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Unstoppable!: My Journey from World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond
Maggie Nichols’s official memoir is an inspirational tell-all about the abuse she suffered under the US national gymnastics team and how she managed to redefine herself in the face of adversity.
In 2015, Maggie Nichols’s gymnastics career was on fire.
Having spent most of her young life training as an elite-level gymnast, Maggie carried the team all-around at the 2015 World Championships, helping to cinch the team gold medal. Next in her sights was the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She was eagerly looking forward to training for the 2016 Olympic Games along with teammates such as Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Laurie Hernandez. But on the verge of achieving her lifelong Olympic dream, her world came crashing down.
That summer Maggie revealed to her coach that USAG doctor Larry Nassar had been sexually abusing herself and other athletes under his care. What followed was an extensive investigation that would capture the nation’s attention and illuminate for the world the trauma and massive cover-up behind the scenes of one of the country’s most celebrated sports institutions.
Ultimately, Maggie would go on to become an 8-time NCAA champion and an outspoken advocate for the protection of young children, especially young athletes.
This inspirational tell-all offers an intimate look into the world of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal that shattered lives and dreams, and how Maggie Nichols risked everything in the name of justice. Maggie now tells this story in her a story of hope, trauma, reclamation, and above all, triumph.
In 2015, Maggie Nichols’s gymnastics career was on fire.
Having spent most of her young life training as an elite-level gymnast, Maggie carried the team all-around at the 2015 World Championships, helping to cinch the team gold medal. Next in her sights was the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She was eagerly looking forward to training for the 2016 Olympic Games along with teammates such as Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Laurie Hernandez. But on the verge of achieving her lifelong Olympic dream, her world came crashing down.
That summer Maggie revealed to her coach that USAG doctor Larry Nassar had been sexually abusing herself and other athletes under his care. What followed was an extensive investigation that would capture the nation’s attention and illuminate for the world the trauma and massive cover-up behind the scenes of one of the country’s most celebrated sports institutions.
Ultimately, Maggie would go on to become an 8-time NCAA champion and an outspoken advocate for the protection of young children, especially young athletes.
This inspirational tell-all offers an intimate look into the world of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal that shattered lives and dreams, and how Maggie Nichols risked everything in the name of justice. Maggie now tells this story in her a story of hope, trauma, reclamation, and above all, triumph.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 16, 2024
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January 13, 2024Maggie Nichols is Athlete A. She was the first to go on record with a sexual assault charge against Larry Nasser. That anonymous report most likely cost her a spot on the 2016 Olympic team. Despite this injustice, Maggie persevered and joined the OSU gymnastics team. This decision catapulted her to a long list of awards and accolades -- much more than she could have achieved at one Olympics appearance. Her best friend during her elite gymnastic days was Simone Biles. Unfortunately my ARC did not include the forward by Biles. Larry Nasser was eventually tried for his crimes and is serving multiple sentences. Sadly, the missteps of the FBI and their handling of the investigation have yet to result in any consequences for those agents and SACs. Even after a congressional hearing. Like many who are not personally affected by the case, I had no idea that athletes like Maggie have still not gotten answers or seen anyone punished other than Nasser. There had to be others enabling this monster. This book is a revealing look at what it takes to excel in gymnastics as well as the frustrations of the sexual assault investigation. Includes an extensive gymnastics glossary and photos (in the finished edition).
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2024
"I only remember two things: feeling like I was on top of the world and noticing just how heavy a gold medal is."
I feel absolutely heart broken over this story while also feeling such hope, and I think that's more than due to the positivity Maggie provided throughout this entire story. She went through so much and yet her voice still holds so much belief in good and that things happened the way they did for a reason. It's extremely humbling, and something I hope to emulate as I continue on with my own life after this read.
I've adored gymnastics all my life, the product of growing up in the sport and knowing just how super human all these young girls are that put their dreams in the Olympics. I was never good enough for that, nor did I ever work hard enough for it, but I spent so much of my life watching other girls live that dream so I didn't have to.
Turns out, I wouldn't have wanted to. No matter how many voice give this story life, it will always feel brand new and horrifying in a different and unexpected way. How could adults let children down so badly? How could nobody listen to these girls that brought others so much hope?
It's devastating to realize, worse to read. I'm so heart broken for all we didn't know while these girls were hurt in unimaginable and unchangeable ways. And yet, as I said, Maggie remained positive and connoted to move forward despite it all. She's always been such a favorite of mine for her poise while doing gymnastics, but I love knowing it goes into all the different aspects of her life.
I'll tell you one thing for sure. I was devastated when she didn't make it onto the 2016 team for the Olympics, it felt like such a slap in the face for everything she had been through physically... and we didn't even know the emotional and psychological side of it. Knowing her perspective had brought me so much peace knowing that she didn't sit on it as a loss. That she took it to mean that wasn't her moment, and that was okay, because college gymnastics could be. It really goes to show what you can do when you steer your thoughts in a direction you could never imagine.
I'm so glad I got to learn a bit more about Maggie, and I hope that life only treats her with kindness for the rest of it.
I feel absolutely heart broken over this story while also feeling such hope, and I think that's more than due to the positivity Maggie provided throughout this entire story. She went through so much and yet her voice still holds so much belief in good and that things happened the way they did for a reason. It's extremely humbling, and something I hope to emulate as I continue on with my own life after this read.
I've adored gymnastics all my life, the product of growing up in the sport and knowing just how super human all these young girls are that put their dreams in the Olympics. I was never good enough for that, nor did I ever work hard enough for it, but I spent so much of my life watching other girls live that dream so I didn't have to.
Turns out, I wouldn't have wanted to. No matter how many voice give this story life, it will always feel brand new and horrifying in a different and unexpected way. How could adults let children down so badly? How could nobody listen to these girls that brought others so much hope?
It's devastating to realize, worse to read. I'm so heart broken for all we didn't know while these girls were hurt in unimaginable and unchangeable ways. And yet, as I said, Maggie remained positive and connoted to move forward despite it all. She's always been such a favorite of mine for her poise while doing gymnastics, but I love knowing it goes into all the different aspects of her life.
I'll tell you one thing for sure. I was devastated when she didn't make it onto the 2016 team for the Olympics, it felt like such a slap in the face for everything she had been through physically... and we didn't even know the emotional and psychological side of it. Knowing her perspective had brought me so much peace knowing that she didn't sit on it as a loss. That she took it to mean that wasn't her moment, and that was okay, because college gymnastics could be. It really goes to show what you can do when you steer your thoughts in a direction you could never imagine.
I'm so glad I got to learn a bit more about Maggie, and I hope that life only treats her with kindness for the rest of it.
April 2, 2024
*libby app, Overdrive was better *
----
I watched the documentary and read the book...
Man, the way everything was and wasn't handled.. the actions of some of the people. I have no words. How some of these people didn't get charges in mind boggling to me.
Admire Maggie's strength and character and her courage to tell her story.
----
I watched the documentary and read the book...
Man, the way everything was and wasn't handled.. the actions of some of the people. I have no words. How some of these people didn't get charges in mind boggling to me.
Admire Maggie's strength and character and her courage to tell her story.
July 1, 2024
As someone who grew up training at the same gym as Maggie, it was so cool to see stories of the inspirational quotes and coaching methods I also experienced be displayed in a book. I have always respected Maggie and every survivor’s strength in coming forward against USAG and Nassar, and completely agreed that it was the toxic gymnastics environment that not only allowed the problem to happen, but exacerbated it. Maggie and a lot of other survivors are doing valuable and necessary work that should have been done by the adults they entrusted would do for them.
With that being said, the writing style fell short and felt a lot like short, simple journal entries I would write on a daily basis. It felt more surface level than I would’ve liked because Maggie has so many amazing experiences I would’ve loved more details of beyond “I was so happy we won.”
It also just reminded me of how one dimensional I used to see the world when I was a young gymnast and the recent months after retiring — working hard will always be the solution. If something is wrong, accept it and move on. But as I became to understand the world through a more racialized and radical lens, it is much more complex and difficult to do that (especially as a person of color). So I come at this from this mentality of constantly having to deconstruct my experiences in that way. I say this in reference to her final message at the end of the book while she is reflecting on the lessons she learned during her time as an athlete and student now having been past that for some time. She essentially states, “Quit whining and work hard.” It left a bad taste in my mouth because as someone who has lived through enough to last many lifetimes, this final sentiment felt very diluted and somewhat accusatory. Especially the word choice of people “not playing the victim” did not sit right with me considering the sexual abuse scandal she was instrumental in uncovering. While I understand the larger picture or message she was attempting to convey, I think reducing it to such a strict “black and white” dichotomy does not allow for nuance, which is something many emotionally turbulent situations need. I think the framing really was what I found to be very victim blaming, and allowing yourself to feel negative emotions is seen as the individual’s “failure” to better their situation when this reaction is appropriate to the actions of the systems that oppress vulnerable people. Maggie, as a survivor herself, might employ this narrative as a coping mechanism due to the profound trauma she endured. The complexity of her experience adds layers to the discussion, and I aim to engage in constructive criticism, recognizing its value in navigating such intricate situations.
Clearly Maggie has been diligently fighting to create safer spaces for athletes, and she is taking so many measures to incite systemic change, which she talks about multiple times throughout the book. But I think mindsets and perspectives are also imperative in tackling systemic issues because they also contribute to these problems. To me, this narrative felt very misplaced because it was at the end of the book, where the most impactful and lasting pieces of information are usually disseminated, so I am primed to pay the most attention.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book on an intimate level because of how personal many of her stories were to me, having trained in the same gym. The author herself speaking about people I knew about and have also interacted with is so cool and something I’ve never had in a book experience. There is something so raw and important about reading firsthand experiences from stories you mainly interact with on media, and it is especially imperative to learn from those most impacted by the situation. Her book, above all, stands as an imperative piece written to reclaim a narrative that many sexual abuse survivors have long been silenced from sharing, giving them a powerful platform to voice their experiences and foster healing.
With that being said, the writing style fell short and felt a lot like short, simple journal entries I would write on a daily basis. It felt more surface level than I would’ve liked because Maggie has so many amazing experiences I would’ve loved more details of beyond “I was so happy we won.”
It also just reminded me of how one dimensional I used to see the world when I was a young gymnast and the recent months after retiring — working hard will always be the solution. If something is wrong, accept it and move on. But as I became to understand the world through a more racialized and radical lens, it is much more complex and difficult to do that (especially as a person of color). So I come at this from this mentality of constantly having to deconstruct my experiences in that way. I say this in reference to her final message at the end of the book while she is reflecting on the lessons she learned during her time as an athlete and student now having been past that for some time. She essentially states, “Quit whining and work hard.” It left a bad taste in my mouth because as someone who has lived through enough to last many lifetimes, this final sentiment felt very diluted and somewhat accusatory. Especially the word choice of people “not playing the victim” did not sit right with me considering the sexual abuse scandal she was instrumental in uncovering. While I understand the larger picture or message she was attempting to convey, I think reducing it to such a strict “black and white” dichotomy does not allow for nuance, which is something many emotionally turbulent situations need. I think the framing really was what I found to be very victim blaming, and allowing yourself to feel negative emotions is seen as the individual’s “failure” to better their situation when this reaction is appropriate to the actions of the systems that oppress vulnerable people. Maggie, as a survivor herself, might employ this narrative as a coping mechanism due to the profound trauma she endured. The complexity of her experience adds layers to the discussion, and I aim to engage in constructive criticism, recognizing its value in navigating such intricate situations.
Clearly Maggie has been diligently fighting to create safer spaces for athletes, and she is taking so many measures to incite systemic change, which she talks about multiple times throughout the book. But I think mindsets and perspectives are also imperative in tackling systemic issues because they also contribute to these problems. To me, this narrative felt very misplaced because it was at the end of the book, where the most impactful and lasting pieces of information are usually disseminated, so I am primed to pay the most attention.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book on an intimate level because of how personal many of her stories were to me, having trained in the same gym. The author herself speaking about people I knew about and have also interacted with is so cool and something I’ve never had in a book experience. There is something so raw and important about reading firsthand experiences from stories you mainly interact with on media, and it is especially imperative to learn from those most impacted by the situation. Her book, above all, stands as an imperative piece written to reclaim a narrative that many sexual abuse survivors have long been silenced from sharing, giving them a powerful platform to voice their experiences and foster healing.
December 14, 2023
I have so much respect for Maggie Nichols both as a gymnast and as a person who came forward to try and get justice for what happened with Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics. I really wanted to love her book, but it didn’t totally live up to what I wanted from it. I understand that it was created for younger readers, but I feel like it still falls short even as a YA nonfiction book.
Much of her gymnastics career is told through pretty basic explanations and not a lot of introspection into her emotions. There were so many times with sentences along the lines of “I did my bar routine and it was great. I was excited we did well.” and so on. I just wanted more. Too often I felt like the book was drifting into cliché inspirational quotes instead of telling more about Maggie’s internal journey. You can have a memoir aimed at a YA audience and still provide a complex story with a lot of reflection.
I think the book was at its best when Maggie was going in depth with telling what was going on behind the scenes when her story about Nassar’s abuse was first reported to USA Gymnastics and what transpired after that. Her explanations of when she confided in her college coaches and team about the abuse were really impactful, along with the story of the meet against UCLA where a multitude of survivors were honored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Much of her gymnastics career is told through pretty basic explanations and not a lot of introspection into her emotions. There were so many times with sentences along the lines of “I did my bar routine and it was great. I was excited we did well.” and so on. I just wanted more. Too often I felt like the book was drifting into cliché inspirational quotes instead of telling more about Maggie’s internal journey. You can have a memoir aimed at a YA audience and still provide a complex story with a lot of reflection.
