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portybelle 's review for:
Hope Street
by Mike Gayle
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have read several books now by Mike Gayle and have enjoyed them all.
We meet three main characters in this book and as with all Mike Gayle’s characters, I quickly felt I got to know them as they were so well depicted. Lila is a journalist on a local newspaper, usually working on quite small stories, when she is sent on what she expects to be another routine assignment. When she meets the last resident of Hope Street, Connor, she quickly realises that there’s more to the story than she thought. The street is due to be demolished for redevelopment but Connor wants to stay because three years earlier his mother left and didn’t come home. He doesn’t want to leave because he is convinced that she will come home and how will she know where to find him if he has moved? His mother is Bernie and we hear her part of the story in flashback sections leading up to when she disappears.
Hope Street is well named. When Bernie was a young single mother, being given a house on the street gave her hope of living in a friendly community to bring up her son. For Connor, it was a place where he never gave up hope that his mother would return to him. And this is a book full of hope really. Although things don’t always work out for the characters in they way they might have wanted, we see that there is always hope no matter the situation.
I really enjoyed this story. It was fascinating following Lila’s investigation into what had happened to Bernie. I was so hoping that she would be able to track her down and bring her home to Connor no matter how unlikely that seemed. As you get to know Connor you realise that there is no way his mum would walk out on him so it doesn’t seem like there can be a happy resolution. I’m not sure if Connor would be described as neuro-diverse but he finds certain situations difficult and very much needs his routines. His life hasn’t always been easy as some people had been so cruel to him. His mum was his rock and security and helped him in so many ways. My heart really went out to him
Hope Street is a really heart-warming story from Mike Gayle. Connor in particular is one of those characters who finds their way into your heart. Hope Street is moving, memorable and another uplifting read from Mike Gayle.
We meet three main characters in this book and as with all Mike Gayle’s characters, I quickly felt I got to know them as they were so well depicted. Lila is a journalist on a local newspaper, usually working on quite small stories, when she is sent on what she expects to be another routine assignment. When she meets the last resident of Hope Street, Connor, she quickly realises that there’s more to the story than she thought. The street is due to be demolished for redevelopment but Connor wants to stay because three years earlier his mother left and didn’t come home. He doesn’t want to leave because he is convinced that she will come home and how will she know where to find him if he has moved? His mother is Bernie and we hear her part of the story in flashback sections leading up to when she disappears.
Hope Street is well named. When Bernie was a young single mother, being given a house on the street gave her hope of living in a friendly community to bring up her son. For Connor, it was a place where he never gave up hope that his mother would return to him. And this is a book full of hope really. Although things don’t always work out for the characters in they way they might have wanted, we see that there is always hope no matter the situation.
I really enjoyed this story. It was fascinating following Lila’s investigation into what had happened to Bernie. I was so hoping that she would be able to track her down and bring her home to Connor no matter how unlikely that seemed. As you get to know Connor you realise that there is no way his mum would walk out on him so it doesn’t seem like there can be a happy resolution. I’m not sure if Connor would be described as neuro-diverse but he finds certain situations difficult and very much needs his routines. His life hasn’t always been easy as some people had been so cruel to him. His mum was his rock and security and helped him in so many ways. My heart really went out to him
Hope Street is a really heart-warming story from Mike Gayle. Connor in particular is one of those characters who finds their way into your heart. Hope Street is moving, memorable and another uplifting read from Mike Gayle.