A review by brokenjac
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

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

3.75

This book, to me, is a bit of a peculiarity. I was swept away in the first chunk with the romantic literature but got severely and irreparably lost between 30 and 60 percent of the way through. The end uplifted the experience and garnered a reaction, but I feel that has more to do with a connection to the themes more so than the merit of the structure. Many of the characters are lacking in a greater complexity, the spanning cast consuming the ability for characters to earn depth beyond their basis. Much of the dealing with mental illness felt disconnected from truth. Although I cannot profess a greater understanding of it, many of the characters reactions were harmful and never fully or outright corrected. Further, the healing process contained some professions than disrupted my ability to immerse myself in the story as they pulled less at the character and more at the novels threads. The result is a sweeping story that loses its characters in the narrative it tries to weave. 
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