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  • Published: 4 October 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141357058
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 432
  • RRP: $19.99

Holding Up the Universe




From the author of the New York Times bestseller All the Bright Places comes a heart-wrenching story about what it means to see someone - and love someone - for who they truly are.

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed 'America's Fattest Teen'. But no one's taken the time to look past her weight to get to see who she really is. Since her mum's death, she's been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby's ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.
Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin too. Yes, he's got swagger, but he's also mastered the art of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a secret: he can't recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He's the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can't understand what's going on with the inner workings of his own brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don't get too close to anyone.
Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game which lands them in group counseling, Libby and Jack are both angry, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world - theirs and yours.
Jennifer Niven delivers another poignant, exhilarating love story about finding that person who sees you for who you are - and seeing them right back.

  • Published: 4 October 2016
  • ISBN: 9780141357058
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 432
  • RRP: $19.99

About the author

Jennifer Niven

Jennifer Niven is the author of the New York Times and international bestsellers All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe. Her books have been translated into 75 languages and have won literary awards around the world. She grew up in Indiana and now divides her time between Georgia and Los Angeles.
Find her at jenniferniven.com and on social.

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Praise for Holding Up the Universe

Niven creates two indelible characters and a heart-stopping romance

Publishers Weekly

Gorgeously written and oh-so-deeply felt

Nicola Yoon, author of Everything, Everything

Niven is adept at creating characters . . . [Libby's] courage and body-positivity make for a joyful reading experience

The New York Times

A love story that will give you all the feels

Seventeen Magazine

A remarkable read

Teen Vogue