Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

95 reviews

knitterscasket's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

mad_books_'s review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

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

seventhswan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

3.5

With the possible exception of The Color Purple, this book has the best opening line I've ever read. The crafting of this story is excellent throughout. I loved William's character and story arc, even when the choices he made were infuriating, and found each of the Padavano sisters to be compelling, three-dimensional characters.  There were characters I wanted more of at the beginning and the end of the story, particularly Charlie and Alice, although I recognise this would have made for a very long book. I don't think this is a story with main characters, and trying to shoehorn Julia/Sylvie/William into this role at various times meant the world as a whole lost something for me.

For some reason, despite being technically excellent and enjoying reading it while it was in front of me, the story took me a long time to wade through. I appreciated that the plot moved quite quickly, as otherwise I feel it could have fallen into bleak and melancholic territory. I was also irritated by the death at the end of the story, but I can't work out if it was actually just thrown in as a plot device or if I just liked the character who dies a lot. There were also some subplots that were introduced and then never seemed to go anywhere or get mentioned again. 

Overall I would recommend this book as a compelling and moving set of character studies, but I wouldn't say it bears much resemblance to what the blurb and marketing suggests. This is not really a story about romantic love, but about the choices we make when there are no good choices in all kinds of relationships.

I'm excited to read Little Women next and see how many parallels there are between the two books, as other people have said!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Child death, and Religious bigotry

kiwichill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

I can relate so much to the sisters in this book for deeply personal reasons.  My mum passed away from a brain tumour in 1991.  This book reverberates in my heart for so many reasons,  and will stay with me for the rest of my life

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Biphobia, Alcohol, Homophobia, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Body shaming, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Pregnancy, Cancer, and Cursing

greta_o's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Suicide attempt

casira'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: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Lesbophobia, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

juliee181's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Death of parent

timetoread_more2022's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child death

oliviak_96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Cancer, and Death of parent

bethtriesreading's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Child death