Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel

by Ann Napolitano

Hardcover, 2023

Call number

FIC NAP

Collections

Fiction, New Fiction, Just Added Books

Genres

General Fiction

Publication

The Dial Press (2023), 400 pages

Description

William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him - so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it's as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable; Sylvie, the family's dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emmeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos. But then darkness from Williams' past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia's carefully orchestrated plans for their future but the sisters' unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most? An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott's timeless classic Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member lilithcat

I don't get the hype for this book. It's a novel about the relations among four sisters, and has been described as an "homage" to "Little Women". Indeed, the sisters continually compare themselves to the March sisters (not the only repetitiveness in the book), but there really is no resemblance.

It's an easy read, but the writing is pedestrian. Napolitano does a lot of "telling", rather than "showing". She doesn't sufficiently develop her characters, so that their behavior seems absurd and their motivations for their actions aren't clear or seem nonsensical.

On top of that, she obviously didn't do her research. The book is set primarily in Chicago and Evanston at very specific times (each chapter is headed with the dates in which it occurs). You can't just hop a bus from Pilsen to Northwestern University, and nobody in their right mind would walk from Northwestern to Pilsen, as she has one character do. There is no part of Chicago that is called "midtown". If you're going to set a book in a specific place and time, be accurate.

But her most egregious offense was to have one sister, Sylvie, work at the Lozano Branch of the Chicago Public Library, beginning in 1974. The Lozano Branch did not open until 1989. Napolitano says in her acknowledgements that she deliberately had it exist "a few years" before then (sorry, FIFTEEN years is not "a few"). This is absolutely infuriating. Rudy Lozano was a labor activist and community organizer who, in 1983, at the age of 31, was murdered because of his activism. The library is named in his honor and has a permanent exhibit celebrating his life. Napolitano erases that history, insulting his memory. I don't like it when authors play games with history, but I don't think I've ever been so angry about it as I am with Napolitano. She owes his family and the community an apology.

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LibraryThing member susan.h.schofield

I had very expectations when I started this book because I loved Dear Edward so much and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint. It was a touching and beautiful story of family and love. The characters were all so well developed - even characters with smaller roles like Charlie and Kent. The

writing was excellent and I didn't want the book to end. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl

This novel centers on a family of four sisters and the man one of them married, but all of them loved in their own ways. William grew up with parents who were unable to love him, but he found a sense of belonging on the basketball court. While attending Northwestern, he meets a young woman and they

quickly marry. Julia is focused and has a plan and William is grateful to be included. He also meets her family, including her three sisters and learns quickly that their relationship with each other is unbreakable. Yet, when a crisis occurs, the sisters find themselves in conflict and decisions are made that will affect them for decades.

This is a book about ordinary people, living ordinary lives. It's also a book where the emotional impact is well-earned, with a cast of characters whose actions feel very natural. One character is described as saving herself for her own Gilbert Blythe, a detail that perfectly described the life of a bookish young person -- is there anyone who was a young avid reader whose first crushes were not fictional? Napolitano's writing is very workmanlike, yet it serves the no-nonsense feel of this story. There's also a wonderful sense of place, of the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago as it changes over the decades. I can see why this novel is a bestseller and if you're a fan of books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove, you'll probably love this book as well.

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LibraryThing member pdebolt

The Padavano family is a close-knit Italian family living in Chicago. It is comprised of the matriarch Rose, Charlie, her husband, the dreamer, and four daughters: Julia, Sylvie and the twins, Emmeline and Cecilia. The four daughters are especially close under the watchful eye of Rose and their

caring father, who greets each of the girls with "Hello, beautiful" when they enter a room.

Each of the girls has strengths that contribute to their essential well-being. They compare themselves to the characters in Little Women. When Julia marries William, their lives are momentarily upended. William is the child of a loveless home and is swept up into belonging to acceptance by this family. What follows is a demonstration that the sisters maintain their tight bond. Rose is shattered when divorce, a pregnancy out of wedlock, and homosexuality intrude into what she wanted the world to perceive as her perfect family. An unexpected marriage by one of the sisters leaves her devastated from her new home in Florida and a rift in this family. Throughout their sometimes-turbulent lives, they are strengthened by the memories of Charlie's unconditional love.

Ann Napolitano continues the tradition she began with Dear Edward in these in-depth character and family studies. This is a profoundly insightful novel into the deep love and losses of these people.

