Holding Up the Universe

Libby Strout returns to high school after years of homeschooling, carrying both physical and emotional weight from her past. Her re-entry into public school life coincides with meeting Jack Masselin, a popular student secretly struggling with prosopagnosia - the inability to recognize faces, even those of his family and friends. The two teenagers navigate their daily challenges while trying to maintain their carefully constructed facades at school. Jack relies on memorized details and clothing to identify people, while Libby works to prove herself beyond others' assumptions and judgments about her size. Their paths intersect through both conflict and connection as they each confront truths about identity, belonging, and self-acceptance. Through their alternating perspectives, the story examines how people see themselves versus how others perceive them. The novel explores universal themes of isolation and authenticity, asking what it means to truly see and be seen by others. By pairing two distinct but parallel struggles, it illuminates how everyone fights private battles beneath their public faces.

Readers note strong character development and authentic portrayal of teen perspectives. Many connect with the representation of body image issues and face blindness, calling the story relatable and emotionally honest. Liked: - Dual POV narrative structure - Treatment of mental health topics - Romance develops naturally - Complex family dynamics - Message about self-acceptance Disliked: - Some found the plot predictable - Several readers felt the ending wrapped up too neatly - A few critics called the premise unrealistic - Some found the writing style simplistic Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (83,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (1,200+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (300+ ratings) "The characters feel real and flawed in the best way" - Goodreads reviewer "Tackles difficult subjects with sensitivity" - Amazon reviewer "The romance felt forced at times" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

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🌟 Jennifer Niven wrote this book partly inspired by her own experiences with face blindness (prosopagnosia), similar to the condition faced by the character Jack 🌟 The book sparked controversy before its release due to its marketing description, but went on to receive praise for its sensitive handling of body image and neurodiversity 🌟 The main character Libby Strout's story was influenced by a news article about a teenager who had to be cut out of her house due to her weight 🌟 "Holding Up the Universe" has been translated into more than 25 languages and is published in over 30 countries 🌟 The author spent time interviewing teenagers with prosopagnosia to ensure an accurate portrayal of Jack's experiences with the condition