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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano is a tender, sweeping novel that quietly worked its way into my heart. Inspired by Little Women yet distinctly its own, the book traces the lives of the four Padavano sisters (Julia, Sylvie, Cecelia, and Emeline) and the man whose presence both binds and complicates their story. What struck me most was Ms. Napolitano’s ability to create characters who feel achingly real. Julia’s determination, Sylvie’s love of books, Cecelia’s artistic fire, and Emeline’s quiet devotion each leap from the page with clarity and nuance. Their bond as sisters is sometimes suffocating, and sometimes lifesaving, but it is painted with such authenticity that it reminded me of the ways love can be both a refuge and a weight. William, whose tragic childhood shadows his every step, adds another layer of poignancy. His struggles with depression and belonging are rendered with sensitivity and honesty, never reduced to cliché. Ms. Napolitano excels at showing how trauma ripples through generations, and how chosen family can sometimes be as powerful as the one we’re born into. The writing itself is lyrical without being overwrought. Chapters flow in a rhythm that mirrors life itself with moments of joy, stretches of grief, and quiet acts of endurance. There were passages I had to pause and reread simply to appreciate their beauty. The novel also poses thoughtful questions about identity, forgiveness, and what it means to truly see and accept one another. I didn’t give this a full five stars only because at times the pacing slowed, lingering a bit longer than I wanted on certain storylines. Still, the emotional payoff was undeniable, and the final sections left me both heartbroken and hopeful. Hello Beautiful is a novel about love in its many forms: romantic, familial, forgiving, and the ways those bonds shape us across a lifetime. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after the last page, urging me to reflect on my own family, my own scars, and my own definitions of home. I give it 4.5 basketballs: 🏀🏀🏀🏀.5
I liked that the book was very character driven and it was just about their lives. However, there was so much telling and not enough showing. Moreover, why wasn’t there that much dialogue?
3.5 stars…. Idk it didn’t really work for me! Normally I love a sister focused literary fiction but this one was just ok
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Too slow.
This was a book that I couldn't put down. The characters were so well developed and fascinating. The story of a family and all that it means to be sisters was delightful, heartbreaking, and engrossing.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book overall, but it moved kinda slow for me. The last part was easily the most interesting for me. The beginning felt like it took too long. I do love the homage to Little Women.
The impact this novel left on me is exactly why art is so important. A masterfully painted portrait of the human condition.
I can't properly describe in words how much I loved this book because I'm not Ann Napolitano, but I felt like it was food for the soul. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it (in the best way). Just gorgeous writing and storytelling. Makes me wish I had sisters!
DNF at 30%. I can absolutely see the appeal of this book, but I found it a bit slow and had a hard time reading it. The writing was lovely, but I just didn't vibe with the story, and it honestly made me feel kinda bleh after each reading session. I can see why people love it, but it just wasn't for me.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character