Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

16 reviews

amy_mhairi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Incredible book. First read of January 2024 and it really started me on the right foot for the year. I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death

marinajonesreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a beautiful beautiful book. As a younger sister with a deep bond to my older sister, I was enraged and understanding and sad and mad all throughout. That’s how you know it’s a good and authentic story. I loved every part of this book, even when I was so angry at one of the sisters I wanted to scream. 

It was so beautifully written. Getting to see such a unique POV structure was refreshing and I loved being inside all of their heads. This tiny nuclear family with diamond strings connecting them to each other. 

I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Violence and Car accident

erinriker's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

lillieb130's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Body shaming, Infertility, Terminal illness, Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

gondorgirl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

roget's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5 out of five stars.

Hello Beautiful follows the lives of the Padavano family--especially Julia, Sylvie, William Waters, and a girl named Alice. Loosely Little Women inspired, this story focuses on the mundane and the deeper emotional revelations that come from living through change, loss, grief, and healing. 

I spent most of this book wanting to throttle one or more people for their choices. And yet.
As a family epic, this is profoundly moving. Napolitano is a master of character work, and the voice has a way of calmly relaying both brokenness and strength. Did I like the plot? No. I wanted them to

be happy and honest for far longer than they were

. Did I like what I was left reflecting on, though? Yes, actually.

So many books bring a vague ideal to the table, and this slams you into a chair, shows you the ugly and the beautiful, and you are left blasted with love too big to wrap your arms around. You're left wondering about the nature of how we handle conflict or mistakes or forgiveness. You're left considering human mistakes and just...humanity in general, really, which is usually a sign that you've read something important. The family here isn't idealized--it's messy and real (though I admit there were some parts where people were a bit more charitable or less charitable than expected, but maybe that's because I'd respond differently in some of those situations).

Still can't decide if I deeply resent William or if I love him. I have no idea what to think.

But Alice--Alice is beautiful to me. I don't know. This book was a lot. Clearly, this is going to be one of the major literary works of 2023. I likely will have more thoughts in the days to come, and may return to this review after a time to add them.

*My thanks to Random House, The Dial Press, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. My thanks to my husband, who sat through a forty-five minute long summary of this novel so I could process it.*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Addiction and Infertility