For multiple reasons, I did not want to like Shawn Goodman's Something Like Hope. Firstly, the cover is saccharinely ridiculous, with its open-mouthed girl, staring into oblivion, and failed-perspective geese. I also mistakenly thought it was a historical novel about the Civil Rights Movement, of which I have read too many within the last few years. They were mostly good, but I'm a little tired of them. Secondly, and more importantly, this is a book about a teenager in a juvenile detention group home, written by a school psychologist who has worked in such homes. Generally, these types of books are not well-written, but simply special pleading for the group involved.
Luckily, Something Like Hope is pretty decent. It's simply written with a narrator who is likable despite her violent tendencies. Shavonne has been in the home since she was fifteen, gave birth during the time, and is now nearing her eighteenth birthday and the possibility of freedom. She is mainly trying to ignore the mistreatment from the guards and problems of the other residents. With the help of a new psychologist and her own strength, she attempts to work through the tragedies in her past.
Some problems I had with Something Like Hope are the psychologist as hero (though Goodman didn't focus on him too much), the simplified therapeutic breakthrough, and the pat ending. I do feel that he really captured Shavonne's character and made her seem real, instead of a caricature. The emotion of Shavonne's biggest struggle, that concerning her young daughter, actually made me cry. The struggles of the other girls were handled in a balanced manner, showing how, while there were underlying causes to their antisocial behaviors, those behaviors were still harmful to Shavonne and themselves. The language was realistic and graphic, but based on my teaching experience, not gratuitous. A high school or mature middle school student would enjoy reading about Shavonne's journey into maturity.
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