In Jennifer Niven’s Holding Up the Universe, a Midwestern high school becomes a pressure cooker where labels stick, secrets isolate, and kindness can be quietly radical. Told in alternating voices, the novel follows two teens who learn to see beyond appearances and teach others to do the same. Around them, friends, bullies, and family members test loyalties and reveal how connection can heal.
Main Characters
Libby Strout
Libby Strout returns to public school after years of isolation, determined to live boldly despite being branded “America’s Fattest Teen.” Resilient, witty, and fiercely empathetic, she channels her love of dance into reclaiming her identity and refuses to be reduced to a headline or a body. Her connection with Jack begins with a humiliating prank and evolves into an honest friendship—and then something more—as they recognize each other’s hidden pain and strength. Anchored by her protective father Will Strout and supported by new friends Bailey, Jayvee, and Iris, Libby’s journey moves from survival to self-definition, demanding to be seen on her own terms.
Jack Masselin
Jack Masselin is the charismatic, popular junior who secretly lives with prosopagnosia—face blindness—which forces him to memorize people by tells and mannerisms. Maintaining a “cool guy” mask to hide his fear of being exposed, he navigates school, a fraying family, and friends whose stunts test his conscience. Libby becomes the first person he trusts with the truth, and her presence pushes him to stop performing and start living authentically. Torn between Caroline and his crew (Dave and Seth) and his protective devotion to his younger brother Dusty, Jack’s arc is about choosing courage, empathy, and honesty over status.
Supporting Characters
Will Strout
Will Strout is Libby’s devoted single father, still grieving his wife and fearful of losing his daughter. His worry can verge on overprotection, but his steadfast love gives Libby the security to risk returning to school and reclaim joy. Their bond underlines the novel’s belief that healing is a family effort.
Caroline Lushamp
Caroline Lushamp is Jack’s beautiful, often cruel, on-again off-again girlfriend—and a former classmate who once knew Libby. She personifies the school’s superficial status games, pressuring Jack to maintain his mask while antagonizing Libby. Through Caroline, the story exposes how popularity can normalize casual cruelty.
Dave Kaminski
Dave Kaminski is Jack’s friend and a catalyst for the group’s worst impulses, including the “Fat Girl Rodeo” stunt. He embodies the thrill-seeking, thoughtless side of popularity that collides with Jack’s conscience. Dave’s actions inadvertently launch Libby and Jack into the accountability and connection that change them.
Dusty Masselin
Dusty Masselin is Jack’s brave ten-year-old brother, unapologetically himself—even when classmates bully him for carrying a purse. His integrity and vulnerability make him Jack’s hero and moral compass. Their bond reveals Jack’s capacity for tenderness beneath the persona.
Bailey Bishop
Bailey Bishop is a genuinely kind, socially respected classmate who welcomes Libby back without judgment. She models a version of popularity rooted in empathy, helping Libby rebuild community. Bailey’s friendship shows that acceptance can be as influential as cruelty.
Moses Hunt
Moses Hunt has bullied Libby since elementary school and becomes a recurring reminder of the shame she was taught to carry. His presence tests Libby’s resilience and her refusal to internalize other people’s labels. By confronting him, Libby reclaims power over an old wound.
Minor Characters
- Iris Engelbrecht: A classmate publicly humiliated by Dave; Libby’s defense of her signals Libby’s empathy and zero tolerance for bullying, and Iris becomes part of Libby’s support system.
- Jayvee De Castro: Bailey’s sharp, loyal friend who quickly embraces Libby; outspoken and funny, she strengthens Libby’s new circle.
- Seth Powell: One of Jack’s friends who pushes risky “games,” including the “Fat Girl Rodeo,” amplifying the pressure Jack feels to perform.
- Kendra Wu: Caroline’s best friend and a participant in the social exclusion of Libby; she reinforces the school’s cruel pecking order.
- Mr. Levine: The perceptive counselor who runs Conversation Circle, creating the space where Libby and Jack begin to truly see each other.
- Heather Alpern: The poised coach of the Damsels dance team; a figure Libby admires as she pursues her passion.
- Monica Chapman: Jack’s chemistry teacher involved with his father, revealing fractures in Jack’s home life and heightening his anxiety.
- Principal Wasserman: The principal who assigns counseling and community service after the altercation, indirectly setting Libby and Jack’s reckoning in motion.
Character Relationships & Dynamics
Libby and Jack form the novel’s emotional core: their connection starts with conflict and humiliation but deepens into a bond built on truth-telling. Libby’s refusal to hide and Jack’s confession of face blindness create rare mutual visibility, transforming both from isolated performers into partners who champion each other’s growth. Their dynamic reframes “popularity” as less meaningful than being known.
Family ties drive stakes and choices. Libby’s closeness with Will gives her the courage to risk failure, while she negotiates independence without breaking their bond. Jack’s home life is strained by parental conflict and secrecy; his devotion to Dusty—and frustration with the rest of the family—highlights his protective instincts and fear of failing those he loves.
School hierarchies sharpen conflicts and forge alliances. Caroline, Kendra, Dave, and Seth represent a status-obsessed crowd that normalizes cruelty and pressures Jack to keep his mask on. In contrast, Bailey, Jayvee, and Iris form an inclusive circle that welcomes Libby and models friendship grounded in empathy. Mr. Levine’s Conversation Circle and the Damsels dance team become spaces where public roles can be questioned and rewritten, allowing characters to step out of their labels and into who they really are.