sister that she never knew about, Harmony. Harmony has been raised in a religious community that shuns surrogacy or "pregging for profit" (yes, really that's what it's called) but longs to meet her twin. Also there's some boys. I mean, there has to be boys, right? It's a Young Adult novel! Chaos ensues.

As much as I wanted my brain cells back after reading Bumped, it did keep me entertained. It will probably be a funny movie one of these days. And I admit, I'll read the sequel because I am a sucker. I recommend browsing the first chapter before buying lest you decide too late you don't want to go down this rabbit hole.