Holding Up the Universe discussion

I tried to write a comment about the book but I wasn´t able to. Why are people so excited about this book? It´s problematic in a number of ways.
"She’s the girl who was so heavy she had to be lifted out of her house by a crane." Nice represenation of a fat girl.
"She´s ready to rejoin the human race" because fat people aren´t humans.
This book just uses the "poor broken fat girl" trope and the only person who will ever love you is someone who can't recognize your face!
And lets not forget the description of the guy: ""his brain is different, or maybe a little broken". Great description of a disabled person there.

Full disclosure, I didn´t love the authors previous book. But I definitely won´t be picking up this one.

Emily wrote: "I tried to write a comment about the book but I wasn´t able to. Why are people so excited about this book? It´s problematic in a number of ways.

I completely agree. I was very offended by this book description and the language used in it to describe both main characters.

I don't think that the blurb was meant to be implying fat people aren't humans, I took it as that was how Libby felt about herself.

Agree so much with what you said. While the way the synopsis treats Libby is undeniably horrible, the part describing Jack is absolutely ridiculous to me.

As a person with prosopagnosia who is not able to recognize her own face, I am nowhere near broken, and I wouldn't consider myself disabled. I will admit that I have been face blind for as long as I can remember and it might be different for someone who suddenly became face blind, but it's more of an annoyance than anything else. Sometimes I don't recognize people, but most times I do by identifying them by their hair, skin color, voice, logical reasoning, or many, many other things. When I am unable to tell who someone is, I just explain and they usually get it.

Sure it's an inconvenience sometimes, but the way the book describes it is absurd. You know, tonight I was watching a movie and was unable to tell apart two characters in some of the scenes. Pity me, guys - I'm broken.

1. The human race comment was in regard to the home schooling comment.

2. We don't know about this "poor broken fat girl" 'trope' and let's face it, there are some poor broken fat girls that maybe this book will help.

3. While the guy's brain may not let him recognize faces, he does recognize bodies so it's not like he's only talking/dating with her because he can't see her face. honestly, considering not everyone's faces reflect their body size, I don't see the problem with that.

4. Some people with disabilities or who are fat might consider them broken, do I think love from someone else should show them they're okay? No. But we don't know the full story. Let's remember there's also group counseling in this novel and think about how THAT could also help each main character get through their feelings.

I've never spoken (written) publicly about my own mental illness but maybe it's time. I believe that everyone's story is different. We all view our experiences through the lens of what we know and what we don't. Sometimes, it's not pleasant. Actually...it often isn't. I read Jennifer Niven's previous book, All The Bright Places. It was difficult to read at times as well as funny and touching. I know what it feels like to want to leave this life. I've heard the same stories from others in similar situations. The book did a beautiful job describing the struggle some of us face. I wish I had it when I was a teen, when I was hurting the most and thought that there was no one else going through the same experience. The writing is thoughtful, beautiful and even hopeful. I look forward to reading Holding Up the Universe. I didn't struggle with weight or face blindness, but I did struggle with body issues due to years of sexual abuse. I also suffered from black outs and memory lapses due to the abuse. I felt "broken" for many years. I now know that I'm not, but that doesn't mean that I didn't feel that way. I longed to be brave enough, when I was a teen, to find other "broken" people...to hear their stories...to know that there were others that felt the same way so that I didn't feel so isolated. Now that I am an adult and have gone through many years of therapy, I feel extremely lucky to understand who I have become but I know that there are still people out there...teens, who feel like they are "broken"--Real life isn't always what we want it to be and reading stories about people that feel the way we do is inspiring. Holding Up the Universe is on my MUST read list!

Amber wrote: "1. The human race comment was in regard to the home schooling comment. "

I'm homeschooled and most definitely part of the human race, thank you very much. Most homeschoolers are, in fact, humans and even go outside every once in a while.

Emily wrote: "Amber wrote: "1. The human race comment was in regard to the home schooling comment. "

I'm homeschooled and most definitely part of the human race, thank you very much. Most homeschoolers are, in ..."

