Hopeless in Hope

by Wanda John-Kehewin

We live in a hopeless old house on an almost-deserted dead-end street in a middle-of-nowhere town named Hope. This is the oldest part of Hope; eventually it will all be torn down and rebuilt into perfect homes for perfect people. Until then, we live imperfect people on an imperfect street that everyone forgets about.

For Eva Brown, life feels lonely and small. Her mother, Shirley, drinks and yells all the time. She’s the target of the popular mean girl, and her only friend doesn’t want to talk to her anymore. All of it would be unbearable if it weren’t for her cat, Toofie, her beloved nohkum, and her writing, which no one will ever see.

When Nohkum is hospitalized, Shirley struggles to keep things together for Eva and her younger brother, Marcus. After Marcus is found wandering the neighbourhood alone, he is sent to live with a foster family, and Eva finds herself in a group home.

Furious at her mother, Eva struggles to adjust—and being reunited with her family seems less and less likely. During a visit to the hospital, Nohkum gives Eva Shirley’s diary. Will the truths it holds help Eva understand her mother?

Heartbreaking and humorous, Hopeless in Hope is a compelling story of family and forgiveness.

Genres: Indigenous, Young Adult, Canada, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Health, School

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2023

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, sad story of mothers, daughters and intergenerational trauma caused by colonialism. The language is accessible but the themes are complex.

[Luciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most amazing read for young teens!

This is a story about a young teen named Eva Brown who lives in Hope. She is an Indigenous, impoverished, overweight, bullied, 14 yr old. Her mom is a hopeless drunk & Eva looks after her 4 year old brother every time her mom has to leave. Her Nohkum has moved in to help her with her brother until she breaks her hip & is hospitalized.

Then, Eva's worst nightmare happens. She & her brother are split up & put into care.

Eva is so angry, feeling hopeless in Hope.

A powerful read, filled with poetry, as well!

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blew me away.

Hopeless in Hope is a story of compassion, forgiveness and, yes, hope. It's a story about family, courage and finding your way despite the unfair things life will throw at you.

It's an emotionally heavy story at times, but at the heart of this Teen book is Eva Brown, a 14-year-old Indigenous girl who is trying to hold her family together. Her mother Shirley is an alcoholic and has been in and out of Eva and Eva's younger brother Marcus' lives and their elderly Nohkum (grandmother) has been their only constant. But when Nohkum has an accident and is in the hospital for weeks, Eva and Marcus are placed separately in foster care.

John-Kehewin successfully tackles several weighty issues including poverty, bullying, alcoholism, anxiety, disconnection from culture and intergenerational trauma. Eva is bulled for her weight, her threadbare clothing and her Indigenous heritage and finds solace with her Nohkum and in her own writing. Poetry plays an important role in her healing, and we witness how she begins to understand her mother and her family's past as she works through her own feelings of fear and her lack of connection to family and culture.

With a well-drawn and diverse cast (Grace, Eva's foster mother may be my favourite of the bunch), this story is well-written, immersive and poignant and is an exceptional debut. It brought me to tears in a few spots but don't let its short page count fool you. Hopeless in Hope is a powerful and engaging coming-of-age story with emotional themes and a memorable cast of characters that will give readers much to discuss.

[Derya M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eva is 14, Indigenous, and navigating bullying, poverty, and family trauma in Hope, BC. When she and her brother are separated into different group homes, she’s forced to unpack her family’s past.

It was repetitive at moments but still a solid read that belongs in classrooms & sparks important discussions.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because it is a red maple nominee in Ontario’s Forest of Reading program. I’m very glad I did. This is a lovely and accessible depiction of the impact of residential schools. The subject matter is hard and much of the book is sad but the author has a wonderful knack for leaving a ray of hope, even at the darkest time. The book is a celebration of family and of resilience. I hope it wins.

[Read by Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: child neglect, bullying, spousal physical abuse.

Fourteen-year-old Eva is Indigenous, overweight, impoverished, and subsequently bullied at school. She lives with her grandmother and younger brother. Her alcoholic mother sometimes lives with them. When Eva's grandmother experiences a health crisis and her mother makes a mistake, Eva and her younger brother are removed from the house by Social Services. While in care, Eva learns about intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools.

