Pieces of Sky

Lucy’s brother Cam died in a night surfing accident, which has rocked their small coastal town. Each of the family members is grieving in their own separate way and Lucy, once a champion swimmer, is unable to venture back into the water. Adrift from the all-encompassing world of the swim team, she reconnects with an old friend, wild child Steffi, who is secretive and rebellious.

Lucy is desperate to know if her brother’s death was just an accident or intentional. She becomes obsessed with text messages that appear on her brother’s phone and also has an unhealthy fascination with her brother’s best friend, Ryan. New boy at school, Evan, seems into her but her messy emotions about her brother keep getting in the way.

Death and its aftermath are rendered complex and chaotic in this stunning debut novel. There are no trite answers to the aftermath of tragedy, just a gradual discovery of the capacity to endure. Pieces of Sky is beautifully written, packed with longing and sadness, but also filled with hope. I inhaled it in enormous gulps like briny sea air and felt more passionately alive.

Angela Crocombe