Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

162 reviews

vanessatombolini's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Child death, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Pregnancy, Grief, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Abandonment, Child abuse, Homophobia, Classism, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual content, Medical content, Sexual harassment, War, and Infidelity

imustich's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Death, and Pregnancy

audreyryan11's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I cried a few times in this book. I truly loved it. Though hard to read, each of the characters were relatable in a way and you really grow to love each one in their own way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Self harm, and Pregnancy

tyras_bookshelf's review against another edition

Wasn’t into the structure (3rd person POV, repetitive and seemingly unnecessary time sections) which made the story move really slowly for me. The audiobook kept me in partially interested while I was reading but I wasn’t excited to read when I put the book down. 

I think the characters were written well as in they’re complicated with a range of motivations, but certainly not likable. I understand Julia’s coping with her lack of control and security in life but she was so manipulative and selfish. I understand William’s childhood severely damaged him but he was so meek and dishonest with himself. 

I really struggled throughout the whole of what I read to reconcile the very real human emotions of grief and loss and anxiety and disappointment and entitlement  that the characters are experiencing. To balance a very black-and-white perception of what is right and what is wrong; it was so frustrating and upsetting to be upset with these characters that are going through real stuff and have all of this baggage and all of these wounds they didn’t ask for, but also knowing that I hate them as people and I hate their choices and the things that they’ve let themselves attach to rather than doing the right thing.

I think that’s why I didn’t finish it. It’s very emotionally complicated. 
It made me feel like maybe I need to examine my own emotional intelligence, but also let me revel in the feeling of being angry with someone for doing something that hurts you (or another character) is okay, even if you understand why they’re behaving that way. Both emotions can exist side-by-side.
Does that make sense? 

Anyway, this wasn’t me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Child death, and Toxic relationship

jenmtnbike's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Cancer, and Death

megreads12's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment and Lesbophobia

Minor: Child death and Car accident

flowchelle's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I didn’t know what to expect with this book but I’d seen it on a ton of reading lists. Having read it now, I’m not sure why it is so popular. Is it because of the nod to little women? I enjoyed the flow of the story through multiple characters perspectives but got bored often with the lack of actual happening besides giant family drama moments. I wanted there to be some more meat to who these people were and some more dimension to their lives! But overall, I did enjoy the weaving of their lives and eventual promise of love that they all eventually come to know! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Mental illness, and Abandonment

desireejohnston's review against another edition

5.0

DO NOT read this if you are in any sort emotional state!!! Make sure your life, family, parental, marriage relationships etc. are on solid healthy footing before you start this book. If you struggle with depression, I caution you. A strong chance this one will trigger you. 

That said, this was the most raw and real thing I’ve ever read. Emotionally destroyed, but I couldn’t put it down. Usually I don’t love different POVs but this one was tasteful and no character seemed stronger than the other. Beautifully written about family life. Wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Child death, and Abandonment

tiredfangirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was so torn about how to star rate this book. The themes were incredibly well developed looking back from the end, but I think as I was reading it felt like a lot of stuff was going nowhere. 

In terms of the characterization, I didn’t like any of the characters for about the first half of the book. I get that it was building towards the larger themes, but it meant that I wasn’t really enjoying reading it. I also really felt like for a book with such complex characters otherwise, Julia and Rose got very one-note characterizations.

I’m more forgiving of Charlie’s 2-note characterization because I think it makes a point about how we idealize people after death, but I wish she had DONE something with that.

Despite all that, I couldn’t seem to put it down. So… 4/5 I guess? But definitely 5/5 at times and 2/5 at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A Family Saga Inspired, In Part by Little Women.

I loved this book and felt so seen within it's pages. It  tells the story of the Padavano sisters, an Italian American family from the late 70s to late 00s, from late teenagehood to early middle age.

It is a beautifully rendered portrait of what can happen when a families supply of glue suddenly stops and things begin to fall apart.  However it also shows how if the family unit is strong enough it can stitch itself back together again into a different shape. 

One of the big themes of this book is truth, both in terms of being honest and lieing.

If this doesn't make it into my top books of 24 I will be surprised.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness