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A review by jcinf
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
At first I really wasn’t drawn into this book. As another reviewer put it, I felt like the heavy emotion was a bit contrived — like not natural maybe? Almost like when you meet someone new and they try to trauma dump to expedite the process of making a friend. So, I didn’t know if I would end up DNFing. But I kept reading. I’m glad I did.
Characters:
I really loved the depiction of the sisters. Their different strengths and ways they stepped up to contribute to the family unit. It made me wish my sister and I had a relationship like that.
I liked William and the complexity of his personality. As he evolved as a character, you got to see more of his personality. And I really enjoyed it. I liked who he was.
Julia did annoy me, at times. I felt like she was a little intense to say the least. lol. But that’s how my sister is: planning things down to a T, to a point where reality is distorted based on what’s “supposed to” be.
Ugh, Charlie. I loved Charlie.
Sylvie I related to so much. Free spirited and introspective. Lots of love to keep. Fiercely in pursuit of what lights her up. It was a joy to read a character so similar to myself.
Plot:
Slow to start, but I ended up enjoying it. Stories that span such a long amount of time aren’t typically for me. I read them, but I tend to get bored. But this one held my attention for the most part. It does feel slightly like a soap opera with one or two of the events that happen, but it was well written enough that it mostly just came across as a messy, yet (full and authentic portrayal of) life.
Favorite quotes below. Not really spoilers at all, but I like to be surprised about quotes lol.
“You’re too young to really understand that life is short, but it is. I didn’t want to stop you when you were walking away from something that didn’t matter to you to do something that did. You and I are cut from the same cloth, baby girl. Neither of us would expect to school or work to fill us up we look out the window for something more. You know that you’re more than a librarian’s aide and a college student, right? You’re Sylvia Padavano. It’s because you know that more is possible that you’ll always see the pointlessness and following a stupid rule or clocking in and out of a boring class. Most people can’t see that distinction, so just do as they’re told. Of course, this makes them bored and irritated, but they think that’s the human condition. You and I are lucky enough to see it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“I’m giving a bit of a speech aren’t I? Well, so be it. We’re not separated from the world by our edges. We’re part of the sky, and the rocks in your mother’s garden, and the old man who sleeps by the train station. We’re all interconnected, and when you see that, you see how beautiful life is. Your mother and sisters don’t have that awareness. Not yet, anyway. They believe they’re contained in their bodies, in the biographical facts of their lives.”
“She was no longer who she used to be, and she wasn’t yet whoever she was becoming. She was grateful her father prepared her for this type of hard, lonely ground. Because of him, Sylvia knew she could exist outside the boundaries of her past and future selves, for a little while, anyway. Even though it hurt.
Characters:
I really loved the depiction of the sisters. Their different strengths and ways they stepped up to contribute to the family unit. It made me wish my sister and I had a relationship like that.
I liked William and the complexity of his personality. As he evolved as a character, you got to see more of his personality. And I really enjoyed it. I liked who he was.
Julia did annoy me, at times. I felt like she was a little intense to say the least. lol. But that’s how my sister is: planning things down to a T, to a point where reality is distorted based on what’s “supposed to” be.
Ugh, Charlie. I loved Charlie.
Sylvie I related to so much. Free spirited and introspective. Lots of love to keep. Fiercely in pursuit of what lights her up. It was a joy to read a character so similar to myself.
Plot:
Slow to start, but I ended up enjoying it. Stories that span such a long amount of time aren’t typically for me. I read them, but I tend to get bored. But this one held my attention for the most part. It does feel slightly like a soap opera with one or two of the events that happen, but it was well written enough that it mostly just came across as a messy, yet (full and authentic portrayal of) life.
Favorite quotes below. Not really spoilers at all, but I like to be surprised about quotes lol.
“You’re too young to really understand that life is short, but it is. I didn’t want to stop you when you were walking away from something that didn’t matter to you to do something that did. You and I are cut from the same cloth, baby girl. Neither of us would expect to school or work to fill us up we look out the window for something more. You know that you’re more than a librarian’s aide and a college student, right? You’re Sylvia Padavano. It’s because you know that more is possible that you’ll always see the pointlessness and following a stupid rule or clocking in and out of a boring class. Most people can’t see that distinction, so just do as they’re told. Of course, this makes them bored and irritated, but they think that’s the human condition. You and I are lucky enough to see it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“I’m giving a bit of a speech aren’t I? Well, so be it. We’re not separated from the world by our edges. We’re part of the sky, and the rocks in your mother’s garden, and the old man who sleeps by the train station. We’re all interconnected, and when you see that, you see how beautiful life is. Your mother and sisters don’t have that awareness. Not yet, anyway. They believe they’re contained in their bodies, in the biographical facts of their lives.”
“She was no longer who she used to be, and she wasn’t yet whoever she was becoming. She was grateful her father prepared her for this type of hard, lonely ground. Because of him, Sylvia knew she could exist outside the boundaries of her past and future selves, for a little while, anyway. Even though it hurt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Mental illness, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Terminal illness and Death of parent