What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hope Store
Two Asian American men, Luke and Kazu, discover a bold new procedure to import hope into the hopeless. They vow to open the world's first Hope Store. Their slogan: "We don't just instill hope. We install it." The media descend.
Customer Jada Upshaw arrives at the store with a hidden agenda, but what happens next no one could have predicted. Meanwhile an activist group called The Natural Hopers emerges warning that hope installations are a risky, Frankenstein-like procedure and vow to shut down the store.
Luke comes to care about Jada, and marvels at her Super-Responder status. But in dreams begin responsibilities, and often unimaginable nightmares soon follow. If science can't save Jada, can she save herself -- or will she wind up as collateral damage?
Customer Jada Upshaw arrives at the store with a hidden agenda, but what happens next no one could have predicted. Meanwhile an activist group called The Natural Hopers emerges warning that hope installations are a risky, Frankenstein-like procedure and vow to shut down the store.
Luke comes to care about Jada, and marvels at her Super-Responder status. But in dreams begin responsibilities, and often unimaginable nightmares soon follow. If science can't save Jada, can she save herself -- or will she wind up as collateral damage?
268 pages, Paperback
Published August 23, 2017
8 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Dwight Okita
9 books51 followersDwight Okita was born in Chicago. He continues to live there with an imaginary cat. He has written poems and plays, though nowadays he focuses on sci-fi and magic realist novels. He tends to write of the beauty and brutality of life, but always with a sense of humor and wonder.
His latest novel, THE HOPE STORE, is a magic-realist fable about two asian american men who open the first store in the world to sell hope over the counter. Controversy ensues. A grassroots organization springs up called Natural Hopers which vow to shut down the store.
THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL, the author's debut novel, is available in paperback and kindle thru Amazon. It was a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards out of 5,000 entries.
Okita is currently completing his third novel EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE. This book deals with love and reincarnation and gun control.
His poetry book CROSSING WITH THE LIGHT was published by Tia Chucha Press. It is filled with poems that have been anthologized and reprinted in a range of text books. Topics range from the internment camps for Japanese Americans to modern love to the AIDS crisis.
* * *
REVIEW OF "PROSPECT" FROM BLOGGER BECKY KYLE, Amazon Vine Reviewer:
http://bexboox13.blogspot.com/2011/09...
SECOND REVIEW FROM CHICAGO PAPER
which calls the book "elegant":
http://bit.ly/qKqfhl
AUTHOR INTERVIEW FROM ALISON DELUCA:
http://alisondeluca.blogspot.com/2011...
VIDEO REVIEWS: I've posted two video reviews of early drafts of PROSPECT when it was entered in the Amazon contest. Megan Bostic and Josie Henley-Einion did the honors.
Dwight Okita has written personal essays for WBEZ Radio, the Chicago affiliate of NPR, and read his poetry on Ira Glass' popular radio show “This American Life.” His work has been recognized by the Norton Introduction to Poetry, the HBO New Writers Project, and the Illinois Arts Council.
Follow his multi-purpose blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" at http://dwightokita2011.blogspot.com
His latest novel, THE HOPE STORE, is a magic-realist fable about two asian american men who open the first store in the world to sell hope over the counter. Controversy ensues. A grassroots organization springs up called Natural Hopers which vow to shut down the store.
THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL, the author's debut novel, is available in paperback and kindle thru Amazon. It was a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards out of 5,000 entries.
Okita is currently completing his third novel EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE. This book deals with love and reincarnation and gun control.
His poetry book CROSSING WITH THE LIGHT was published by Tia Chucha Press. It is filled with poems that have been anthologized and reprinted in a range of text books. Topics range from the internment camps for Japanese Americans to modern love to the AIDS crisis.
* * *
REVIEW OF "PROSPECT" FROM BLOGGER BECKY KYLE, Amazon Vine Reviewer:
http://bexboox13.blogspot.com/2011/09...
SECOND REVIEW FROM CHICAGO PAPER
which calls the book "elegant":
http://bit.ly/qKqfhl
AUTHOR INTERVIEW FROM ALISON DELUCA:
http://alisondeluca.blogspot.com/2011...