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LibraryThing member shazjhb

Loved the book. It is intense and well written. Mental health issues. Family issues. Family secrets. I think I just like her books

LibraryThing member nivramkoorb

Have read many reviews of books, I use them to develop my. own review as I consider the pros and cons of how other readers view the book versus my own opinions. I decided to read this book because of positive reviews and that her previous book was going to end up a made for tv movie. I was

disappointed as were many other readers on Amazon etc. On the other hand many loved it and it did end up with over a 4 as a collective review. It got a 2.5 from me because it was readable and I was able to enjoy it and keep my interest. But as a serious reader of fiction I had so many problems with this book. The story was told through 3 main characters and eventually a 4th. The author was way too int to the heads of the characters and didn't let the story unfold by the characters actions. In terms of what this is about, I will leave it to the readers of my review to check this out on the internet to know the story and then combine that with my comments about it. A major problem. William, a main character had parents whose 3 year daughter died just as he was born and the parents basically didn't give him any love. Sorry, I couldn't buy that. William ends being messed up because of this and gets involved with the Pavano family of sisters that was supposed to mirror those girls of "Little Women". William lets himself get led into his life by Julia the eldest of the 4 girls. Ultimately the whole situation of William's depression, rejection of his wife and child had so many holes in it. Throw in the girl's mom who rejected her daughters and her husbands death at 42(she was 39) and goes away. Would like to have been in her head, but no the author did not do that. This book appealed to those that like stories about families, love, redemption etc but do not look at how the author failed to create something that is plausible. Anyways a 2.5 is average and it based that I read it, was somewhat entertained, and I finished it. Not a strong recommendation.

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LibraryThing member nancyadair

I will be honest: I would not have picked up this book had the publisher not pre-approved me for it on NetGalley. I will be honest: some publishers know me better than I know myself. I couldn’t put this book down, and I even shed a few tears.

Hello Beautiful is the story of four sisters, from

their idyllic childhood when they argue over which is Jo and which is Beth, to the messy lives they make that split them apart, to the tragedy that reunites them.

Caught in the middle is a man, Willian; the eldest sister determined to mold him into the perfect husband, and when she learns he his weaknesses, she rejects him. They divorce, she moves across country, and tells their child that her father is dead. The next oldest sister feels seen by him, and he knows she sees him for who he really is–confused and lost. Theirs is a true love. That leaves the twin sisters with a choice that will alienated from one sister or another.

To confuse things even more, one of the twins is a teenage mother and the other comes out as gay. And their father, a loving but flawed man, has died, and their mother casts off all the daughters and moves away. The perfect family that William first encountered has splintered. His own family was shut against him after the loss of his older sister, eager to disassociate from him.

The chapters are divided by character and time. The book is deeply internal, revelatory, showing the characters pain and their growth.

This is Little Woman gone awry. Marmee become judgmental and controlling, Jo trying to will Laurie to fill her expectations, Meg split into two who are never apart, Amy happily married to her sister’s cast-off, but also Beth with her tragedy.

The trauma is intergenerational; their mother Rose was pregnant before marriage and rejected by her parents. She determined that her girls would not make her mistakes, they would go to college and would be strong and in control and independent. She could not accept that their lives veered from her plans. Rose’s ideal of independence, and disappointment that her husband didn’t achieve the great things she had wanted, shaped Julia’s drive for control and success, and led to her rejection of William. Whereas, the younger sister, rejected by Rose for her pregnancy out of wedlock, didn’t want to be resentful like her mother, and forgives her mother for her harshness.

No one had loved him unconditionally, William realizes. Julia had been strong enough for both of them, leading the way, and he gratefully went along, happy someone cared. When he failed to become the man she wanted him to be, he believed that his daughter and wife were better off without him.

I felt that the arc of the characters’ inner life was probable. The complicated family drama had me hooked. There is so much wisdom to be found in this novel. The mistakes of our youth, embracing our truth and showing it to the world, love and forgiveness, its all here.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

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LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce

This novel is about a closely-knit Italian family of sisters, tall men, and basketball. It's an Oprah Book Club pick, and I have liked many of those in the past, but some of these women drive me crazy. The most intelligent and practical turned out to be so completely irrational that I almost

stopped reading. Are we supposed to think such actions should be forgiven because Italians just can't control their emotions? I know humans aren't rational. I also know about family feuds that tear families apart, but this seemed quite contrived to me. People love it, but I kind of wish I hadn't wasted my time on it.

