Reviews - Kaunokaisia | The StoryGraph

14.6k reviews for:

Kaunokaisia

Ann Napolitano

4.14 AVERAGE

andreanicole's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

jillyhow's review against another edition

4.5

Such a well written family saga. I loved the sisters in this book and being able to see the ripple effects of a family’s choices.

lana_chai's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

albertokrah's review against another edition

4.5

reflective fast-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

em_bogaert's review against another edition

4.75

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The writing and this family pulled me in from start to finish. Be prepared to cry.

sundaereads's review against another edition

2.0

I liked the beginning. The ending was okay. The middle was a SLOG.
First, I didn't know this was a retelling (an "homage") to Little Women, which I've tried to read several times, but get turned off by the sweetness.
Second, I didn't realize I had read another book by Napolitano, "Dear Edward," which I also gave 3 stars to, for the same reasons. (Other readers have noted that the book's tone is 1950's-60's, even though it takes place mostly in the 80s and ends in 2008 -- that really bugged me, too.)
These 4 sisters are so isolated and their lives are so small! And they don't know enough people. They live in the same "close-knit" neighborhood their WHOLE LIVES and they only seem to interact with one or two people they know in that neighborhood. They don't have friends or co-workers or cousins or classmates to interact with? How is that possible?
William's upbringing is so implausible -- didn't his parents have any friends or family?
Then he meets the implausible Padavano sisters who are like one organism, and they don't interact with anyone else for 30 years! None of these people is anyone I would want to know.
And poor Kent, William's one friend, get relegated to the role of "Magic Negro" as his character exists just to help William, save William, find William, get William a job, take care of William.
How did this book get to be #1 on Amazon? Why did Oprah pick it?
Does anyone really know people this these characters?

saravirasami's review against another edition

4.0

Four sisters going through their lives, love and grief. Heavy, emotional, but an absolutely beautiful read. I felt so much for all of them; they were all easy to love. Definitely worth the read.