4/5
Holding Up The Universe alternates between the perspectives of Libby, formerly America's Fattest Teen, and Jack, who is living with a condition called prosopagnosia, meaning he can't recognize faces. The novel is about their individual lives running parallel to one another.
I say "parallel" because I don't want to say "intertwine," as I feel that would give off the impression that this novel is only about Libby and Jack's relationship. Of course, we see their interactions and of course also the relationship that develops between them, but that is not the focus of the novel. Libby's chapters are honest as she looks at grief, bullying, the unreasonable hatred toward fat people, and inner strength. Jack's chapters are honest in his dealings with family, mental and physical illness, and the search for safety. The novel is about finding identity and all the obstacles that come before it.
Holding Up The Universe is sweet, honest, well-written, and enjoyable. I particularly liked the occasional changes in format, like how sometimes Jack's chapters would be written in list format. It really reflected the way he thought and reinforced that aspect of his personality. I burned through this novel in a day. I would recommend it to Sarah Dessen fans, or those who like Tell Me Three Things.
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