Hope Endures is the story of Collette Livermore, a woman who joins the Missionaries of Charity (begun by Mother Teresa) in 1973 and leaves the order in 1984. Livermore struggles with the rules and personalities of the Missionaries of Charity while she is a part of the order, as well as with her faith. Once she leaves the order, she trains as a doctor and continues to work with people in need. Livermore frequently criticises the Charity, although she praises it as well. The criticisms seem particularly barbed, and actually made me feel quite uncomfortable, as if I was reading a diary or private notebook which was not meant for publication. The writing itself is sometimes disjointed and often jumps from retelling an event to a lengthy criticism of a particular sister, or the whole order. In general, there are few uplifting moments and much of the book is about drudgery, subservience, obedience, misery and pain. There is some joy when slum children are given a Christmas party or taken on an outing and some lives are even able to be saved. In spite of the fleeting joy, at the end of the book, Livermore still has hope.

Jessica Broadbent is a former bookseller who now works in publishing

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