This book was emotionally heavy. I strongly suspect it will be taught in classrooms in a few years because it touches on so many important themes, and it's legitimately well-written, including Eva's free-verse poetry throughout. It was a 4.5 star read for me, which I rounded up to five because I think it's a little book with no hype that deserves more attention.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When 14 year old Eva gets home from school, she hides by her neighbor’s porch, listening for signs that her mom has started drinking again. Her nokum is making as safe a life as possible for Eva and four year old brother Markus but when nokum breaks her hip and is hospitalized, Eva and Markus are catapulted into the foster care system. Urban and disconnected from their Cree heritage by the family history in residential schools, Eva first turns to poetry and then to her indigenous heritage to help her with the grief and fear she is experiencing. An intense, compact and ultimately hopeful narrative that looks deeply into the complexity of foster care and the legacy of colonization. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really shows you that a mother would give up anything to get there kids back

[Katya M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 stars

a bittersweet YA/MG about recovering from residential schools, the foster care system, and alcoholism; covering most of its themes with care and respect, though falling short with its writing.

the writing is the weakest point of this novel, making it hard for a rating higher than three. it struggles SEVERELY with telling rather than showing; completely lacking description and, being in first person perspective of Eva, tells us her emotions directedly. the characters are somewhat better. though all the other characters come off as flat in the novel, probably due to its direct writing, the main, Eva, has a good character arc. at first, most people are described as being with malicious intent, especially her mom, as intentionally trying to hurt her or not trying hard enough. but at the end, most people around her are described as having kind traits rather than hostile. its sweet, and the characters clearly have depth behind them despite coming off as flat. Toofie is such a cute cat, and i wish we had more....

the themes are varied in quality, as i feel there are quite a few, though not too many that the plot suffers. THE GOOD: -addiction is handled amazingly in my opinion! it is shown as the disease that it is, and the person who has it cannot fully control. i love how her mom loves her children still, but can still hurt her children, even if not intentionally. -being Indigenous & the suffering of residential schools is also handled with tact and care beautifully! how Indigenous culture is celebrated; and the pain of having it taken away by, especially, residential schools or foster care. how it is tied into all other other themes; how experiencing residential schools or other adverse life experiences can cause addiction. truly great representation.

THE OKAY: -foster care is told nearly the same as in other similar works, though not necessarily a bad thing, makes it only okay for me. i did like how it was tied into residential schools but that was about it. -anxiety and mental illness is shown in a way i cannot say is bad, but also not good, subpar is the word. it is shown through Eva having bad thought monkeys she "puts in their cages" by thinking positively? and that is about it. THE EGH: bullying goes in here, i think it would have been 'okay' otherwise, but at the end it is forgotten about entirely. goes nowhere and with no resolution beside two very mild confrontations. -all i will say is good lgbt rep, and "character says their pronouns every time they enter a room", are worlds apart.

did i enjoy it? -yes~
would i read it again? -no
would i have read it knowing what i do after? -sure

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanda John-Kehewin’s young adult novel Hopeless in Hope tells the story of 14 year old Eva. Eva often feels lonely and small because she’s bullied at school and her mom is an alcoholic. Her nohkum is the only person Eva can rely on, but when Nohkum is hospitalized, Eva struggles to believe that her mom is capable of taking care of her and her younger brother. After her mom makes a terrible mistake, Eva is put into a group home and is separated from her brother. Eva is overwhelmed by her emotions and anxiety, and wonders if she’ll ever be reunited with her family.

I like the way this book is written—the author gives readers a ton of insight into Eva’s thoughts and it reads like a diary. Eva cares deeply about her family and is protective of them, but she’s also rightfully angry at her circumstances. Eva craves connection and a peaceful life at home, but her mom keeps letting her down. With the help of her nohkum, Eva begins to understand her mom’s pain and the cycle of trauma present in their lives. Eva goes on a journey of forgiveness and acceptance, and it was heartwarming to see her growth and where these characters end up. I also loved the honest discussions of anxiety and depression and think there are several great messages in this book about the importance of taking care of your mental health.

I unintentionally read Brandi Morin’s Our Voice of Fire (highly recommend the audiobook!) simultaneously with this one, and was surprised by the ways they overlap. One is fictional and the other is not, but both books inform readers about the impact of intergenerational trauma, residential schools, and the foster care system on Indigenous communities. Brandi Morin’s memoir reinforced the discussions and emotions presented in Hopeless in Hope. While both books discuss these topics, they focus on the people rather than the trauma, and they demonstrate how it’s possible to rebuild your life and find hope after despair.

With compassion, care and love, Hopeless in Hope tells the story of a family finding their way back to each other. It provides space for complex feelings and is a great starting point for young readers to learn about the difficult topics within, while also showing the importance of family and having hope.
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This book is out now! Thank you HighWater Press for sending me a copy to review.

Rating: 4.25/5

[Alisha (booksmellz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: child neglect, mention of residential schools and the treatment of children, alcoholism

14-year-old Eva lives in a hopeless old house in the oldest part of Hope, Canada with her younger brother, Marcus, their Nohkum, and their mother, Shirley - when she’s not out drinking. It would be pretty miserable, if it weren’t for her cat, Toofie, and her writing. But everything gets ripped away after Nohkum is hospitalized and Shirley struggles to keep things together. One afternoon, Marcus is found on the streets trying to go to the zoo all on his own; he’s sent to live with a foster family and Eva is sent to live in a group home. Eva’s furious with Shirley and finds a hard time in finding hope in being reunited. To help understand her better, Nohkum gives Eva Shirley’s journal during a hospital visit with the hope the pages within will help Eva learn to find forgiveness for her mom.

This is such a heartbreaking and hopeful story about family and forgiveness. Eva’s bitterness towards her mom is completely understandable, especially for someone her age who doesn’t fully understand the things those before her have gone through.

“You wanna know why so many of our people drink or use drugs? Because they take our children away after they’ve destroyed us. Once you take the kids… there’s nothing left.”

This quote really hit me when Nohkum said it because that’s really true. What’s the best way to erase a culture than to take the youth away? I’ve known about the residential schools and the horrors the children had to go through, and how some of them didn’t make it back, but I didn’t really think of the effects afterwards.

I absolutely loved the voice of Eva in this novel and her family’s story. It wasn’t perfect; life is messy, but in the end, I still had so much hope for their family.

I would recommend this to both YA and adult readers - even though the voice is younger, you are able to dive deeper into the subjects of both Indigenous generational trauma and their treatment - both past and present in this novel. You also get a look at the complexity of the foster care system as well.

*Thank you HighWater Press and Edelweiss+ for a digital advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review

[erin_leigh_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

14 year Nevaeh Brown lives with her 4 year old brother Marcus, her Nokhum (Grandmother) and mother Shirley in a run down ramshackle home in Hope BC. It’s not an idyllic situation as Shirley is an alcoholic, neglects her children and money is virtually nonexistent. This means there is never enough food to eat and clothing is tattered and torn. Nevaeh is bullied at school for her appearance, native heritage and poverty. But Nevaeh’s Nohkum makes life bearable. But that all changes when Nohkum breaks her hip and ends up in the hospital. Things go from bad to worse. Social services removes Nevaeh and Marcus from their home as their mother is unfit to care for them. The two children are placed in separate homes. Marcus to foster care and Nevaeh a group home.

Understandably Nevaeh is angry at her mother. If she could just stay away from alcohol, Nevaeh wouldn’t be in a group home separated from her little brother. But despite the title of the story, all is not hopeless. Nevaeh develops a special bond with her carer, Grace and eventually Shirley is determined to turn her life around to get her children back.

I’m not going to lie this was a heavy read. Residential schools, abuse, alcoholism, neglect, abandonment, intergenerational trauma and poverty were all a part of Nevaeh’s family story. The complexities of her world were heartbreaking and unjust. But despite these obstacles Nevaeh was a courageous, smart teen who was hopeful her family would be reunited.

Thank you HighWater Press for my gifted copy of Hopeless In Hope by Wanda John-Kehewin. An excellent YA fictional story that is “heartbreaking and humorous” about “family and Forgiveness”.

Publish Date: October 5th, 2023
Interest Age: 12+
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

14yo Eva (Neveah) lives with her Cree grandmother (Nohkum) and her 4yo brother, and occasionally her alcoholic mother (Shirley) in the small town of Hope near Vancouver. They are barely getting by, but Nohkum keeps them fed - soup and bannock for most meals. But when Nohkum falls on the porch and breaks her hip, mom is left in charge of the children. She promises not to drink until Nohkum is out of the hospital, but while Eva is at school, the police find Marcus miles away from home and discover mom passed out on the couch. Social Services swoops in, and the children are removed to foster care. This is the 2nd time for Eva who is placed in a group home.

I cried several times reading Hopeless in Hope. It's a poignant, heartbreaking story about generational dysfunction mostly arising from the generation of indigenous children who were taken from their parents and put in residential schools. Eva and her family are trying to break the cycle of parents who have no parenting skills. I like that there are several groups who would see themselves in this title - Native Americans (although Eva is Canadian); kids in foster care and group homes, as well as kids dealing with alcoholic or abusive parents. Eva has a roommate at the group home who is non-binary.

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hopeless in Hope is one of those stories that makes me wonder why it isn’t getting the hype that it deserves. And knowing that this is the authors debut makes it all the more poignant.

Eva is 14-years-old, she lives in Hope, BC. Not only is she indigenous, but bullied for being overweight and impoverished. Her mother is an alcoholic, along with her brother Marcus, they are being raised by their grandmother, her Hohkum.

Hopeless in Hope was an emotional read as it tackles a number of subjects. It is about Eva‘s journey as she enters a group home while her brother enters a another one following their grandmother's hospitalization. It is during that time that Eva reconciles with her mother and grandmother‘s past and how they arrived where they are today.

Such a well written story about the effect of Canada‘s past on future generations. This book should be in classrooms and widely talked about. I recommend this to readers of all ages.

My copy was obtained through my local public library.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nevaeh is a 15-year old indigenous girl living in Hope, B.C., who doesn’t have a lot of hope for her future. Thank goodness she has her Nohkum to look after her and her younger brother. But when Nohkum is hospitalized, her world falls apart even more. Her mother says she’ll step up to the plate by quitting alcohol and breaking the cycle of poverty, but can Nevaeh trust her?

This is a beautifully told story that covers intergenerational poverty and abuse, as well as the treatment of indigenous peoples and the long-reaching effects of the residential schools. It’s the story of a journey for self-discovery that is heartbreaking, yet in the end, hopeful. It’s geared towards a young adult audience, but adults would definitely benefit from reading it as well.

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had picked this book at my local library when they were doing surprise Christmas books and I ended up really enjoying it. I haven't read as much towards the end of the year as I was during the beginning, but I was able to understand how Native Americans are treated and the common challenges they faced. Eva is going through lives difficulties and as she's navigating her journey of self discovery, we start to bond with her and her family. I was sadden when I finishes the book due to the emotionally connection I formed with these characters.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teenage Eva is dealing with a lot - poverty, an alcoholic mother, an aging Nohkum (Cree grandmother), caring for her younger brother, a failed friendship, and mean girls at school. She finds herself and her brother in foster care and must examine the strained relationship she has with people around her, including with herself. Hopeless in Hope incorporates some heavy topics, but is well-written, engaging and not heavy-handed.

Hopeless in Hope is a 2025 Northern Lights MYRCA nominee.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to begin?

You know when you get immersed in a book and the emotions the characters feel leak off the page and into your heart? That’s this book.

At one point I didn’t want to read more because it was making me too sad. But that’s kind of the point. The subject matter is heartbreaking and I should feel sad that he situations in the book happen too frequently.

Eva’s life is a mess, but while. It perfect at the end there is still hope and healing. That is a positive thing.

[Jaelynne Wormenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's such an incredible and timely book. All Canadians should read this book. Wanda gives the reader just a glimpse of a family presently living through trauma of Canadian history past but also moving forward towards the future.

[Katie Ark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the way Eva’s poetry supported her journey in this story. It felt like her best poems came from her most emotional moments and that made the story even more realistic for me.

[Faheem · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10. it was okay..

[Yellen Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives insights into inter generational trauma cause by the residential school system in Canada. Easy to read.

[Caramella Ammoury · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's so flippin boring! Omg i skipped like 10 pages in it and missed absolutely nothing! It is soo repetitive and bad! I totally needed more depth on trevor and nevaeh's story! There was absolutely no love in it, just broken hips, silly shirts, farts, coin swallowing, and mommy issues! Mandy was such a b word, but like, eva did not have to run away from her like that! Im glad she stood up for herself once. Totally would not recommend it.