The Universe is Expanding and So am I

February 26, 2018
Virginia Shreves is back in Mackler’s sequel to her award-winning 2003 novel, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. She’s still worried about her weight, still worried about boys and finding love, but most of all worried because her brother, Byron, has just been arrested. Mackler infuses momentum into Virginia’s story by returning to the alleged sexual assault Byron committed at Columbia, for which he faces trial and possible jail time. Virginia must parse her feelings about her brother and what he did (or may not have done)—not an easy subject, but one that Mackler handles with sensitivity and complexity. Meanwhile, Virginia resists getting her driver’s license and embarks on a secret romance with the brother of the woman who accused Byron of rape. Though a sense of impending doom looms over their new relationship because of the circumstances, the tension doesn’t lead to predictable conflict. Mackler provides Virginia with plenty of opportunity for growth as she navigates romance, family difficulties, and relatable struggles with self-image. A thoughtful and engaging read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Tina P. Schwartz, the Purcell Agency.

For a second time, narrator Laura Knight Keating excels at portraying Virginia Shreves, an overweight 16-year-old who suffers from body image issues and an inferiority complex within her family. In addition to being in a meaningless relationship, Virginia is the butt of bullying and is confused about her brother's arrest for date rape. Then she meets Sebastian, a handsome artist who is not a "chubby chaser." Keating marks Virginia's initial distrust and then her wonder and pleasure at finding someone who really sees her. Virginia also begins to see with new clarity her family's obsession with appearance and her own worth in the world. Reflecting an interesting plot complication, Keating replicates the tension that comes from Virginia's falling in love with Sebastian in spite of knowing he's the brother of the girl her brother is accused of raping. S.W. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine