Jessica Ryn

Jessica Ryn's second book, The Imperfect Art of Caring, is as warm-hearted and joyful as her first, The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside. Focusing on loneliness, and in particular the kind that comes with being a carer, I found it both moving and uplifting.

Violet Strong thinks she isn't as strong as her name suggests. After hiding herself away for the last fourteen years following a difficult time in her teens, she returns reluctantly to her home village to act as carer for her mum. Planning to only stay for a while, she finds herself slowly putting down roots again, meeting old friends and new, and becoming part of a community.

I love a book where I feel like I want to dive in and be a part of it. Violet and other carers that she meets have a demanding and challenging role to play, but they're all so lovely that I wished they were my friends. Violet is kind and thoughtful and as she reaches out, asks for help and meets other people in the same boat, she grows as a person. Whilst most of the story is from Violet's perspective, there are also chapters about Tammy, a young woman who lives in the same flats as Violet's mum, Glenys. She goes through the biggest transformation of all and I loved her for it.

The village near Brighton where Glenys lives sounds like many villages: once thriving, it only took one bad thing to happen to put it into a decline. Despite that, I thought it sounded like a delightful place to live. I'd use the word delightful to describe this whole book, in fact. I became immersed in this story of people coming together, dispelling loneliness and promoting kindness and friendship, and I enjoyed every single minute I spent reading it. Jessica Ryn has become an author whose books I would pick up without knowing anything about them. She's a writer who is adept at getting to the heart of human emotions, producing gentle and emotive stories that make me feel all warm and cosy.… (más)

I loved this book.
From the synopsis and the front cover I had assumed it would be a Chick-Lit style novel but in reality it was so much more. If I were to describe it in one sentence it would be an upbeat book about homelessness.

Grace is only 22, but she's the manager of a hostel for the homeless of Dover. She is a lovely character, full of empathy and understanding for the people who, often through no fault of their own, have fallen on hard times and found themselves without a roof over their heads. Her assistant, Peter was once a residence of St Jude's Hostel and also understands how important the place is.
When one spare room comes available, it is Dawn who is the lucky recipient. She's been fearful to stop still anywhere for over 20 years but she loves living at St Jude's and begins to hope that things might change for her.
True to form, spending cuts threaten the future of the hostel and the residents must fight or find themselves sleeping rough again.

This is a fascinating insight into homelessness and some of the causes that result in people losing their homes. It also covers some aspects of mental illness with warmth and understanding.
I wasn't a fan of the narrator, her voice lacked enthusiasm, but the excellent writing of Jessica Ryn was enough to override that and I highly recommend this debut novel.… (más)

What a wonderful, wonderful read this is. The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is everything I want in a book.

Dawn is 42 and homeless. We know she's been running away for over 20 years but we don't know why. At the start of the story she finds herself with a room at St Jude's Hostel which is managed by Grace with the help of Peter, an ex-resident, but the future of St Jude's is on the line and Dawn is determined not to let it close down as it's the first place she's been able to start to settle for a long time.

The story is told from the points of view of Dawn and Grace. Dawn is a lovely person and very kind, a bit of a fantasist but will help anyone who needs it. It was obvious there was more to her story and I knew it would break my heart when it all unfolded. Grace was probably my favourite character. So young to be managing the hostel at 25 but doing an amazing job whilst dealing with her own family demons and a burgeoning relationship, she's just a delight. I thought the two viewpoints worked perfectly, giving these two completely contrasting life experiences.

I think it was page 10 when tears first sprang to my eyes and there were a few more leaky eye bits throughout the book. I love a book that makes me cry as I know that it made me feel something for the characters. However, there were also giggles aplenty and some absolutely gorgeous heart-warming sections. This is what I call a feel-good story, really uplifting and moving, full of hope and possibilities.

This is a debut and it's hard to believe. Jessica Ryn is a beautiful and intuitive writer, hitting just the right tone to ensure this didn't turn into a maudlin sort of book. She's written perfect characters who complement each other brilliantly, and a completely charming story full of joy and compassion. It's a complete triumph.… (más)

The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is a moving and uplifting contemporary novel from debut novelist, Jessica Ryn.

Dawn Elisabeth Brightside has been running from her past for more than two decades. Offered a place at St Jude’s Hostel for the Homeless in Dover she finally thinks she may have found somewhere to she can stay.

Focusing on the issues of homelessness and mental health, The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is set in Dover, England. St Jude’s is a refuge that provides accomodation and social support to homeless people staffed by a dedicated and idealistic social worker, Grace and a former client, Peter. Dawn quickly settles into the hostel, fighting the familiar impulse to flee, and befriending several of the residents.

Though I thought the story felt a little slow to begin with, the pace improved as it unfolded.

The narrative alternates between the perspectives of Dawn and Grace, and Ryn portrays both women with compassion and nuance. Dawn tends to be sidetracked by florid daydreams, and sometimes fails to distinguish reality from fantasy. Many of her delusions centre around Rosie, Dawn’s daughter, though whether she actually exists or not, is unclear for much of the novel. Despite her mental health issues, Dawn is a largely an optimist and always eager to help others, and when she learns that St Jude’s is in danger of closing she is determined to save it.
As is Grace who feels deeply for her clients, and is worried that she isn’t good enough to do right by them.

A story of heart, humour and humanity, The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is an engaging read.… (más)