VIDEO REVIEWS: I've posted two video reviews of early drafts of PROSPECT when it was entered in the Amazon contest. Megan Bostic and Josie Henley-Einion did the honors.
Dwight Okita has written personal essays for WBEZ Radio, the Chicago affiliate of NPR, and read his poetry on Ira Glass' popular radio show “This American Life.” His work has been recognized by the Norton Introduction to Poetry, the HBO New Writers Project, and the Illinois Arts Council.
Follow his multi-purpose blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" at http://dwightokita2011.blogspot.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 26, 2017
A poet and playwright, Dwight Okita’s debut novel, The Prospect of My Arrival, a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, was one of the more absorbing sci fi novels I’ve ever read. So, I was quite intrigued when I saw he had a new novel, The Hope Store.
But First, THE BLURB:
Two Asian American men, Luke and Kazu, discover a bold new procedure to import hope into the hopeless. They vow to open the world's first Hope Store. Their slogan: "We don't just instill hope. We install it." The media descend. Customer Jada Upshaw arrives at the store with a hidden agenda, but what happens next no one could have predicted. Meanwhile an activist group called The Natural Hopers emerges warning that hope installations are a risky, Frankenstein-like procedure and vow to shut down the store. Luke comes to care about Jada, and marvels at her Super-Responder status. But in dreams begin responsibilities, and unimaginable nightmares follow. If science can't save Jada, can she save herself -- or will she wind up as collateral damage?
MY REVIEW:
Okita’s cerebral yet poetic prose is gentle and approachable, even when depicting the harsher realities of his worlds. Set in a Chicago of the future, the story opens with Jada Upshaw, an amazing, multidimensional character. A well-educated woman, Jada is, at the outset, intent on killing herself. Her despair and confused emotional state is laid bare, but shown with the delicacy and respect Okita brings to all his characters.
Luke Nagano describes himself as “a boy with a big heart but no idea where to put it.” This holds true through the entire novel, as Luke himself is the embodiment of hope. Of Japanese descent, Luke is a native of Chicago, and is deeply rooted in Midwestern American culture. He is deeply in love with Kazu Mori, a rock-star scientist from Tsukuba, Japan. Luke’s thoroughly American blundering through life causes him to make occasional missteps, inadvertent cross-cultural clashes which create tension. Kazu is forgiving, but is completely dedicated to his work. Their love/work relationship drives the plot, also creating tension.
The relationships and thoughts of both Jada and Luke are shown throughout the narrative, but Luke and Jada still have secrets from the reader, keeping me turning the pages.
Okita shows the actual science behind the Hope installation with masterful strokes. Instead of devolving into a drawn-out explanation that most readers would skip, he offers just enough information about the key elements, a framework for the reader to hang their imagination on.
Beyond the great characters and the futuristic setting is the deeper story. Hope, the lack of it, the desire for it, and the lengths we will go to acquire it is what drives this tale. Intrigues, private agendas, and in some cases, desperation drive the story to a satisfying, logical, yet still surprising, finish.
I highly recommend The Hope Store. I found it cerebral, sexy, and thought-provoking, as all Okita’s work is.
But First, THE BLURB:
Two Asian American men, Luke and Kazu, discover a bold new procedure to import hope into the hopeless. They vow to open the world's first Hope Store. Their slogan: "We don't just instill hope. We install it." The media descend. Customer Jada Upshaw arrives at the store with a hidden agenda, but what happens next no one could have predicted. Meanwhile an activist group called The Natural Hopers emerges warning that hope installations are a risky, Frankenstein-like procedure and vow to shut down the store. Luke comes to care about Jada, and marvels at her Super-Responder status. But in dreams begin responsibilities, and unimaginable nightmares follow. If science can't save Jada, can she save herself -- or will she wind up as collateral damage?
MY REVIEW:
Okita’s cerebral yet poetic prose is gentle and approachable, even when depicting the harsher realities of his worlds. Set in a Chicago of the future, the story opens with Jada Upshaw, an amazing, multidimensional character. A well-educated woman, Jada is, at the outset, intent on killing herself. Her despair and confused emotional state is laid bare, but shown with the delicacy and respect Okita brings to all his characters.
