Eleanor & Park meets Perks of Being a Wallflower in this bittersweet 1980's story about love, loss, and a comet that only comes around every ninety-seven years.
When Carrie looks through her telescope, the world makes sense. It's life here on Earth that's hard to decipher. Since her older sister, Ginny, died, Carrie has been floating in the orbit of Ginny's friends, the cool kids, who are far more interested in bands and partying than science.
Carrie's reckless behavior crosses a line, and her father enrolls her in a summer work camp at a local state park. There, Carrie pulls weeds and endures pep talks about the power of hard work. Despite her best efforts to hate the job, Carrie actually feels happy out in nature. And when she meets Dean-warm, thoughtful, and perceptive-she starts to discover that her life can be like her beloved night sky, with black holes of grief for Ginny and dazzling meteors of joy from first love.
- Grief and Loss: Still reeling from the death of her sister, Ginny, Carrie finds herself floating in her sister’s old friend group, a constant and painful reminder of everything she’s lost.
- Forced Proximity: Sent to a summer work camp as punishment, Carrie expects nothing but pulling weeds and misery. She doesn’t expect to meet Dean, a thoughtful boy who sees the real her.
- 1980s Nostalgia: Set to a soundtrack of The Replacements, The Velvet Underground, and The Psychedelic Furs, this story is steeped in the bittersweet feeling of a 1980s summer.
- First Love: A tentative first romance that feels as rare and dazzling as the comet Carrie is waiting for, proving that even after the deepest loss, joy can arrive like a meteor shower.
Eleanor & Park meets Perks of Being a Wallflower in this bittersweet 1980's story about love, loss, and a comet that only comes around every ninety-seven years.
When Carrie looks through her telescope, the world makes sense. It's life here on Earth that's hard to decipher. Since her older sister, Ginny, died, Carrie has been floating in the orbit of Ginny's friends, the cool kids, who are far more interested in bands and partying than science.
Carrie's reckless behavior crosses a line, and her father enrolls her in a summer work camp at a local state park. There, Carrie pulls weeds and endures pep talks about the power of hard work. Despite her best efforts to hate the job, Carrie actually feels happy out in nature. And when she meets Dean-warm, thoughtful, and perceptive-she starts to discover that her life can be like her beloved night sky, with black holes of grief for Ginny and dazzling meteors of joy from first love.
"Like the slow rising of the sun after a long, stormy night, Carrie comes out of the darkness and embraces life in this moving real-life problem novel. . . . Fans of Rainbow Rowell’s
Eleanor & Park and Stephen Chbosky’s
The Perks of Being a Wallflower will dig this book."
—School Library Journal “
Lost Stars is a novel for anyone who’s ever grappled with their own place in the universe .“
—PopSugar.com “Davis makes the 1980s shine...”
—Kirkus “Carrie may indeed be "lost,” but every reader will find themselves in her as she stumbles through this sharp, aching, and finely-observed coming of age story. Just like a real star, this book is a luminous creation held together by its own gravity.” —Una LaMarche, author of
Unabrow: Misadventures of a Late Bloomer “The story of Caraway, a lost girl, unforgettable and unapologetic, who grapples with grief and guilt and anger to find love—and herself. Set to the wistful backdrop of the stars and the blasting beat of the '80s, this novel is a triumph.” –Kate Hattemer, author of
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy “Lost Stars the rare novel that successfully captures the complexities of family, friendship, and love in equal measure. Davis's novel is a beautifully written reminder that what has the power to wound us terribly can also heal us.” —Cristina Moracho, author of
Althea & Oliver