I think the book was at its best when Maggie was going in depth with telling what was going on behind the scenes when her story about Nassar’s abuse was first reported to USA Gymnastics and what transpired after that. Her explanations of when she confided in her college coaches and team about the abuse were really impactful, along with the story of the meet against UCLA where a multitude of survivors were honored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
Anybody who knows me knows how much I love gymnastics, so I was ECSTATIC to receive an arc for Maggie Nichols' memoir. I have been a huge fan of Maggie since I was a kid and it has been so wonderful to watch her grow as a gymnast and a person over the years. I remember the shock I felt when she released her statement that she was Athlete A, and I have been in awe of her courage and resilience as she and other prominent gymnasts have made it their mission to seek justice and answers for the abuse they faced from Larry Nassar, and the many systems and adults that failed to protect them. This memoir did such a great job of showing Maggie's journey through gymnastics, starting with her entrance into the sport as a very young kid, and ending with her graduating from OSU. I really enjoyed how she managed to explain the different mechanics of the sport, including the different skills and scoring at the various levels of youth, elite, and collegiate gymnastics, in a way that the average person who doesn't know gymnastics can understand. I loved how the story focused on her love and appreciation for her coaches and the different adult role models she had, that gave her strength and support throughout her career. I appreciated how much dedication she has given to fighting for the youth in gymnastics today to never experience the abuse and horrific coaching that she experienced at the hands of USA Gymnastics. I thought Maggie did a great job of explaining the different stages of the lawsuits and proceedings she has been a part of to get justice against Larry Nassar, USAG, and the FBI, while also tying these legal experiences to the traumatic personal experiences she had. Most of all, I admired Maggie's overarching theme of resilience, trusting your instinct when something is wrong, and her dedication to being an excellent role model for younger children getting into the world of sports and especially gymnastics. I highly encourage this read to anyone interested in gymnastics or the events surrounding Larry Nassar.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan's Children's Publishing for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan's Children's Publishing for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 4, 2024
Maggie is such a hero. Heartbreaking and inspiring to hear her story from her POV.
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May 20, 2024Leaving this unrated. This isn't the best written memoir, but I'm glad that Maggie was able to tell her story. It's absolutely devastating and it took a lot of courage to do what she did to hold the gymnastics community accountable for it's treatment of young girls. If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts, be sure to check out my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQPAw...
March 6, 2024
Nichols is a gymnast, and by the time she was a teenager she was used to exceeding expectations—and then exceeding them again, and again. She had good reason to hope for a spot at the 2016 Olympics. Instead, she became Athlete A in the case against Larry Nasser...and was frozen out of USA Gymnastics, the (now scandal-ridden) governing body for the sport in the US.
As a story, I appreciate this—Nichols is not shy in calling out the many, many people who were complicit in Nasser's actions, from ignoring reports of abuse to explicitly working to discredit victims and protect their abuser. This is one of numerous recent gymnastics memoirs that talks about Nasser's abuses, and the scope is breathtaking. I also hasten to note that Nichols' primary focus is on her life in gymnastics, not on the actions of adults who perpetuated and enabled abuse; Nasser is not (and should not ever be) the beginning or end of her story.
As a book, it's not great. Nichols is well educated and clearly intelligent, but I think her expression comes across better in the gym than on the page. I was so full of emotion. (loc. 1055) It was just so awesome. (loc. 1059) We all stuck our bar dismounts, and it was just like the craziest feeling ever. (loc. 1597) It was just magical. (loc. 1603) I was ecstatic. It was just so super exciting. I was so happy. (loc. 1808) There's a ghostwriter credited on the book, but this might be a case of hewing a little too closely to how a young twentysomething speaks. An okay read for teenage gymnastics fans, but there's quite a lot out there in terms of both gymnastics generally and recent scandals more specifically, and this wouldn't be one of the first books I recommended for those interested in either of those things.
Nichols went on to have an extremely successful college gymnastics career, and it's sort of nice to think that her continued success—and the doors open to her—is a middle finger in the face of USA Gymnastics.
As a story, I appreciate this—Nichols is not shy in calling out the many, many people who were complicit in Nasser's actions, from ignoring reports of abuse to explicitly working to discredit victims and protect their abuser. This is one of numerous recent gymnastics memoirs that talks about Nasser's abuses, and the scope is breathtaking. I also hasten to note that Nichols' primary focus is on her life in gymnastics, not on the actions of adults who perpetuated and enabled abuse; Nasser is not (and should not ever be) the beginning or end of her story.
As a book, it's not great. Nichols is well educated and clearly intelligent, but I think her expression comes across better in the gym than on the page. I was so full of emotion. (loc. 1055) It was just so awesome. (loc. 1059) We all stuck our bar dismounts, and it was just like the craziest feeling ever. (loc. 1597) It was just magical. (loc. 1603) I was ecstatic. It was just so super exciting. I was so happy. (loc. 1808) There's a ghostwriter credited on the book, but this might be a case of hewing a little too closely to how a young twentysomething speaks. An okay read for teenage gymnastics fans, but there's quite a lot out there in terms of both gymnastics generally and recent scandals more specifically, and this wouldn't be one of the first books I recommended for those interested in either of those things.
Nichols went on to have an extremely successful college gymnastics career, and it's sort of nice to think that her continued success—and the doors open to her—is a middle finger in the face of USA Gymnastics.
January 5, 2024
5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
What a book, what an incredible woman.
The title is pure perfection.
Maggie is an inspiration. Everything she lived through, she has come out stronger for it. I can't even imagine the horror of her story, and I don't ever want to. But her strength and courage is unmatched.
Her story needed to be told in any way, whether that was with Athlete A as the voice or Maggie Nichols. It didn't take away how powerful her voice is.
All she has done to help others makes me love everything about this book more.
I am astounded at how things were handled, and I hope the people who still need to pay will have to.
What a book, what an incredible woman.
The title is pure perfection.
Maggie is an inspiration. Everything she lived through, she has come out stronger for it. I can't even imagine the horror of her story, and I don't ever want to. But her strength and courage is unmatched.
Her story needed to be told in any way, whether that was with Athlete A as the voice or Maggie Nichols. It didn't take away how powerful her voice is.
All she has done to help others makes me love everything about this book more.
I am astounded at how things were handled, and I hope the people who still need to pay will have to.
March 30, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
April 10, 2024
Maggie Nichols, an elite team USA gymnast (ranked second in the world), was on the cusp of fulfilling her Olympic dream when her heart shattered as she was shunned by the USA Olympic committee after coming forward to accuse Dr Larry Nassau of sexual abuse. This story is about her strength, courage and journey to become one of the NCAA’s most decorated gymnasts and an advocate for the care and safety of all young athletes. Her victim statement after Nassars conviction was the beginning of her healing and her work to bring lawsuits, along with other gymnasts, against Michigan State, USA Gymnastics, USA Olympic & Paralympic and the F.B.I.
November 7, 2025
I remember when all of this came out and I was heart broken for all of the athletes. Hearing how much deeper, darker, and twisted this abuse was and how wrongly it was handled made my heart break even more. Maggie is a strong woman for sharing her story and for standing up for what is right.
January 17, 2024
I read this book in less than 24 hours. WOW. I thought I was familiar with nearly everythung there was to know about this case from the documentary, articles and Athlete A film. I was wrong. There were jaw-dropping moments. A real page-turner. I can’t remember the last time I finished a book in such a short amount of time.
Maggie: we can’t wait to see what you do next.
Maggie: we can’t wait to see what you do next.
January 24, 2024
Pretty sure I had every possible emotion while reading this book. Ir made me think deeply about the faith athletes and their families put in their coaches and the impact they can have, in both good and bad ways.
September 5, 2024
-- 1/5 Stars -- ★☆☆☆☆
Trigger Warnings for Unstoppable:
Unstoppable! My Journey From World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond is a memoir by Maggie Nichols with Hope Innelli. In this book, Maggie depicts the entirety of her gymnastics career - from childhood in Minnesota to graduate school in Oklahoma. This sadly includes the longstanding abuse she lived through from Larry Nassar.
I decided to pick up this book after listening to Dan Cummins' Timesuck Podcast episode Larry Nassar and the US Gymnastics Scandal. Previously, I only knew off-hand information about the atrocities of Nassar, but the podcast filled in many more horrifying details. As a fan of Olympic gymnastics, I wanted to hear about this from a survivor's perspective, thus, leading me to Maggie's book.
I want to clarify that my rating on this book has nothing to do with Maggie Nichols' story or the wickedness of Larry Nassar. It has everything to do with the way the book was written. This is already a short book - 186 pages to be exact - and it was heavily padded with quotes, court documents, gymnastics move descriptions, testimonials, and more. I'm sure that without all of the padding, this would have been less than 100 pages roughly.
Maggie Nichols had an outstanding gymnastics career, made even more impressive knowing what she had to go through between Larry Nassar's abuse and her injuries. Her life is a testimonial to how much one young person can persevere through. That being said, the book itself was not well-written.
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Trigger Warnings for Unstoppable:
Unstoppable! My Journey From World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond is a memoir by Maggie Nichols with Hope Innelli. In this book, Maggie depicts the entirety of her gymnastics career - from childhood in Minnesota to graduate school in Oklahoma. This sadly includes the longstanding abuse she lived through from Larry Nassar.
I decided to pick up this book after listening to Dan Cummins' Timesuck Podcast episode Larry Nassar and the US Gymnastics Scandal. Previously, I only knew off-hand information about the atrocities of Nassar, but the podcast filled in many more horrifying details. As a fan of Olympic gymnastics, I wanted to hear about this from a survivor's perspective, thus, leading me to Maggie's book.
I want to clarify that my rating on this book has nothing to do with Maggie Nichols' story or the wickedness of Larry Nassar. It has everything to do with the way the book was written. This is already a short book - 186 pages to be exact - and it was heavily padded with quotes, court documents, gymnastics move descriptions, testimonials, and more. I'm sure that without all of the padding, this would have been less than 100 pages roughly.
Maggie Nichols had an outstanding gymnastics career, made even more impressive knowing what she had to go through between Larry Nassar's abuse and her injuries. Her life is a testimonial to how much one young person can persevere through. That being said, the book itself was not well-written.
Follow all of my reviews and content with LinkTree
January 7, 2024
Maggie Nichols’ memoir, Unstoppable!, is an inspirational story of her journey from a child gymnast in Minnesota to a world champion and collegiate athlete in Oklahoma. She was the first victim of Dr. Larry Nassar to come forward, and she describes the response from USA Gymnastics. The primary audience for this book is young people, so there are no descriptions of the abuse itself, just “he touched her inappropriately and she felt uncomfortable.” The overall theme of the book is overcoming challenges, not the scandal.
Maggie Nichols began her gymnastics career at the age of three in her hometown in Minnesota. Following her three older brothers, she was very athletic and showed promise early on. By the time she was five years old, she transferred to another gym and was training five hours per day. At the age of thirteen she was invited to attend monthly training camp at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas alongside the US national gymnastics team. There she was shamed about her weight and put on a very restrictive diet limited to lean protein. She describes the many injuries that she incurred over the years.
By 2015 Maggie Nichols carried the team all-around at the 2015 World Championships, helping to win the team gold medal. Her next goal was to be on Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was looking forward to training for the Olympic along with teammates such as Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Laurie Hernandez.
However while she was at the Karolyi Ranch, she asked another gymnast about her interactions with Dr. Larry Nassar and his inappropriate touching. Maggie’s long-time coach from Minnesota overheard the conversation and questioned Maggie in private. Then she immediately notified USA Gymnastics officials and Maggie’s parents. The Nichols also contacted USA Gymnastics and were assured that they would notify the authorities. Instead USA Gymnastics hired someone to investigate the allegations prior to notifying law enforcement. Meanwhile Maggie was not selected for the 2016 Olympic team.
Eventually USA Gymnastics fired Dr. Larry Nassar and he was criminally prosecuted for his sexual abuse of young gymnasts. There was a fall-out among USA Gymnatics staffers over their delayed response and the systems in place that allowed Dr. Nassar to perform his “procedures” without oversight. Meanwhile Maggie Nichols enrolled at The University of Oklahoma where she became an 8-time NCAA champion and an outspoken advocate for the protection of young athletes.
Unstoppable! shares a behind-the-scenes view of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal of USA Gymnastics, and Maggie Nichols’ role as a whistleblower. Maggie tells her story of hard work, injuries, hope, emotional trauma, healing, and recovery. Her engaging writing style is easy for young readers to understand. I highly recommend this book for all readers.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Maggie Nichols began her gymnastics career at the age of three in her hometown in Minnesota. Following her three older brothers, she was very athletic and showed promise early on. By the time she was five years old, she transferred to another gym and was training five hours per day. At the age of thirteen she was invited to attend monthly training camp at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas alongside the US national gymnastics team. There she was shamed about her weight and put on a very restrictive diet limited to lean protein. She describes the many injuries that she incurred over the years.
By 2015 Maggie Nichols carried the team all-around at the 2015 World Championships, helping to win the team gold medal. Her next goal was to be on Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was looking forward to training for the Olympic along with teammates such as Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Laurie Hernandez.
However while she was at the Karolyi Ranch, she asked another gymnast about her interactions with Dr. Larry Nassar and his inappropriate touching. Maggie’s long-time coach from Minnesota overheard the conversation and questioned Maggie in private. Then she immediately notified USA Gymnastics officials and Maggie’s parents. The Nichols also contacted USA Gymnastics and were assured that they would notify the authorities. Instead USA Gymnastics hired someone to investigate the allegations prior to notifying law enforcement. Meanwhile Maggie was not selected for the 2016 Olympic team.
Eventually USA Gymnastics fired Dr. Larry Nassar and he was criminally prosecuted for his sexual abuse of young gymnasts. There was a fall-out among USA Gymnatics staffers over their delayed response and the systems in place that allowed Dr. Nassar to perform his “procedures” without oversight. Meanwhile Maggie Nichols enrolled at The University of Oklahoma where she became an 8-time NCAA champion and an outspoken advocate for the protection of young athletes.
Unstoppable! shares a behind-the-scenes view of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal of USA Gymnastics, and Maggie Nichols’ role as a whistleblower. Maggie tells her story of hard work, injuries, hope, emotional trauma, healing, and recovery. Her engaging writing style is easy for young readers to understand. I highly recommend this book for all readers.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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December 17, 2023
I have followed Maggie's journey from the disappointment with the 2016 Olympic team through the Larry Nassar investigation and her journey at Oklahoma. A friend of mine is a former gymnastics coach with a daughter who competes in level 10 so we often swap stories about our daughters; mine does a different competitive sport. When Maggie wasn't named in 2016, my feed blew up with outrage and heartbreak. Our house has always been Team Maggie.
Unstoppable! is a unique book in that it's aimed at young adult readers. For this reason there is not a lot of depth into the abuse Maggie suffered or into her disordered eating. There is enough information to know what is going on but it isn't the main focus. On display is Maggie's power in gymnastics and her heart, grit and determination to never stop making new goals.
I thought the overall theme of the book was resiliency and I walked away feeling more respect for Maggie than I had before (and I had already had a lot of respect for her). Whether you follow gymnastics or not, Unstoppable! should be required reading for parents and young athletes in all sports.
Thank you NetGalley for an early review copy.
Unstoppable! is a unique book in that it's aimed at young adult readers. For this reason there is not a lot of depth into the abuse Maggie suffered or into her disordered eating. There is enough information to know what is going on but it isn't the main focus. On display is Maggie's power in gymnastics and her heart, grit and determination to never stop making new goals.
I thought the overall theme of the book was resiliency and I walked away feeling more respect for Maggie than I had before (and I had already had a lot of respect for her). Whether you follow gymnastics or not, Unstoppable! should be required reading for parents and young athletes in all sports.
Thank you NetGalley for an early review copy.
January 31, 2024
3.5 stars.
As a big gymnastics fan, I’ve followed Maggie’s career for a long time, & I enjoyed getting her insight from her successes & tribulations over the years, from her elite career to coming forward as a Nassar survivor to her NCAA experience.
I do think the writing was a bit basic, with a lot of simple sentences where there could have been more elaboration. Maybe this book was made with a younger audience in mind? I do wish there was less detail when describing her intake during her (undiagnosed but clear) eating disorder. There are ways to talk about your struggle without listing out your minimal intake or body fat percentage. I just don’t want readers who struggle with or are predisposed to struggling with an ED to think that that’s what their struggle has to look like to be considered “sick enough.” But as a survivor & now professional in that field, I have a heightened sense of awareness for that thing.
All in all, it was a pretty enjoyable read. Sometimes a bit too cheesy with the inspirational quotes, but if they hit home for others, good for them! Definitely worth the read if you enjoy gymnastics.
As a big gymnastics fan, I’ve followed Maggie’s career for a long time, & I enjoyed getting her insight from her successes & tribulations over the years, from her elite career to coming forward as a Nassar survivor to her NCAA experience.
I do think the writing was a bit basic, with a lot of simple sentences where there could have been more elaboration. Maybe this book was made with a younger audience in mind? I do wish there was less detail when describing her intake during her (undiagnosed but clear) eating disorder. There are ways to talk about your struggle without listing out your minimal intake or body fat percentage. I just don’t want readers who struggle with or are predisposed to struggling with an ED to think that that’s what their struggle has to look like to be considered “sick enough.” But as a survivor & now professional in that field, I have a heightened sense of awareness for that thing.
All in all, it was a pretty enjoyable read. Sometimes a bit too cheesy with the inspirational quotes, but if they hit home for others, good for them! Definitely worth the read if you enjoy gymnastics.
February 14, 2024
As a huge gymnastics fan I was intrigued to hear Maggie’s story in book format and hear about her time at Oklahoma gymnastics (because I am certified Oklahoma gymnastics hater). I followed the Nassar trials pretty closely and have seen the Athlete A documentary and a few of the other specials that cover her story.
I appreciated how she was very thankful to the good coaches and mentors that she had in her life and showed a true juxtaposition between the good and the bad. I cannot believe how horrible of a food situation USA gymnastics was promoting - those poor girls were starving.
I get so angry about the Nassar abuse and all the people and organizations that failed these girls. The statistic that she included in one of her statements about the number of girls who began to be abused AFTER she reported and before he was arrested makes me sick. All of those could have been avoided if someone listened to her. Not to mention all the abuse that continued during that time. Disgusting.
Her transition to college gymnastics and the environment at Oklahoma was amazing to hear. It made me hate Oklahoma a little less and it makes sense why they have been such an amazing team. It sounds like they are focusing on keeping their athletes healthy and creating a positive environment which leads to more success. What a concept!!!! (that last sentence was sarcasm)
I appreciated how she was very thankful to the good coaches and mentors that she had in her life and showed a true juxtaposition between the good and the bad. I cannot believe how horrible of a food situation USA gymnastics was promoting - those poor girls were starving.
I get so angry about the Nassar abuse and all the people and organizations that failed these girls. The statistic that she included in one of her statements about the number of girls who began to be abused AFTER she reported and before he was arrested makes me sick. All of those could have been avoided if someone listened to her. Not to mention all the abuse that continued during that time. Disgusting.
Her transition to college gymnastics and the environment at Oklahoma was amazing to hear. It made me hate Oklahoma a little less and it makes sense why they have been such an amazing team. It sounds like they are focusing on keeping their athletes healthy and creating a positive environment which leads to more success. What a concept!!!! (that last sentence was sarcasm)
May 2, 2025
As a massive elite gymnastics fan, I will read any memoir that an athlete will release and I was SUPER excited to read Maggie’s book! With these types of memoirs, I often opt for audio versions to get more feeling and emotion behind their stories, and that’s what I did for Maggie’s.
The trauma and abuse that these young women and girls went through, spanning over 30 years at multiple locations, is infuriating and heartbreaking to know that trusted adults cared more about winning competitions than the emotional well-being of minors.
It is no secret that Maggie was most likely not picked for the 2016 Olympic team due to her reporting Larry Nassar, and that sickens me every time I think about it. I applaud Maggie and her tenacity and determination to rise above all of her life setbacks; injuries, Olympic team dream drama, abuse, Covid, eating disorders, and so much more.
She is mentally so so strong, and I enjoyed her book to learn about her experience growing up in the elite gymnastics world as told by her voice. My review deducted a star for the straightforward statements she used (We won. It was great. Etc) but I do think that could help people of all ages invest in her book.
The trauma and abuse that these young women and girls went through, spanning over 30 years at multiple locations, is infuriating and heartbreaking to know that trusted adults cared more about winning competitions than the emotional well-being of minors.
It is no secret that Maggie was most likely not picked for the 2016 Olympic team due to her reporting Larry Nassar, and that sickens me every time I think about it. I applaud Maggie and her tenacity and determination to rise above all of her life setbacks; injuries, Olympic team dream drama, abuse, Covid, eating disorders, and so much more.
She is mentally so so strong, and I enjoyed her book to learn about her experience growing up in the elite gymnastics world as told by her voice. My review deducted a star for the straightforward statements she used (We won. It was great. Etc) but I do think that could help people of all ages invest in her book.
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January 23, 2024This is the first YA memoir I’ve read and I thought it did a good job of providing detail without going too deep into the weeds. I have a lot of respect for the author in sharing her journey which has definitely not been easy.
There was a bit more inspirational quotes and content than I expected, but for young readers it will be a nice blend I think. I would have liked to have a bit more depth around the reporting of the abuse and fallout from it, but understand why she kept it at a higher level here. I found the parts about her college experiences as she began to share her story the most powerful sections of the book.
There was a bit more inspirational quotes and content than I expected, but for young readers it will be a nice blend I think. I would have liked to have a bit more depth around the reporting of the abuse and fallout from it, but understand why she kept it at a higher level here. I found the parts about her college experiences as she began to share her story the most powerful sections of the book.
July 15, 2025
If you know me, you know I have loved following gymnastics since the London Olympics in 2012. This was such a candid look into what was really going on behind the scenes for so many years. I love that Maggie talks so much about her journey to bring Nassar and those that enabled him to justice and to create a safe environment for future athletes. But what I loved more is the way she wove her personal story through all of it. It was a story of determination through and through in so many different aspects of life.
February 5, 2024
Maggie Nichols was the first gymnast to raise concerns about Larry Nasser's "medical treatments" of USA gymnasts. She is a hero for that reason alone. She is also an athlete who competed successfully both internationally and collegiately. This book discusses her career, including her many injuries, her struggle with an eating disorder, and the consequences she faced as a result of reporting Nasser's abuse. It also presents the complicity of USA gymnastics, the many errors made in bringing Nasser to justice, and the bravery of all the athletes who spoke out. While the writing is rather basic, the story is compelling and important.
February 16, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of “Unstoppable!” in exchange for an honest review. This was a very commendable undertaking by Maggie Nichols. I was struck, all over again, by her bravery and the repercussions of speaking out against Larry Nassar.. Nichols’ legacy will extend beyond her gymnastics skills. I sincerely hope that she has a beautiful life.
May 27, 2024
Maggie endured a lot of pain on her quest to become an Olympian. Injuries, disappointments, and eventually sexual assault all prevented her from reaching that ultimate dream. She maintained positive attitude and set new goals for herself, become one of the most successful NCAA gymnasts. Something about the book rubbed me wrong but she has a story that needs to be heard
March 9, 2025
Unbelievable how she was treated despite having such present and supportive parents! The organization is really so screwed up. She is inspiring in the way she continued to completely excel and dominate in NCAA. As an avid fan of collegiate gymnastics, her memoir gave me a more personal side of everything that got her to that point. Such a good read.
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January 17, 2024This memoir encompasses Maggie’s journey through gymnastics and beyond, during moments of absolute hell and the times of pure joy. Maggie is so strong, and everyone should hear her story.
TW: sexual abuse, disordered eating
TW: sexual abuse, disordered eating
February 7, 2024
Maggie Nichols is an inspiration. I'm amazed at what she went through as an elite gymnast and National team member. What a brave lady standing up for what was right and the perseverance she showed through so much adversity is astounding.
August 1, 2024
One of the BEST books I’ve ever read. Period. Maggie took a terrible circumstance that should never have happened to her and chooses to focus on the positive. She is working hard for change to happen and to help others around.
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