The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside by Jessica Ryn Book Review
The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside by Jessica Ryn: Book Review
The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is an uplifting novel, but it is not a story where everything is easy simply because the main character tries to stay positive.
Dawn is homeless and has spent years running from parts of her past. She arrives at St Jude’s, a homeless shelter in Dover, and the novel moves between her perspective and that of Grace, the shelter manager.
Dawn as a Character
Dawn’s optimism is the first thing you notice about her. She looks for ways to help other people and often finds something hopeful in situations that would flatten most of us.
That does not mean the book ignores what she is dealing with. As more of her history is revealed, the reader begins to understand why she thinks and behaves the way she does.
Two Points of View
The sections told through Grace give the novel a different angle. Grace is dealing with the practical reality of keeping a shelter running while trying to support the people who use it.
That stops the story from becoming only a portrait of one unusually optimistic character. It also gives the book room to look at how homelessness affects different people in different ways.
What We Liked
This is a warm book without pretending that difficult circumstances can be solved by positive thinking alone.
For readers
Dawn can be funny and frustrating, and the novel gradually reveals the more painful parts of her past rather than explaining everything immediately.
Readers who like hopeful, character-led fiction will probably get the most from it.
Our Verdict
We would recommend The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside to someone looking for an emotional but ultimately optimistic read.
It deals with homelessness and mental health, so it is not weightless, but the tone is much warmer than many novels covering similar subjects.
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The Book Resort Team x
