Juliana Loewen is an American writer whose first book, The Looming Tower, was released in 2021 and has since sold millions of copies worldwide. She currently lives in New York City, and her most recent novel, Call Me by Your Name, was recently turned into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and director David Fincher. Loewen is well known for her quirky writing style, which includes a wide vocabulary that span many topics, a love of dictionaries, and an almost conversational writing style that involve building an argument from basic facts, then refuting it with her characters’ viewpoints. Loewen is no stranger to controversy, having written hits such as Hitler in the 1930s and The DaVinci Code, which became movies of controversy in their own right. Her new novel, Height of Influence, takes on an entirely new theme and combines her past works with current trends in the romance genre to create a novel that stands out from the rest.
Loewen takes a humorous look at the different nationalities that make up modern-day America. While each nationality struggles to define itself and define its place in the world, the characters are forever searching for meaning, and it shows through in their interactions with others and with the world around them. The story begins with two nationalities living in separate communities in Florida, separated by a wide, invisible line that demarcates the Bitter Springs community from the quiet town of Call Me by Your Name. As the tension builds between these two disparate groups, it becomes clear that neither can survive without the other.
Loewen successfully weaves together her past works with her current writings in this novel, and her insight into how people deal with nationalities has never been more vivid or realistic. Height of Influence takes on an entirely new theme by following the newlyweds who come together at the first national marriage celebration they are ever allowed to attend. While celebrating their impending marriage, the two friends inadvertently cause a riot by refusing to sign their wedding papers, setting off an argument that leads to infighting and the eventual separation of their partners. Loewen skillfully weaves all of the different aspects of a relationship into a great tale of love and faith, and “Height of Influence” is certain to be a touchstone for young readers as they continue to grow and learn about their own identity and individuality.