My Home Street Home

by Val Stevens

Dramatic changes in life can happen at any time. She has lost her mother to cancer, and she's drifting along, alone, in a small town with little excitement in her life. Then she meets Eddie Weston, and everything changes-first for the better and then for the worst. Living with Eddie in a large city, her life takes an upward shift. But through an act of fate, hateful words, and an unforgivable act of betrayal, she finds herself alone again-only this time with no place to stay, no place to call home. She is nameless, and now lives with the downtrodden on the streets of Edmonton. Fortunately, she meets Mr. Taylor, a leader of sorts in the homeless community. She learns to get along with an odd cast of street people, from Hannah, a Goth teen who stomps around in beaten-up Dr. Martens, to Betty, an exotic, gypsy type, a caring person with a dark side. My Home Street Home is a powerful, eye-opening tale about how quickly a life can be forever altered, and the struggle to survive on the street.

120 pages, Hardcover

First published February 22, 2008

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novella in one sitting, and was totally engrossed. I loved the narrative style and the way it weaves in and out of the present as the nameless main character's thoughts sift through her memories, recounting the tragic events that led to a life on the streets. The plotting wasn't perfect, but the characterization and atmosphere totally made up for it. There were also some moments of beautiful prose, I can tell the author is also a poet. This is a harrowing, yet human depiction of homelessness. It underlines that fact that no one is immune from poverty--it could happen to anyone. The book takes place in Edmonton; I recognized many landmarks and I felt that the author really captured the atmosphere, the friendliness and the beauty of the city, along with its darker side, including the frequent apathy and antipathy towards the homeless community. This tragedy is all to real, and not enough is being done to maintain the dignity of these human beings. We need to do better. This books is a stark reminder of that fact.

[Edwina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I held out for a happy ending. I really thought it would turn around.