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LibraryThing member rmarcin

A sweeping story of family, love, loss, grief, and forgiveness, and a homage to Little Women.
After William Waters is born, but still in the hospital, his 3-year old sister Caroline dies. The family is then defined by tragedy. The parents never speak of her, and treat William as if he is an

afterthought. William is unloved - and finds happiness in basketball. At college, he meets Julia Padavano, a planner, and later her family. Sisters Sylvie, who wants to marry a great love, and twins Cecilia, an artist, and Emeline, a caregiver. William is excited to be part of this loving family.
However, William deals with depression, and after Julia has a child, Alice, things go dark for them.
How the family deals with grief and love is told in this beautiful book.

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LibraryThing member bobbieharv

Just couldn't get into it; just didn't care about the characters, so stopped reading.

LibraryThing member franoscar

I gave up on this book.

LibraryThing member janismack

Story of William raised in a family silenced by tragedy, marries into a family of 4 sisters that are inseperable. William is content until the past darkness overwheals him and the family dynamic is forever changed.

LibraryThing member froxgirl

A book about four loving sisters surprisingly enough begins with the story of a boy warped by the tragedy of his young sibling's death within days of his own birth and the almost unbelievable neglect by his parents. When William receives a basketball scholarship to Northwestern and meets Julia

Padavano, her three sisters, and their parents, he is adopted into their judgmental yet warm family. After he and Julia wed, again another tragedy strikes at the same time as a birth, and this time William seems determined not to overcome. The lives of the four sisters and William remain intertwined and when the next generation arrives, there's still a great schism which continues for decades. Each sister claims to be the tragic character of Beth from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women at various times, and each also morphs into Meg, Jo, and Amy in this touching homage, but with the addition of William and his renewal. Humorous, tender, and as unforgettable as Napolitano's previous novel Dear Edward (made into a Apple TV + series), even a man might enjoy this fine literary fiction.

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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy

I never wanted this book to end! Highly recommended!

LibraryThing member ccayne

An excellent audio. I was immediately drawn into the Padavano family and William. Everyone's struggles are emphatically and realistically portrayed. It made me think about stubbornness, forgiveness and what really matters.

LibraryThing member Gingersnap000

A magnificently written book about how a family can effect the mental health of child and knowing the heart wants what the heart wants.

LibraryThing member maryreinert

Four sisters growing up in Chicago during the 1980's are extremely close: Julia, the oldest who is smart and driven; Sylvie, the book-worm; and twins Cecelia, the artist, and Emeline, the care taker who loves children. Rose, their high-strong and opinionated mother is greatly upset when at age 19

Cecelia becomes pregnant. Julia has recently married to William, a basketball player whose family were emotionally withdrawn after the death of an infant sister. Julia becomes pregnant as well almost as if she needs to be first.

The marriage between Julia and William falls apart and William attempts suicide following depression, but is saved by his basketball friends. He grants Julia a divorce and completely severs ties with their toddler daughter, Alice. Julia takes Alice to New York City and begins a life totally removed from the family in Chicago.

Meanwhile, Sylvie grows close to William during his mental illness and eventually they marry much to the familiy's surprise and disapproval. Rose has moved to Florida. Cecelia raises her daughter Izzy by herself with the help of her twin sister who has came out as gay and has taken a partner.

There is a bit too much mental angst at times and I thinkg the book could have been shorter, yet it is a good read and the ending is satisfying as Alice who looks so much like her father and is very tall, returns to Chicago. Overall good read.

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LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo

This sad tale about a dysfunctional family was captivating in the first half but simply dragged on too long for my liking. I did not find “Hello Beautiful” as engaging as “Dear Edward.” It was difficult for me to connect with a few of the key characters. Still, ____ is a skilled storyteller

who offers some interesting perspectives on the pain and challenges that occur when families face broken bonds.

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LibraryThing member LoriKBoyd

4.5 out of 5.

Beautiful new novel by the writer of Dear Edward, which I must confess I haven’t read yet. Book is Oprah’s latest Book Club Pick.

This story is reminiscent of Little Women. We follow the Padavano family. Told through different sisters eyes, this book is heavily character driven

over a period of 40 years. It shows how our upbringing shapes us. Characters will tug at your heartstrings one minute but you may want to smack them the next. Families can be complicated, as this one definitely is. Beautiful written, slow in parts but an overall solid read. Have tissues handy.

Thanks to Random House Publishing andNstGalley for thisARC. Opinion is mine alone.

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LibraryThing member tamidale

4.5*

I loved Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, so when I saw she had a new novel coming out, I knew it was a must-read. This one is a story that follows a family through a lifetime and how they deal with grief and disappointments, yet manage to remain close and forgiving towards each other.

Readers

first meet William, a lonely young man, raised by cold and unemotional parents. A tragedy occurs around the time he was born and his parents never had been able to move forward. Their inability to deal with their loss affected William as he grew up.

