Being dubbed ‘America’s Fattest Teen’ means that everyone knows Libby Strout’s name. But they don’t know her, and have never tried to look beyond the surface. She will always be remembered by some as the girl who had to be airlifted out of her home as she’d got too big to leave.
When we first meet Libby she is about to start High School and she describes herself as attempting to rejoin the human race. This view has been criticised by a number of readers as Niven being anti-obesity, which strikes me as more than a little naïve. Libby’s comments seem to stem from her desire to accept who she is and how she manages her emotional state over her mother’s death. She has got used to coping alone, but now recognises that she needs other people and has to learn to lean on others for support.
Another character who is used to people viewing him in a certain light is Jack Masselin. From the outset of the novel we are told that he has a condition that means he doesn’t recognise faces. This is useful because, initially, he does not come across favourably. However, as he spends time with Libby we see he has a level of self-awareness that tempers the less appealing aspects of his personality, and I liked the fact that he forms quite a close bond with Libby.
Some of the events in the novel were a little unrealistic, or at least the characters’ reactions to them were, but it was an interesting read. There were some great moments between the two main characters, and I particularly liked the supporting characters.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts, and I hope that people don’t get put off reading this because of the comments made by some reviewers.