Holding Up The Universe Analysis

Isha Judd once said, “Say yes to changes, to surprises, and to unexpected events; you will start to appreciate the perfection within everything.” In Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven, this quote seems to sum up Libby and Jack’s life after everything they’ve gone through. Libby, an overweight girl, only wanted to get through the torments of highschool, while Jack, a popular boy with a secret disease called prosopagnosia, or face blindness, wanted to keep up his facade; they never thought that, through a slight altercation, they would end up having anything to do with each other, and especially nothing more. These intriguing characters, an unpredictable plot, tied together with a lasting theme all make this the best book you would ever read.

Interesting characters are an important part of any storyline and the ones in this story definitely create an impact.

There are many crazy things that happen to Libby and Jack that drive the story and make for an amazing read. For example, when Libby was much more overweight than she is in the time of this story, she was stuck in her house and had to be removed with a crane. Libby also experience lots of teasing and bullying for her weight throughout the course of the story; near the beginning of Libby’s time in high school, Jack even makes her the subject of a cruel game called “fat girl rodeo.” Jack has his fair share of a crazy life, too. His prosopagnosia makes it so that he can’t recognize anybody’s face, not even his family members’. He uses distinct traits about people to identify them, but throughout the books there are a few mixups. Despite this, Jack has never told anyone and struggles to keep his popularity

alive.
All though these characters may seem unrelatable to some, they both have traits that are seen in everybody. They go through hardships and struggle with finding themselves and finding out what’s most important to them. Libby and Jack also represent two minor groups of people, which will make the people of those groups feel recognized. It’s obvious that these characters truly drive the story and make it very enjoyable to read.
A story where you can predict what’s going to happen next makes for a boring read. Holding Up the Universe is the complete opposite. It has many twists and turns that you’d never expect. For example, we find out that Jack was, in fact, present when Libby was removed from her house, which he didn’t make the connection for himself until much time after meeting her. Jack, after playing “fat girl rodeo” with her, incites a lot of expected anger in Libby towards him; neither would expect they’d have anything to do with each other, let alone be together. Lastly, after all those years of not remembering people, Jack finally starts to remember somebody’s face: Libby’s. It’s hard to deny that this story is far from bland, one that you won’t want to stop reading.
Lastly, after any book, you want to learn something from it. This story teaches a lot of valuable lessons throughout the story. For example, Libby overflows with courage, despite the hate she experiences. Throughout the story, she stands up for herself and won’t let herself be taken advantage of, something everybody should be taught to do. Self love is also another big idea in this story. Both Jack and Libby struggle with how other people view them, but throughout the story they learn that, despite their flaws, they are perfect. Lastly, an important theme in the book is to accept the unexpected. Planning for everything in life will get you nowhere; the events that you would never see coming are the ones that really matter. This book leaves you with a lot to think about and ideas that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.
Now you’ve heard some of the many reasons that Holding Up the Universe is the best book ever. The interesting characters and exciting storyline provide for a lot of excitement. A new twist or turn each chapter makes sure you never know what’s coming next and you’ll never want to put the book down. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, you’ll truly learn some life lessons and see certain attributes that you’ll want to keep with you when you’re done reading to use in your everyday life. You have all the reasons and the best parts about this book. Go buy it now and remember to accept the unexpected; you never know what will come of it.