Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

129 reviews

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

mrsschlemmer's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Abandonment

torturedreadersdept'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Dysphoria, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, and Sexual content

tillss's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I don’t know how I feel about marrying your ex-wife’s sister from a moral standpoint, but if that can be cast aside, it’s a romantic gesture forgiven by an understanding family

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Abandonment

capriqueen's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Thought provoking. A story about flawed people and how to live

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent

marissanbullis's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

nanirump'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
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The main characters are quite sad and lack good communication skills. The characters make some seriously misguided decision and most of the parenting is sub-par or harmful without being outright abusive. It was a beautiful story nonetheless and I'm glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Grief, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

beate251's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Hello you beautiful book.

What a joy it was to read this. This is a book about relationships - romantic ones but mostly between sisters, and parents and children, and also friends. We see what happens when parents turn away from their children and siblings away from each other. We also see the dangers of people living the wrong life. This is a story about sad dysfunctional people, but also about strong women, and William and Julia who married for the wrong reasons - she because she was after a traditional ideal, and he because he had a lonely childhood and fell in love with the entire Padavano family and their love for each other. His wife didn't stand by him after his mental breakdown (nor did his parents who still grieved his dead sister) but he was allowed a second chance through the love of a second Padavano sister - a decision that tore Julia and her daughter away from the rest of the family for the longest time. It is sad that a reunion and forgiveness was only possible at the end due to a tragedy but the whole book operated on the premise of "when one door closes, another one opens."

As an aside, I couldn't figure out what Julia's high-powered job was for the entire book - she works for her uni professor on a time-limited project but that suddenly morphs into a permanent job with clients and a fancy office in the New York division? What kind of professor has these kinds of jobs to offer?

Apart from that, great literature, and the portrait on the cover is gorgeous, as if it was painted by Cecelia herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Mental illness

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Death, and Terminal illness