Holding Up The Universe is a young adult book written by Jennifer Niven. I loved All The Bright Places, so it was a no-brainer for me to pick up another one of Jennifer Niven’s books. Holding Up The Universe follows the story of two high schoolers Libby and Jack.
Libby Strout is going back to high school after a couple of years of homeschooling. Libby was named ‘America’s fattest teen’, and she has had a difficult few years. Finally, she feels ready to go back out into the world. She wants people to see her for then the label and get to know the person behind it. Jack Masselin is the popular guy. Everyone knows what to expect of him and they are usually right about it. Behind all of his charm and swagger, he is hiding a secret. He can’t recognize faces. Libby and Jack end up in counseling together after a rough start in school. They come to realize that they have more in common than they would have ever imagined.
Libby loses her mother when she is ten years old. She becomes depressed and lost, not being able to fathom the gravity of such a loss, understandably. She turns to food for comfort which over the years led to an unhealthy lifestyle. Isolated and homeschooled, a medical emergency changes the course of her life. Now, Libby feels mentally and physically healthy enough to attend school and face the world. Libby is such an amazing character. She is brave and resilient but also self-aware. She recognizes her and her dad’s efforts to get where she is today. Perseverance is such a strong trait in her, and she is witty and clever. She is determined to live and experience her life to the fullest, no matter what anyone thinks of her. She has earned this the hardest way. I loved the Supernatural (Tv show) references in the story. They seem so appropriate in the context.
The narration alternates between Libby and Jack. Jack Masselin seems to have it all on the surface. He struggles every day because he can’t recognize faces. It is something that he has never told anyone since it started happening. He fights hard to maintain his swag and behave the way people expect to behave. He feels alienated because no one knows his truth, but he has become good at faking it. He has memorized the traits and voices of the people closest to him so he can recognize them. He is a complex character because he hides his vulnerability beneath his persona.
Libby and Jack are opposite in their coping mechanisms. Libby is open and sassy about it, while Jack is more fake it till to make it. When they meet, they start to recognize something in each other. They learn to open up to each other and form a rare understanding. There is more to their connection which goes back before they ever met in person, and I thought it was beautifully done. Libby and Jack can be together without pressure and judgment, they make sense together. Their characters help each other become open and accept each other. They go on such an evolving arc in the story and support each other on their individual journeys.
Jennifer Niven’s books always seem lighter than they are in reality. The book has such a strong message about acceptance and loving yourself. It is a universal dilemma people struggle with is to accept themselves and love themselves no matter what. It doesn’t happen like a miracle, but Libby and Jack are able to learn to love and accept oneself. They never lose their individuality with each other but simply accept their true selves. It is heartbreaking, sad, and cathartic to see these characters find acceptance within themselves. It is something they need to work on every day. Their lives get better slowly and steadily when they make conscious efforts.
Holding Up The Universe comes across as a young adult book about two teenagers, but it is so much more than that. The way Jennifer Niven writes her characters and the journey they go through is realistic and heartbreaking. Jack and Libby’s story is emotional and poignant. They put on a façade, Jack more than Libby, because they want the world to perceive them in a certain way. It is something I feel everyone can relate to at some point in time. Their character arc shows their struggle and also how they learn to accept themselves for who they are without any external pressure. I loved it. I don’t remember the last time I cried this much while reading. It’s a beautiful book.
*Click on the book cover above to get a copy.
Books and blues 
2 thoughts