sam_griffin'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? It's complicated
4.5
Can’t get enough dysfunctional family drama. Maybe that’s why I like the Jonas Brothers so much?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Suicide
martieliz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
sarah_simpkins's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Death, Abandonment, Cancer, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Minor: Child death, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
fullybookedwithdanielle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Terminal illness, Death, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide
kpg1124's review
emotional
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
4.0
An achingly beautiful and real story of family and heartbreak and loss and grief and love. Overall mood of the book is melancholy and purposefully reminiscent of Little Women. Very thought provoking book regarding family dynamics and life choices.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
ulviyyask'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death
foxreadsbooks's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
When it comes down to it, Hello Beautiful is about family, separating, and finding your way home. Napolitano writes a beautiful narrative spanning decades that at once captures the ebbs and flows of daily life, and changes made over years.
While this is told from multiple POVs, and does take a little while to get into as you get to know William, Julia and Sylvie, the plot has little repetition, and allows one to know characters through difficult situations and internal conflict. You can clearly see how this is going to end, but it is no less meaningful. This one almost ended up in the freezer.
TW: Mental health, depression and suicide.
While this is told from multiple POVs, and does take a little while to get into as you get to know William, Julia and Sylvie, the plot has little repetition, and allows one to know characters through difficult situations and internal conflict. You can clearly see how this is going to end, but it is no less meaningful. This one almost ended up in the freezer.
TW: Mental health, depression and suicide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent
jadeneedy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A lovely book that I didn’t want to put down. Such beautiful, deep description that really made the world and characters come to life in my mind. At times, some people’s feelings and situations would be over explained instead of giving the reader space to infer and reflect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
danidimuzio's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
This made me feel like Greta Gerwig’s Little Women made me feel. Seen. Heartbroken. Chaotically happy. Nostalgic. But for me, Little Women represents my past - my childhood with my sisters and the dreams I had for myself then. Hello, Beautiful, is more expansive than that. It’s past and present and future. And it’s not just my life that I see in this book. I see my sisters, who have both shouldered more than their fair share of heartbreak. I see my grandfather and great aunt who were the children of Italian immigrants in Cincinnati. I see my mother’s family, with memories and hurts that can’t quite heal but can sometimes be overlooked. And I do see myself as a little girl, hiding her coughs in a closet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Suicide, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
carly_pdf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
Hello, Beautiful is a family saga focusing on the lives of the four Padavano sisters. It was well written and the character development was excellent. I did really like the characters, I have a preference towards plot driven books. If you like depressing family sagas, or family stories, you will definitely like this book. I enjoyed it. I couldn't put it down at some parts, but there was something missing. It would have benefited from a more diverse cast and a stronger plot. Some of the timing was confusing, but overall I liked the multiple perspectives.
EDIT: 3 stars to 4 starts
I am changing this rating, because I keep thinking about Hello Beautiful. There is one line I cant get out of my head.
Spoiler
William's suicide attempt was difficult to get through because of the emotion it evoked in me.EDIT: 3 stars to 4 starts
I am changing this rating, because I keep thinking about Hello Beautiful. There is one line I cant get out of my head.
Spoiler
It is the one when Julia realizes she is Jo, but only because Slyvie is Beth. It gives me chills just writing it now. It is a beautiful, full circle moment in the book that made me see the whole book all at once. I still think there was something missing, but nevertheless the book has stayed with me. It is rare to find a book that stays in your head the way this one has for me. I think it reminded me how powerful women are, especially when they love each other. There is nothing more beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt