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Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
by
Carlos Duarte knows that he's fabulous. He's got a better sense of style than half the fashionistas in New York City, and he can definitely apply makeup like nobody's business. He may only be in high school, but when he lands the job of his dreams--makeup artist at the FeatureFace counter in Macy's--he's sure that he's finally on his way to great things.
But the makeup art ...more
But the makeup art ...more
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Hardcover, 219 pages
Published
July 26th 2011
by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Here's the thing: My friends circle consists almost entirely of LGBTQ people. And I adore them. So when I set out to write a gay romance a couple of months ago, I naturally patterned my MC on the gay people I know most intimately - my best friends. Now a large part of my friends' circle consists of people who are the flamboyantly gay type. You know the type I mean, the ones who wear tight skinny jeans and jewellery (and sometimes, very embarrassingly, feather boas!) and air-kiss and call everyon
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There wasn't much of a plot. Characters get swept under the rug. No sense of urgency, no character development.
Also, I am all for self love and confidence.... But not at the expense of putting others down. He judges a lot of people for their clothing, hair, nails, food choices. It's kinda condescending. And I cannot like a character that essentially manipulates someone into doing something that could **cause them to lose their job** for their own personal goals. ...more
Also, I am all for self love and confidence.... But not at the expense of putting others down. He judges a lot of people for their clothing, hair, nails, food choices. It's kinda condescending. And I cannot like a character that essentially manipulates someone into doing something that could **cause them to lose their job** for their own personal goals. ...more

I read this for a committee--definitely a "YA glbt book" but not in the typical, cliched ways. His sexuality is kind of non-issue; it's more about Carlos pursuing his ultimate career dream: to become a professional make-up artist. Light, quick, snappy dialogue--super fast read. A very NYC kind of story...
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I thought the title too irresistable to give this book a chance – and I will have to say that it was a rather delightful sort of read. Imagine if Marc St. James from Ugly Betty gave his own backstory – and I think you will be able to picture Carlos perfectly! He was sassy, confident, and just a perfect blend of ambitious and niceness to make for a likeable main character.
I am not a makeup fiend (…well, maybe I dabble in eyeshadows like a regular Bob Ross), but the enthusiasm that exudes from Ca ...more
I am not a makeup fiend (…well, maybe I dabble in eyeshadows like a regular Bob Ross), but the enthusiasm that exudes from Ca ...more

Fluffy, easy to read, but definitely entertaining. Carlos Duarte is a makeup prodigy and young gay high schooler who makes plenty of mistakes, but at least he owns up to most of them. He's a hard worker (in some aspects of his life), and not always a great friend, but you can't help but love him. By no means a perfect YA novel, but definitely a good one to recommend to middle schoolers.
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"When I was twelve, I convinced my mother to let me do her makeup for Parents' Night. When I was finished, my sister, Rosalia, who was fifteen, said, 'Ma, aren't ya even gonna say anything?'
Ma said to me, 'All right, so it looks nice, Carlos. But I don't think I should be encouraging something like this. I'm not gonna go to your school and tell your teacher, 'See my face! Isn't it pretty? My son did my makeup. Didn't he do an excellent job?'
Rosalia asked, 'Why not?'
Ma said, 'You know why not! Do ...more
Ma said to me, 'All right, so it looks nice, Carlos. But I don't think I should be encouraging something like this. I'm not gonna go to your school and tell your teacher, 'See my face! Isn't it pretty? My son did my makeup. Didn't he do an excellent job?'
Rosalia asked, 'Why not?'
Ma said, 'You know why not! Do ...more

Carlos Duarte knows exactly who he is and what he wants from life. When he hears about a chance to apply at Macy's to work at one of their make-up counters, he knows this is going to open the doors to his dreams of becoming a famous make-up artist. Carlos soon learns that this may prove to be more difficult than he had first though. Throw in problems with his sisters, a crush, and dealing with severe homophobia , and Carlos soon has more on his plate than he thought he'd have to deal with.
Carlos ...more
Carlos ...more

