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torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, and Sexual content
fallonrhea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Car accident, and Alcohol
lillieb130's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Infertility, Terminal illness, Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
enlamont's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Infertility
melissacushman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
makinzimyers's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
kimib79's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Grief, and Death of parent
roget's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Hello Beautiful follows the lives of the Padavano family--especially Julia, Sylvie, William Waters, and a girl named Alice. Loosely Little Women inspired, this story focuses on the mundane and the deeper emotional revelations that come from living through change, loss, grief, and healing.
I spent most of this book wanting to throttle one or more people for their choices. And yet.
As a family epic, this is profoundly moving. Napolitano is a master of character work, and the voice has a way of calmly relaying both brokenness and strength. Did I like the plot? No. I wanted them to
So many books bring a vague ideal to the table, and this slams you into a chair, shows you the ugly and the beautiful, and you are left blasted with love too big to wrap your arms around. You're left wondering about the nature of how we handle conflict or mistakes or forgiveness. You're left considering human mistakes and just...humanity in general, really, which is usually a sign that you've read something important. The family here isn't idealized--it's messy and real (though I admit there were some parts where people were a bit more charitable or less charitable than expected, but maybe that's because I'd respond differently in some of those situations).
Still can't decide if I deeply resent William or if I love him. I have no idea what to think.
But Alice--Alice is beautiful to me. I don't know. This book was a lot. Clearly, this is going to be one of the major literary works of 2023. I likely will have more thoughts in the days to come, and may return to this review after a time to add them.
*My thanks to Random House, The Dial Press, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. My thanks to my husband, who sat through a forty-five minute long summary of this novel so I could process it.*
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Addiction and Infertility