Luke Nagano describes himself as “a boy with a big heart but no idea where to put it.” This holds true through the entire novel, as Luke himself is the embodiment of hope. Of Japanese descent, Luke is a native of Chicago, and is deeply rooted in Midwestern American culture. He is deeply in love with Kazu Mori, a rock-star scientist from Tsukuba, Japan. Luke’s thoroughly American blundering through life causes him to make occasional missteps, inadvertent cross-cultural clashes which create tension. Kazu is forgiving, but is completely dedicated to his work. Their love/work relationship drives the plot, also creating tension.
The relationships and thoughts of both Jada and Luke are shown throughout the narrative, but Luke and Jada still have secrets from the reader, keeping me turning the pages.
Okita shows the actual science behind the Hope installation with masterful strokes. Instead of devolving into a drawn-out explanation that most readers would skip, he offers just enough information about the key elements, a framework for the reader to hang their imagination on.
Beyond the great characters and the futuristic setting is the deeper story. Hope, the lack of it, the desire for it, and the lengths we will go to acquire it is what drives this tale. Intrigues, private agendas, and in some cases, desperation drive the story to a satisfying, logical, yet still surprising, finish.
I highly recommend The Hope Store. I found it cerebral, sexy, and thought-provoking, as all Okita’s work is.
May 30, 2017
The Hope Store is another wonderful title from Dwight Okita. The Prospect of My Arrival is one of my favorite novels, and The Hope Store showcases the same spare, poetic prose. I love when writers display artistic sensibility, and Okita is one of those word artists.
The book follows Jada Upshaw, a woman who is hope-impaired. She has 'desina sperara,' a condition that makes her hopeless and has driven her to consider suicide.
In order to help people like Jada, Luke Nagano and his lover, Kazu, have just opened a store to install hope. This isn't as esoteric as it sounds: Okita has created his own meticulous universe in near-future Chicago. As I read, he made me believe in the process. All the best stories pose What If questions; in this case, the writer's experiment is Hope as a commodity.
The Hope store's logic sells the idea. Even as Luke and Kazu open their new business, they are mobbed by protestors who call it The Hype Store. Jada becomes the face of their campaign as a suicidal woman who has a new life.
Of course, everything comes with a price. Jada is thrust into celebrity status even as her happiness grows and intimacy with her boyfriend deepens. At the same time, an expose reporter approaches her to research The Hope Store from the inside.
All of these plot arcs are handled expertly by Okita. The point of view switches from Jada to Luke, made clear by chapter headings, and is very easy to follow. The writing is crystalline. However, there are hidden layers of emotion in deceptively simple scenes. I can see why there has been such a long wait between the author's titles: Hope, like Prospect, has been crafted into a masterpiece.
The characters spring to life in the very exciting story. Jada, Luke, Kazu, and even Blair Mathers (the journalist) are living, breathing people. They take you by the hand and pull you into their world.
The book follows Jada Upshaw, a woman who is hope-impaired. She has 'desina sperara,' a condition that makes her hopeless and has driven her to consider suicide.
In order to help people like Jada, Luke Nagano and his lover, Kazu, have just opened a store to install hope. This isn't as esoteric as it sounds: Okita has created his own meticulous universe in near-future Chicago. As I read, he made me believe in the process. All the best stories pose What If questions; in this case, the writer's experiment is Hope as a commodity.
The Hope store's logic sells the idea. Even as Luke and Kazu open their new business, they are mobbed by protestors who call it The Hype Store. Jada becomes the face of their campaign as a suicidal woman who has a new life.
Of course, everything comes with a price. Jada is thrust into celebrity status even as her happiness grows and intimacy with her boyfriend deepens. At the same time, an expose reporter approaches her to research The Hope Store from the inside.
All of these plot arcs are handled expertly by Okita. The point of view switches from Jada to Luke, made clear by chapter headings, and is very easy to follow. The writing is crystalline. However, there are hidden layers of emotion in deceptively simple scenes. I can see why there has been such a long wait between the author's titles: Hope, like Prospect, has been crafted into a masterpiece.
The characters spring to life in the very exciting story. Jada, Luke, Kazu, and even Blair Mathers (the journalist) are living, breathing people. They take you by the hand and pull you into their world.
January 21, 2021
Review originally published at: https://lomeraniel.com/book-review-th...
Jada Upshaw was born with a rare condition that causes negligible dopamine levels in the brain, meaning that Jada is unable to feel hope. After several suicide attempts, the opening of The Hope Store in her city seems to be the last chance to try to have a normal life before killing herself once and for all.
Please be warned that there’s talk about suicide in this book so it might not be appropriate for everyone. I found hope to be an interesting topic, and the premises of this book were definitely original. It was also a happy coincidence that I was reading The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman in parallel with this book, which exposes some scientific findings related to dopamine and its role in human volition.
The Hope Store is beautifully written and it successfully keeps the intrigue levels high during the first half of the book, which kept me engaged in the story. I found myself though, disconnected during the second half. I think the big reveal didn’t live up to my expectations, and there were several minor issues that contributed to a lack of interest. The characters were not developed enough to make me care for them, and they even seem to talk in a very similar way. For instance, the “puff piece” expression was said by three different characters in the book in different situations. We didn’t get much insight into the characters’ backstory apart from a few details about their personality. Some parts felt long, others not enough developed. I think this book would benefit from being edited.
Dight Okita narrated the book himself. I’m usually wary when authors decide to narrate their own books, as I believe this task should be left to professionals, but the audio sample seemed okay, so I took the plunge. Okita’s narration was mostly decent but there were many issues that we often see in beginner narrators. The narration was terribly monotone, and stayed like this even during dialogs. All characters sounded exactly the same, with no different inflections, tone, or accent. In fact, everything sounded exactly the same. The character interpretations were stiff with no voice inflections. There were several noticeable audio edits, ambient noises, and mouth noises that shouldn’t have been there. Several chapters were preceded by some music. I guess the intention was artistic, as Jada’s chapters had one music and Luke’s had a different one. It was not too intrusive but I was also not fond of it. Music in audiobooks is a controverted topic, and the common opinion is that listeners are against it. It’s a pity, as I believe Okita put special effort into this, but a bit of market research would have steered him in the right direction and saved him some work. Most listeners just don’t like music in audiobooks, and I count myself among them.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Jada Upshaw was born with a rare condition that causes negligible dopamine levels in the brain, meaning that Jada is unable to feel hope. After several suicide attempts, the opening of The Hope Store in her city seems to be the last chance to try to have a normal life before killing herself once and for all.
Please be warned that there’s talk about suicide in this book so it might not be appropriate for everyone. I found hope to be an interesting topic, and the premises of this book were definitely original. It was also a happy coincidence that I was reading The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman in parallel with this book, which exposes some scientific findings related to dopamine and its role in human volition.
The Hope Store is beautifully written and it successfully keeps the intrigue levels high during the first half of the book, which kept me engaged in the story. I found myself though, disconnected during the second half. I think the big reveal didn’t live up to my expectations, and there were several minor issues that contributed to a lack of interest. The characters were not developed enough to make me care for them, and they even seem to talk in a very similar way. For instance, the “puff piece” expression was said by three different characters in the book in different situations. We didn’t get much insight into the characters’ backstory apart from a few details about their personality. Some parts felt long, others not enough developed. I think this book would benefit from being edited.
Dight Okita narrated the book himself. I’m usually wary when authors decide to narrate their own books, as I believe this task should be left to professionals, but the audio sample seemed okay, so I took the plunge. Okita’s narration was mostly decent but there were many issues that we often see in beginner narrators. The narration was terribly monotone, and stayed like this even during dialogs. All characters sounded exactly the same, with no different inflections, tone, or accent. In fact, everything sounded exactly the same. The character interpretations were stiff with no voice inflections. There were several noticeable audio edits, ambient noises, and mouth noises that shouldn’t have been there. Several chapters were preceded by some music. I guess the intention was artistic, as Jada’s chapters had one music and Luke’s had a different one. It was not too intrusive but I was also not fond of it. Music in audiobooks is a controverted topic, and the common opinion is that listeners are against it. It’s a pity, as I believe Okita put special effort into this, but a bit of market research would have steered him in the right direction and saved him some work. Most listeners just don’t like music in audiobooks, and I count myself among them.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 19, 2021
( Format : Audiobook )
"A falling star, a constellation of possibilities."
A strange and near mysterious book, written almost poetically, and exploring life, longing, love and desperation. Jada's life has been, and continues to be a miserable one, a life, despite the possibilities offered to her, which is without hope. All forms of remedy have failed, and she's tried them all. She rarely sleeps, she's promised herself that she will end her life, that she will not endure another year. But first, outraged at the opening of what she believes will be yet another cruel exploitation of hope less people, she determines to destroy the reputation of, as she sees it, the most recent con, a new store about to open which claims to able to not just instill, but physica!ly install hope.
The Hope Store is good entirely in the first person but from different points of view though mostly from that of Jada, and of one of the two young men launching the remarkable store. Each chapter is headed by the name of the character whose voice is following, keeping each section discreet, with the addition of some whisps of atmospheric music adding to the separation of protagonists. The author, Dwight Okira, also narrates - not always a good idea but, in this case, it works well. His pleasant, gentle voice conveys an almost dream-like time to the text. Sadly, though, the background recording quality is sometimes less than perfect. Mr.Like A makes no attempt to separately voice individual protagonists, but it doesn't matter, it is always clear who it is that is speaking. This is not really a book of conversation, but of internal thoughts and ideas and dreams.
My thanks to the rights holder of The Hope Store, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. It was a delight, unexpected, original, fresh and beautiful. A science fiction story of ideas and highly recommended.
"A falling star, a constellation of possibilities."
A strange and near mysterious book, written almost poetically, and exploring life, longing, love and desperation. Jada's life has been, and continues to be a miserable one, a life, despite the possibilities offered to her, which is without hope. All forms of remedy have failed, and she's tried them all. She rarely sleeps, she's promised herself that she will end her life, that she will not endure another year. But first, outraged at the opening of what she believes will be yet another cruel exploitation of hope less people, she determines to destroy the reputation of, as she sees it, the most recent con, a new store about to open which claims to able to not just instill, but physica!ly install hope.
The Hope Store is good entirely in the first person but from different points of view though mostly from that of Jada, and of one of the two young men launching the remarkable store. Each chapter is headed by the name of the character whose voice is following, keeping each section discreet, with the addition of some whisps of atmospheric music adding to the separation of protagonists. The author, Dwight Okira, also narrates - not always a good idea but, in this case, it works well. His pleasant, gentle voice conveys an almost dream-like time to the text. Sadly, though, the background recording quality is sometimes less than perfect. Mr.Like A makes no attempt to separately voice individual protagonists, but it doesn't matter, it is always clear who it is that is speaking. This is not really a book of conversation, but of internal thoughts and ideas and dreams.
My thanks to the rights holder of The Hope Store, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. It was a delight, unexpected, original, fresh and beautiful. A science fiction story of ideas and highly recommended.
March 7, 2018
5 stars for the story and idea. 3 stars for execution, for an overall 4 stars. I loved the uniqueness of a store about hope and how hope, and the lack thereof, can so tremendously affect a life. However, I felt the book could have used another edit in places. For instance, the story is told with alternating narrators and in at least one place, the chapter title indicates the wrong narrator - not a big deal, but a bit disjointed at first. I also felt like the two owners of the Hope Store had personalities that overlapped too much and I would feel like one of them should be having an experience and it was really the other. Overall, I'd recommend it, but think it would really shine with one more critical editor.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
March 16, 2018
A wonderful and interesting story about hope and how it impacts the way we see ourselves and the world. Relatable characters. Really enjoyable. If pretty extensive suicidal topics bother you, this isn't for you.
March 30, 2018
I normally never read si-fi but enjoyed this book.
You will really enjoy this book if you like a books on hope.
You will really enjoy this book if you like a books on hope.
January 12, 2021
Great novel with beautifully explored ideas. Memorable characters in a deeply satisfying story.
July 13, 2018
Interesting concept! I wish there really was a Hope Store that could help the hopeless struggling with depression.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews