Hopeless, Maine lives up to its name. There is not a lot of hope, but there are a lot of orphans and missing persons. Where do they all go? Why are there never any bodies? What lurks in the fog? Salamandra is one such orphan. Her parents might have disappeared or they might have just gone away. Either way they are gone and her brother is missing so she ends up in the orphanage. She is not a witch like Miss Nightshade, but she does have some powers of her own. She can control fire and fight demons. Because of this, Salamandra doesn't fit in with the other orphans. They fear her and she spends more and more time alone. Then she makes a friend. But who is this friend really and why can't anyone else see her? 

This is a dark and gothic tale and the illustrations add immensely to the atmosphere. There is a lot going on in the background of these pictures. Those things are not addressed in the narrative but they do add to the unusual and dark mood that surrounds the island.