Reviewer (text)
Niraja S., Teen Board Member
Author Lisa Selin Davis’s debut young adult novel LOST STARS chronicles a special summer in narrator Caraway’s life as she struggles to find her true identity and learns how to deal with her emotions in a healthy manner. Caraway (known as Carrie to her friends and family) has been grieving her older sister --- Ginny --- for the past two years, coping with this loss by spending all her time with Ginny’s friends, high school seniors who spend all of their time partying instead of tracking comets like Carrie used to do before Ginny passed. Carrie’s father enrolls her in a summer work camp in hopes of changing her delinquent ways, and Carrie soon begins to see the light even during dark times.
"LOST STARS is a sweet and slow-paced read that I would recommend to those who are looking for a contemporary novel with a steady and slightly historical twist."
What stood out to me the most about LOST STARS was its setting. This is the first time I’ve come across a young adult contemporary novel that is set in the 1980s, and this unique characteristic definitely gave the novel a fresh outlook. It does take some time for the book to gain momentum, however, and I found that the second half was much more interesting than the first. Nevertheless, Davis manages to wrap her story up in a heartfelt conclusion that is hopeful and realistic.
Characterization is utilized wonderfully in the novel. Although Ginny’s friends --- Soo, Greta, Justin, Tiger, and Tommy --- take Carrie under their wing immediately after Ginny’s death, it soon becomes apparent to the reader that they are not necessarily doing this to protect Carrie but rather to find a replacement for Ginny and placate their own guilt. Soo and Greta treat Carrie with a love and kindness that feels too syrupy to be genuine, and they never truly help Carrie get in touch with reality but rather offer empty words of comfort and sympathy.
Carrie’s new friends, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. I loved how Tonya wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and responded to Carrie’s sass with snarky comments of her own instead of sitting there and taking it. Rosie, Carrie’s little sister, has gone through much more than any 12-year-old can handle; yet, she is much more mature than Carrie and carries herself with a dignity and aplomb that is admirable. She is funny, caring, and lovable, despite how annoying she could be at times. Dean --- Carrie’s love interest --- is absolutely adorable. He is just as flawed as everyone else in the novel, and I loved how awkward and shy he could be at times, which was a refreshing change from the suave manner of Tiger and Tommy who were constantly taking advantage of Carrie. Lastly, I really enjoyed how Carrie was portrayed through a gradual metamorphosis and as a work-in-progress, for this made the story highly relatable and meaningful.
All in all, LOST STARS is a sweet and slow-paced read that I would recommend to those who are looking for a contemporary novel with a steady and slightly historical twist.
Teaser
Before her older sister, Ginny, died, Carrie was a science nerd, obsessively tracking her beloved Vira comet. But now that Ginny is gone, sixteen-year-old Carrie finds herself within the orbit of Ginny’s friends, a close-knit group of seniors who skip school, obsess over bands and party hard. Fed up with Carrie’s behavior, her father enrolls her in a summer work camp at a local state park. And when she meets Dean, a guy who likes the real Carrie, she starts to get to the heart of who she is and who she wants to be.
Promo
Before her older sister, Ginny, died, Carrie was a science nerd, obsessively tracking her beloved Vira comet. But now that Ginny is gone, sixteen-year-old Carrie finds herself within the orbit of Ginny’s friends, a close-knit group of seniors who skip school, obsess over bands and party hard. Fed up with Carrie’s behavior, her father enrolls her in a summer work camp at a local state park. And when she meets Dean, a guy who likes the real Carrie, she starts to get to the heart of who she is and who she wants to be.
About the Book
Before her older sister, Ginny, died, Carrie was a science nerd, obsessively tracking her beloved Vira comet. But now that Ginny is gone, sixteen-year-old Carrie finds herself within the orbit of Ginny’s friends, a close-knit group of seniors who skip school, obsess over bands (not science), and party hard.
Fed up with Carrie’s behavior, her father enrolls her in a summer work camp at a local state park. Carrie actually likes the days spent in nature. And when she meets Dean, a guy who likes the real Carrie --- astrophysics obsessions and all --- she starts to get to the heart of who she is and who she wants to be.
