I have a 12-yr old who's a very keen reader - mainly gloomy YA fiction at the mo, so all the Suzanne Collins, the Lockwood novels, Ready Player One, Anthony Horowitz, James Dashner (Maze Runner.), Phillip Reeve Mortal Engines etc.
He also still enjoys the slightly less dark/more magical stuff like Wizards of Once, Last Kids on Earth (comic apocalyptic relief!), The Hobbit, Michael Morpurgo.
He emphatically is sick of orphans (even though he knows they're a literary device 😂) and hasn't really taken to Phillip Pullman Northern Lights trilogy, which on paper would be perfect for him. (He enjoyed the Clockwork one by him though).
Recently I've wondered if I should be pointing him to some of the classics, to maybe get him out of the post-apocalyptic YA rut...I wondered about The Count of Monte Cristo (he loved Treasure Island and the play and films of Three Musketeers, despite any orphans in these - I think a bit of swashbuckling makes up for a lot...)
I also thought maybe the Phantom of the Opera? Dracula might be another option - he's completely unloaded by scariness/gore generally. I've got Jamaica Inn from the lib and he seems keen to give that a go. If anyone's had success with what you might call other entry-level classics then please pass on your recommendations!