The Universe is Expanding and So Am I is a glimpse into a world of an average teenager facing unaverage circumstances and how she copes with all the family drama. It is a foray into the world of family dynamics and how different expectations for different siblings can shape and influence the drive and accomplishments as well as the mental status of those involved.
This is a sequel to the book The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things. But if you haven’t read the first book, don’t fret. I hadn’t either and I didn’t feel lost in this story. This book can stand alone as a novel and you still will have a very good feel for the characters, the backstory, and the interplay. The characters are well-developed in this story and the opening chapters give enough of a synopsis to not feel the need to go back and grab this first book to be informed.
The situations in which the characters, both main and ancillary, find themselves are intense. As such, this book should probably remain in the hands of older or more mature readers. The family’s reaction to possible imprisonment for sexual assault changes and morphs throughout the book. While at first I was offended by the response of the parents, by the end of the book as the story had been developed, I was content with the responses and handling of the situation.
This book also deals with issues surrounding body image and fat-shaming. Again, the story develops, so if you find yourself wanting to chuck the book across the room at the beginning, keep reading. The subjects are tough, but by the end of the book I was content with the resolution and how the relationships developed and flourished.
Overall a good read on tough topics with humor interlaced for levity.
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury USA
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 3 religious exclaimations; 12 mild obscenities; 8 derogatory names; 18 scatological words; 18 anatomical terms; 17 f-word derivatives.
Violence/Gore: Girl bites nails until bleeding; woman falls from tree injuring ribs; girl twists ankle; numerous references to date rape/sexual assault.
Sex/Nudity: 4-page scene of teenagers making out and inner monologue about groping and stripping; teenage boy grabs teenage girl’s butt; numerous kisses, hand holds and hugs; one girl on girl kiss; boy’s arm around girl’s shoulder; kissing with above waist stripping and nudity; numerous references to date rape/sexual assault.
Mature Subject Matter:
Body image, family crisis, imprisonment, sexual assault.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
College student gets black-out drunk; adults drink wine; adults smoke.