I really did not find Carlos at all likable. He was obsessed with how people looked and while he was horrified by anyone daring to judge him, he judged everyone else constantly. Even his friends, like Angie who apparently ate a lot when she was stressed. He was constantly mentioning how gross it was, but he describes himself as "big" as well, so this seemed really hypocritical. Anyone whose fashion sense and makeup style didn't match his own was viewed as ridiculous. I actually snorted out loud
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Kind of a mess.
There's nothing really at stake in this novel, so from the onset, it was all about Carlos being too weirdly nervous to ask for an application to work at the Macy's make up counter so he has his friend do it, but he suddenly has the confidence when he interviews and takes the job. For being gay and being sort of an outsider culturally/socially, I found it pretty terrible he was so mean to Angie about being fat. Constant fat comments and discussions of the food she was eating (he ev ...more
There's nothing really at stake in this novel, so from the onset, it was all about Carlos being too weirdly nervous to ask for an application to work at the Macy's make up counter so he has his friend do it, but he suddenly has the confidence when he interviews and takes the job. For being gay and being sort of an outsider culturally/socially, I found it pretty terrible he was so mean to Angie about being fat. Constant fat comments and discussions of the food she was eating (he ev ...more

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Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright is one of the Best intriguing books I've read this year. If you like a good Romance that any girl does, a good laugh that makes you laugh out loud, and any real life problems that any male goes through, then I highly suggest you check out Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy today.
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Cute story.
I loved this little book. The main character, Carlos, truly is a character and one that made me chuckle. He has a great optimism about him and you can't help but hope things go his way. ...more
I loved this little book. The main character, Carlos, truly is a character and one that made me chuckle. He has a great optimism about him and you can't help but hope things go his way. ...more

Finally. An LGBTQ book that's not about a white, middle class gay dude. This is funny and sweet as hell and avoids predictable answers and messages.
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*Read for English 619.*
I am frequently willing to forgive YA authors for their employment of familiar, essentially cliche tropes. Examples in "P.M.o.t.F.B." include a nervous best friend with a compulsive habit (eating, in this case), a few well-manicured homosexual men (are they ever, in popular culture, not well-manicured?), an overbearing parent, an absent father, and a female in denial about the abuse she's experiencing. And this is just regarding characters/characterization. Other elements ...more
I am frequently willing to forgive YA authors for their employment of familiar, essentially cliche tropes. Examples in "P.M.o.t.F.B." include a nervous best friend with a compulsive habit (eating, in this case), a few well-manicured homosexual men (are they ever, in popular culture, not well-manicured?), an overbearing parent, an absent father, and a female in denial about the abuse she's experiencing. And this is just regarding characters/characterization. Other elements ...more

Caveat: I was recommended this book as fat rep, which ... comes up very little, and is just as often comments that people are eating the "wrong" food as anything else. Oh no, grease! Think of the pores!!!
Carlos is a make up genius. OK, great. But he doesn't learn. The entire plotline revolves around him being extremely skilled with makeup. Which gives an easy out when things get tough. Almost like a chosen one trope, he gets away with shit.
(view spoiler) ...more
Carlos is a make up genius. OK, great. But he doesn't learn. The entire plotline revolves around him being extremely skilled with makeup. Which gives an easy out when things get tough. Almost like a chosen one trope, he gets away with shit.
(view spoiler) ...more

This book is about a high school boy named Carlos. He was into makeup since he was a little kid. Now that he is into highschool you see his journey through becoming a famous makeup artist. From romance to drama, this book has it all. Will Carlos get his happy ever after, find out by reading this book.

3.5 stars. 3 for sloooow burn before it got good. 4 stars for prose, voicing of the character, representation and story. Glad it's out there! Possibly a niche queer kid read, just because it takes so long for the story (which is just interesting no matter who you are) really gets going.
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Review by K.S.: "I liked how it showed that anything's possible if you put your mind to it."
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This book is about a high school gay guy named Carlos. his dream is to be a makeup artist so he's really into makeup stuff. thought out this he prosses trying to get a job or try to found the confidence to keep going to follow his dreams. his friends Rosalia support him but his mom doesn't and when he was 5 his dad was left because he was a drug addict.
This book is so fun to read as I laugh at some pages. if you like makeup or article that kind of stuff you definitely have to read this book. ...more
This book is so fun to read as I laugh at some pages. if you like makeup or article that kind of stuff you definitely have to read this book. ...more

3.5. I loved how deep this story went. Even beyond Carlos and his heart's desire to be a makeup artist, he was dealing with a lot of issues and never lost sight of them.
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