A delightful way to officially begin my 2019 reading year. This novel by Jennifer Niven was part of a pile of YA novels I checked out of my college’s library before winter break and so far it’s been my favorite. Similar to her first novel, All the Bright Places, this novel focuses on the developing relationship between two Indiana high school students, and the story is told by both characters in alternating chapters.
Libby Strout is excited and dreading her first day of school since 5th grade. She’s been through a lot—internet infamous for being “America’s Fattest Teen” three years ago, when she weighed over 600 pounds and a team of paramedics had to extricate her from her home. The reasons for this situation are complex and have a lot to do with Libby’s mother’s sudden and unexpected death. Fortunately, Libby and her father have spent the last 3 years trying to move on—they moved across town, Libby went into therapy, and as a result, she’s managed to lose over 300 pounds. She’s still a big girl but she’s excited and energized by all the things she can now do—run, dance, and leave the house. Starting high school is her next step to getting her life back to normal.
Jack Masselin is one of the popular boys at Martin Van Buren High School but beneath his cool swagger and aloofness, Jack has a secret that he keeps even from his own family members. He has Prosopagnosia, which means he cannot remember people’s faces. Every time he looks at someone, including himself, it’s like he’s seeing them for the first time. Over the years, he has developed a number of strategies to hide this disability, including focusing on non-facial identifiers to help him keep his friends and family straight. However, slip-ups keep happening and Jack wonders how long he can keep up this façade.
The way Jack and Libby meet is the opposite of meet-cute but the same chain of events also causes Jack to reveal his secret to Libby and that is the eventual start of their friendship—a relationship that will push both of them to take risks and face their fears. Niven does a great job of creating characters you care about and helping you to see the world through their eyes. I also really appreciate a novel that takes as a given that a plus-size young woman can be attractive and sexy, not just to herself but to others. The demons that both Jack and Libby struggle with are not physical (Jack’s disability or Libby’s excess weight) but fear itself and watching them try to conquer this fear is the perfect way to begin a new year.
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