I'm aware of that, I know several people who were homeschooled. Not all homeschoolers are so active around their own peers and I think that it was the blurb writer was saying.

I really don't see what is so problematic about this book. It's as if overweight and obese people who need to be lifted by crane don't exist? Please. Stop being butthurt for no reason.

Being obese falls in the same category as being skinny - it's simply not healthy and instead of portraying it as normal, it should motivate people to work on their bodies to be healthier.

If the author is writing about a girl's insecurities and how she is changing herself for the better, then what's the problem? But I'm afraid that most of the butthurt comments are from those who either tried and failed to come to terms with their obesity or they simply don't want to.

Emily wrote: I'm homeschooled and most definitely part of the human race, thank you very much. Most homeschoolers are, in ..."
Yeah, but the female character we are talking about CANNOT go out because she is too obese. That's the point and yes, people like that really exist. And books should be written about them.

freenightfalls wrote: "Emily wrote: I'm homeschooled and most definitely part of the human race, thank you very much. Most homeschoolers are, in ..."
Yeah, but the female character we are talking about CANNOT go out beca..."

Sure people like that exist and books should be written about them. The problem is HOW they are written about.

Emily wrote: "freenightfalls wrote: "Emily wrote: I'm homeschooled and most definitely part of the human race, thank you very much. Most homeschoolers are, in ..."
Yeah, but the female character we are talking a..."

The book has not even been released, which means that you cannot know how the characters are portrayed in it, unless you got some copy in advance, but I doubt that is the case.

And even if the characters are portrayed in a negative light, I don't see what's the problem. IMO obesity cannot and will never be a positive characteristic and people should not hide behind it. I'd rather read about characters overcoming it in order to become healthier and not giving up (I hope the book is about that) than self-pitying and trying to convince themselves that it is ok to be obese because... it is not.

Usually when it comes to debatable matters, I’m open minded to both sides. But when it comes to this, it’s pissing me off because I wouldn’t expect that Jennifer Niven would have haters about her writing and story ideas. I’m reading comments such as “stop romanticizing mental illness” or “everything about it is offensive” and all that crap. With her book All The Bright Places, the story behind Finch was suicide.

For all of you complaining that she should “stop romanticizing mental illness” should fucking pick up the book again and read the whole damn thing because most of the people that are saying this probably never even read it in the first place.

ATBP ISN’T JUST A ROMANTIC BOOK. I don’t understand why all of you get so judgemental about it because this book had a deeper meaning than 2 people just simply falling in love. I swear to God if you were looking for a sappy romantic novel, then you’re in the wrong place and you have no right to judge because you don’t know the full understanding behind it. Jennifer wrote this book in hopes of reaching out to people who are troubled in life in hopes that somehow she would get to help them. To all her haters, I’m sorry if your life is so perfect okay. I’m sorry if your toughest problem in life is about your boyfriend not texting you back.

You fail to realize that there are fucking 7 billion people in the world and they all have different personalities and different lives. PEOPLE AREN’T PERFECT. NO ONE IS. Just because an author decided to put a romantic concept in a mental illness story doesn’t mean she’s offending those who go through it. In fact she’s doing the complete opposite.

Do you think a 15 year old going through a mental illness will pick up a self help book written by a person who has a professional medical license? What will she understand there? NOTHING. Because with that type of book, that 15 year old will then realize that there IS something wrong with her and it will lead to the fact that she’s not accepted in society. With ATBP, that kid will learn that she is not alone. That kid will understand that there are people just like her. And for me, that can do a lot already. Through her book, she’s sending a message to our generation that we don’t live in a perfect world. We don’t know how people think and we have no right to judge them.

And now with her new book, if you don’t want to read it because you find it “offensive” then fine don’t read it. No one is fucking forcing you but don’t drag other people down who actually wants to read it because again you don’t know their story. I know that it’s your own opinion but if you’re just simply judging it because it’s not a “perfect love story” type of book then I suggest you go far far away because this book isn’t it. And if you think it’s “offensive” why not open your mind a little bit? Do you really think Jennifer will still be a respected author now if all she does is “offend” people through her books? Didn’t think so.

LOVE your comment Isa! well written :)