Review: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Editorial note: I received a copy of Hello Beautiful in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano is a captivating examination of family, love and forgiveness.
I feel Ann Napolitano is one of the best literary fiction writers out there today. Her novels are so moving, vivid and truly capture the essence of humanity. She writes about extremely tough subject matters in such a delicate but quite impactful way. I’m such a fan of hers, which is one reason why I selected Hello Beautifu l as a must-read book club pick for 2023 .
For instance, if you haven’t read Dear Edward (and the series is now out on Apple TV+), I highly recommend it. I was hesitant at first—reading about the sole survivor of a plane crash seemed really depressing. And it is really sad. But again, it’s handled with care and it’s very moving.
It’s interesting to think that I read Dear Edward exactly three years ago in 2020 as we were dealing with the start of a pandemic. While neither book features a pandemic, both cover broken people, heartbreaking loss and family love. These are the kind of stories that remind me you of what’s important in life.
On the surface, Hello Beautiful is a smaller scale story focusing on a close-knit group of sisters. It’s a homage to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women , yet the story very much stands on its own. There’s a lot of depth and covers a wide range of themes. I see why Oprah selected it for her 100th book club selection. This is one of those novels that is absolutely a perfect fit for book clubs.
What’s the Story About
Hello Beautiful centers around the Padavano family and specifically, on the four sisters: Julia, the go-getter of the family; Sylvie, the bookish dreamer; Cecelia, the free-spirited artist; and Emeline, the compassionate nurturer. The sisters are as close as they can be and always have each other’s backs.
Everything changes when Julia meets William Walters, a shy and broken man with a tragic past. William is immediately taken with Julia’s vibrance and is especially happy to be welcomed into a new family.
However, William’s past eventually resurfaces. And as a result, the sisters’ seemingly unbreakable bond is broken.
Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
Four Sisters
Little Women is the gold standard for stories about sisters. Sometimes homages to literary classics miss the mark or rely too much on the original source material that they don’t feel authentic.
But in the case of Hello Beautiful , Ann Napolitano pays tribute to the classic while also ensuring the story stands on its own. The sisters within Hello Beautiful are also fans of Little Women and even compare themselves to the sisters of the story, which I thought was a nice touch.
I was so fascinated by the different dynamics of the four sisters, especially that of Julia and Sylvie. Those two characters, along with William, are the main focus of the story. If I have one criticism, it’s that I would have liked a little more from Cecelia and Emeline. While they are in the story, they do take a backseat and I think they could have been developed more.
Everything changes when William comes to the picture. Who would expect such a quiet, unassuming man to have such an impact? But he does.
William’s backstory is quite sad—he was unloved as a child. His parents failed him. They couldn’t get past their own grief of losing William’s older sister. There’s a vivid description of William as a child coughing in a closet so he wouldn’t bother his parents with an illness as he believed it would have reminded them of what they lost.
It’s so sad for a child to have to think like that and feel so alone. I couldn’t get over the cruelty of his parents and it does have such a lasting impact on him. He’s a very complex character. You’ll feel sympathetic but he also makes some choices that are quite cold. And the reason behind is apparent but it doesn’t change the outcome.
Still, William grows quite a bit in the novel and I really liked his character arc overall.
This is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. There are certain stories that truly get to you and stay with you for a long time. It’s a beautiful story about family bond and love.
If you’re looking for a well-done literary fiction story, this is the one for you. An ideal book for book clubs as there is a ton to discuss, analyze and even debate about. All the stars for Hello Beautiful .
Check out my book club questions here .
Friday 15th of September 2023
Hello Beautiful should never have been published. The writing is the worst I can ever remember of any book I have ever read. This book would be an excellent example for anyone teaching writing of how not to write. It is all “tell” and no “show” and is so repetitious, I wonder why the author doesn’t realize that saying something once is informative, saying it 90 times is absurd. It is ridiculously predictable and the characters absurdly shallow (although Neapolitan spends a lot of time repetitively “telling” readers just how deep they are. I read this for a book club and I feel cheated of money, time and sanity.
Friday 8th of March 2024
@Jan Hale, I totally agree with you!
Judy Hubbard
Monday 15th of January 2024
I meant for not seeing any depth.
@Ben Morcos, So glad I'm not the only one. I was blaming myself for seeing any depth in it whatsoever.
Monday 23rd of October 2023
@Jan Hale (also @Becky) thank you, exactly, you nailed it. it's shocking to me that anyone didn't find this book unbelievably simple, meant for unsophisticated readers, and just plain bad.
Tuesday 6th of June 2023
I wished the scene where Sylvie kisses William had been more dramatized.
Michele Paynter
Sunday 21st of May 2023
I am absolutely in awe of Ann Napolitano's book, HELLO BEAUTIFUL. I suggested this book recently for my book club choice and I am so glad that I did. Reading this poignant story of a family torn by loss, tragedy, but also of great familial love gave me pause. Between the tears and reflections of my own family - I couldn't put the book down. I'm certain that I will reread this fabulous book as well as recommending it to other book enthusiasts. A tour de force to be sure!
Tuesday 11th of April 2023
I'm confused. I thought this was the worst book I've ever read. It wasn't fluid and left out a lot regarding the parents that raised this group. Both Rose and Williams parents were flat...........why? I had a hard time staying engaged, and felt it fell way short of the raving reviews.
Tuesday 17th of September 2024
@Karen, absolutely agree. My main focus was how they "lived" without a source of secure income. I had a baby in early 1980's, the bill for a normal non-anesthesia delivery was over $5,000. How did they pay it???? Ridiculous book.
@Becky, I felt the same way! Such unrealistic and downright ignorant details throughout. I may be picky, but I was so disappointed on so many levels. Really the author shows her stupidity without researching enough. Simple details like cashing an old check—it is void after six months! A professor having all kinds of clients in Manhattan—maybe an adjunct economist could but just a weirdly unbelievable detail. To top it off, not one single character was fully developed. She would give a glimpse of a seriously mentally or disfunctional person and really never delve into specifics!
Judy Ransom
@Becky, I just finished the book and felt the same way as you. After all the glowing reviews, I wondered what was wrong with me that I could barely finish it. Sort of makes me sad.
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