Holding Up the Universe

Starred review from August 1, 2016
At first glance, the premise of Niven’s second YA novel, after All the Bright Places, seems dark and improbable: high school junior Libby Strout was once so heavy that she had to be rescued from her house by a crane, senior Jack Masselin has prosopagnosia (face blindness), and they meet when Jack—whose friends, girlfriend, and huge Afro are designed to protect the cool-guy persona he uses to disguise his condition—goes along with the horrible game of “Fat Girl Rodeo.” Libby’s size and backstory make her a target, but she can dance again, and she’s smart, brave, bitingly funny, and no one’s victim (as Jack finds out when she slugs him). Meanwhile, Jack is isolated, angry, and guilty about the compromises he has made. As the semester progresses, they suffer through detention and counseling, Libby makes friends and contends with bullying, Jack opens up to her about his face blindness, and they move—carefully—into romantic territory. Niven makes the novel’s improbable setup work, avoiding the suggestion that happiness lies in thinness as she creates two indelible characters and a heart-stopping romance. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Rostan

Love blooms between two teens--a white girl who refuses to be judged and a biracial boy who hides himself from judgment.Libby Strout was once America's Fattest Teen, whose house had to be cut open to allow her to be taken to the hospital. After three years of weight loss and counseling, Libby's returning to school, where Jack Masselin is the big man on campus. Full of swagger and the life of the party, Jack has developed this persona to hide the truth about himself: he can't recognize faces due to a condition known as prosopagnosia--he doesn't even recognize himself except by his Afro. When Jack grabs Libby in a cruel "game" called Fat Girl Rodeo, she punches him in the mouth, and they both wind up in group counseling. Spending time together will inspire each of them to become stronger, and slowly a kind of friendship develops that turns into more. The narration alternates between the two, effectively getting readers into both kids' heads. The discomfort and fear that Jack feels come through clearly, as he constantly rehearses the "identifiers" of everyone he knows in order to avoid embarrassing mistakes, as do Libby's particular anxieties: will she get stuck behind her desk? Will her peers ever see her for herself? More a story about falling in love with yourself than with a romantic interest, this novel will resonate with all readers who've struggled to love themselves. (Fiction. 14-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from August 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Libby Strout is used to being alone. After her mother's unexpected death, she had eaten her grief away to the point of morbid obesity. Her trials and challenges with this issue turned her into a social media spectacle and forced her into seclusion. Now she is entering high school after years of homeschooling and a medical surgery that helped her go from 600 to 300 pounds. Jack Masselin is the resident bad boy and part of the "in" crowd, but his behavior is all a facade to cover up a big secret. Jack has prosopagnosia, a neurological condition that causes facial blindness. He uses identifiers such as hairstyles and voice recognition and has mastered the art of keeping people at bay so as not to betray his disability. Libby's and Jack's worlds eventually collide after a bullying incident and poor judgment, which places them both in after-school detention. As their friendship grows, they learn what truth and honesty are all about. Libby's unique presence and drive to be herself permeate this poignant story. Jack, who is biracial, transcends the popular pretty boy trope. Both are complex, nuanced protagonists. Written in short chapters of alternating perspectives, this is a thoughtful exploration of identity and self-acceptance, with commentary on overcoming adversities that will hit close to home. The work also examines anxiety, mixed-race marriages, and LGBTQ issues. VERDICT Niven's approach to hard-hitting subjects will speak to the intellectual teen crowd, including fans of Niven's previous work, Emery Lord's The Start of Me and You, and Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything.-Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
Grades 8-11 Libby was once very fatso fat that fire rescue had to cut a hole in her wall to haul her from her home. That was a low point. It took three years for her to get healthy, if not thin. Now she is strong and defiant in the face of bullies, determined not to hide her hard-won physique. Jack is a cute guy in Libby's class, but he's just skimming along, hiding behind a veneer of popularity. Libby and Jack have little in common, but improbably, after she slugs Jack following a bullying incident, a fragile relationship begins, and soon Libby is the only one who knows Jack's secret, which he has been desperate to keep hidden. He has face blindness. Can these two improbable friends become something more? As she did in All the Bright Places (2015), Niven creates well-developed characters and allows their relationship to evolve authentically. Some may find the pace slow, while others will appreciate that true feelings evolve over time. Recommended for readers looking for nonstereotypical love stories. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Niven gained a loyal following after her smash hit, All the Bright Places, and those fans will eagerly line up to see what she's up to this time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)