William finds a love for basketball early on and luckily he grows to be a tall man, managing to get a basketball scholarship at Northwestern. There he meets Julia, who has three sisters and a close and loving family. The family is not perfect, as we soon learn.

When difficulties and tragedies arise, William experiences an emotional breakdown that challenges all of the sisters and their relationships with each other. In a nutshell, this novel show readers what it means to be supportive and forgiving and how love can truly heal our wounds.

I loved how the characters matured through the years and still kept a deep connection to their tribe. Willliam’s basketball team also came together for him as a surrogate family and kept in touch as they years went by.

I loved this book. It was thought-provoking and hopeful, although not a quick and easy read. Book Clubs will find plenty of topics within the pages that will make for good discussion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House, The Dial Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend this to readers and offer my honest review.

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LibraryThing member bookworm12

I just loved this one. Loosely inspired by Little Women, the Padavano sisters grow up in Chicago in a tight-knit household. The story follows them through the decades as love and loss create barriers in their lives. The author explores the idea that we are shaped by our family, both their presence

and absence. The rotating POV (William, Julia, and Sylvie) gives us a chance to glimpse the same events through different eyes. It's hard to explain how deeply this one hit me. I missed the characters when I finished it. I can't wait to read Napolitano next work. Her gorgeous prose made me feel like I was wandering the aisles of Sylvie's library, glances up at Cecelia's murals that dotted their Chicago neighborhood, and that I could pop into Emeline's home to say hello.

SPOILERS
With Charlie’s death, the Padavana women realize all of the intangible depth and understanding he added to their lives. It made me think about how our society struggles to value certain gifts that people have. We appreciate the tangible, but don’t always recognize other skills that are less concrete, like empathy and kindness.

“Charlie’s and Silvie’s deaths were now part of Julia’s topography; the losses ran like a river inside her.“
SPOILERS OVER

“When an old person dies,” Kent said, “even if that person is wonderful, he or she is still somewhat ready, and so are the people who loved them. They’re like old trees, whose roots have loosened in the ground. They fall gently. But when someone like your aunt Sylvie dies—before her time—her roots get pulled out and the ground is ripped up. Everyone nearby is in danger of being knocked over.”

“The fact that he had failed meant he had to continue to walk forward with his life history—his mistakes—slung over his shoulders like a heavy backpack. This fact exhausted him, but he was too tired to reject it.”

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LibraryThing member Anamie

I like how this book outlined the complex dynamics of family relationships. It was a bit soap opera like and moving emotionally at times but I can see elements of myself in the Padavano sisters. I had ambitions and it pushed some people away. The transitional ages of late adolescense are a

turbulent period in ones life where one is trying to decipher what they really want versus what everyone else wants. The book pulls at that theme between the sisters. I can see how this book might not be for everyone as it's very dramatic at times but I appreciated this read.

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LibraryThing member Amniot

Unrealistic, flat, unlikable characters who make poor, unlikely decisions. The descriptions of Chicago, Evanston, and Northwestern do not reflect the actual geography of these places. People regularly teleport over long distances.

LibraryThing member bblum

The Chicago Padavano family of daughters can’t always agree as to which of the Little Women characters they are. These four sisters grow up in a too small house with parents that don’t fit the norm. Mother is busy in her garden, harsh and not approachable, Dad is the doddering sweetie reciting

from Leaves of Grass and dies just as the girls reach young adulthood. The family splinters upon his death, Julia marries- husband who has mental health problems , Cecelia has a baby, Emmeline paints and Sylvia writes. Story well told, characters are memorable and at times we might wish we were a part of this dynamic family.

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LibraryThing member lauralkeet

The Padavano sisters – Julia, Sylvie, and twins Emeline and Cecelia – are part of a close-knit Chicago family. Despite their parents’ unhappy marriage, the sisters are loved and nurtured, especially by their father Charlie. Their personalities are quite different, but they support one another

through thick and thin.

In college Julia meets William, who hides the scars from a completely different upbringing. William is immediately accepted by the Padavanos, and he happily immerses himself in their love. Julia, a take-charge sort of person, sets about molding William and their relationship to fit her ideal. It would appear they are heading for the classic happy ending … until they aren’t. Their conflict has ripple effects through the entire family, and redirects the course of their lives over the next 25 years.

My favorite parts of this novel were Charlie, whose presence was palpable even when he was “off-screen,” and the relationship between the sisters prior to the central conflict. As time progressed there were certain elements of the story that seemed less believable to me, and the ending was perhaps a bit too tidy. But if you like a good family saga (and I do), you’ll enjoy this one.

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