Libby just wants to be seen for who she really is and not for how much she weighs. Jack only wants to be able to see the world like everyone else. Together, the two will learn the value of friendship, the difficulties that come with being different, and the true happiness that comes with relationships. Told with both humor and heart-breaking honesty, Jennifer Niven gives readers yet another tale of redemption and hope that virtually any reader is sure to adore.
In January of 2015, Jennifer Niven introduced readers to her two intriguing and complex characters Violet and Finch, who stole the hearts of readers in All the Bright Places. Now, Niven has two new and equally likable characters who embody the experiences of many teens in high school today. Those looking for more from the award-winning author will not be disappointed. Holding Up the Universe was one of my very favorite books of 2016.
The story begins with Libby, a girl known for her incredible obesity and for the fact that she had to be broken out of her own home. If that isn’t embarrassing enough, she has to walk the halls of her school with the cold and judging glares of her classmates, each weighing her with their eyes. Then Jack, the popular boy at school, partakes in an attempt to bully Libby, leading to the two having to get to know one another and, eventually, even falling for each other. While Jack may look normal on the outside, he is silently struggling with what he learns to be prosopagnosia, an illness that makes one not able to recognize the faces of others. Both Libby and Jack eventually learn to see others for who they really are, discovering that everyone is important and, especially, wanted.
I had very high expectations for Jennifer’s upcoming novel based on the fact that All the Bright Places is one of my favorite books and that her characters have impacted me in such a personal way. And to be clear, Holding Up the Universe definitely delivered. Her messages about body image and mental illness were very honest and taught me so much as a reader. Even though the subject matter is very serious, Niven adds in plenty of swoon-worthy moments and a few good laughs to lighten the mood. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am certain that young adult readers are going to be honored to meet Libby and Jack for themselves.
Holding Up the Universe is a book that left such a positive impact on me and taught me so much about compassion and acceptance. Libby and Jack leap off the pages and become good friends; readers will be cheering and getting teary-eyed as the two characters struggle to find themselves and one another. Pick up your copy of Holding Up the Universe on October 4th, and experience high school through the eyes of Libby and Jack — who are a little odd, very complex, and completely human.
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