Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer NivenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This YA contemporary novel has two unique characters. Libby, who due to extreme weight gain, had to be cut out of her own home a few years before, and Jack, who has Prosopagnosia (Face Blindness), cross paths due to a very poor choice that ended up having one good side-effect.
Initially, I was a bit --shall we say—ruffled?? by what felt like two extremes coming together for this story, because some part of me just found it all to be too unlikely. Then I reminded myself that I was reading a fiction novel (well, duh), and that I needed to suspend disbelief and check my reality at the door.
Honestly, Libby and Jack helped me get over it, with their unique voices and interesting situations.
Also, I had never heard of Prosopagnosia before, though it is apparently more widespread than I would have even guessed, so this definitely created awareness for me. It’s a reminder to be patient and helpful in social circumstances, because you never know what’s happening with the person on the other end.
Pages: 391
