The novel Holding Up the Universe written by Jennifer Niven is centered around a teenage girl named Libby Strout, who is known around her small town in Indiana as “America’s Fattest Teen”. Ever since a video was posted of her being cut out of her house three years ago, she has struggled with constant bullying and insults from people in her town as well as people on the internet. However, Libby has to go back to high school for her junior year. There, she meets Jack Masselin, a seemingly perfect, popular boy with friends who ridicule Libby for her weight. After Jack is pressured by his friends to jump on Libby as part of a cruel game, she punches him and they are forced to do community service and attend a Conversation Circle after school. Libby finds a note from Jack, explaining that he cannot remember people’s faces and has been keeping this secret for most of his life. Through these activities, they gradually start to get to know each other better while trying to figure out why Jack is unable to remember faces. As they navigate emotional and social challenges throughout the novel, Jack and Libby begin to pursue an unexpected romance and battle various obstacles along the way.
Although I do not typically enjoy reading romance novels, I truly enjoyed reading this book. It is an intriguing, heart-wrenching, and relatable novel that I think many people, especially teenagers, would like reading. The plot and the author’s captivating writing style draw the reader in and set the book apart from typical romance novels. I also particularly liked Niven’s use of alternating viewpoints because it gives the audience a better understanding of Jack’s actions and thoughts instead of just Libby’s. I would definitely recommend this book to readers ages 13 and up that enjoy coming of age or romance novels.
Review Written by Alina, 10th Grade