Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff

I wanted to love this book more than I actually did. 

Trent is just going into middle school, and still reeling from a freak accident that he feels responsible for. He can no longer participate in the activities that used to make him happy (sports, hanging with his old friends), and instead is lashing out at everyone around him. He thoroughly expects to hate Fallon, but instead there is something about her that makes him feel ... more like himself again. 

There are a lot of heavy themes in this book (guilt, grief, divorce, new sibling, anger and violence), and for the most part I think they're dealt with well. Trent is a nuanced, complicated character I sympathized with and felt frustrated by, all at the same time. I loved his mother, brothers, and grumpy old homeroom teacher. Equally, I hated his father - ugh, who says those things to their 12 year old kid?? 

So much of this novel is centered around Fallon, but I couldn't get close enough to know her. She's a manic pixie girl with dark edges (and a mysterious facial scar), but just when she really lets go of her wild stories and starts to tell Trent the truth, the novel ends!! Maybe it's just me, but she really felt like a shell of a character.

Have you read Lost in the Sun? What did you think?