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A review by marycat203
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
5.0
I want to live in a super-duplex with my beloved sisters!
Despite all the raves I couldn’t tell how this family epic was going to be as great as everyone said, but I was very quickly pulled into the lives of the four Padavano sisters and of William, the shy basketball player eldest sister Julia sets her sights on in college. Napolitano’s prose is often gorgeous, and she weaves an engrossing plot around rich, fully realized characters and relationships. Although I couldn’t quite accept Julia’s sudden decision to get pregnant (despite the careful rationale for it), it was crucial in moving the plot forward. Everything else felt believable to me, and I was impressed with the way Napolitano explores the possibility of healing a deep childhood wound, managing to convey tender emotion without becoming overly sentimental. I’m reluctant to raise readers’ expectations, but I can’t help it - this book lived up to the hype.
(It only took me so long to finish because I had to switch to another book for my book club!)
Despite all the raves I couldn’t tell how this family epic was going to be as great as everyone said, but I was very quickly pulled into the lives of the four Padavano sisters and of William, the shy basketball player eldest sister Julia sets her sights on in college. Napolitano’s prose is often gorgeous, and she weaves an engrossing plot around rich, fully realized characters and relationships. Although I couldn’t quite accept Julia’s sudden decision to get pregnant (despite the careful rationale for it), it was crucial in moving the plot forward. Everything else felt believable to me, and I was impressed with the way Napolitano explores the possibility of healing a deep childhood wound, managing to convey tender emotion without becoming overly sentimental. I’m reluctant to raise readers’ expectations, but I can’t help it - this book lived up to the hype.
(It only took me so long to finish because I had to switch to another book for my book club!)