Hello Beautiful is a novel by Ann Napolitano that was released in 2023 by The Dial Press. It is a work of fiction that falls under the genre of contemporary fiction. Napolitano’s writing style is characterized by its emotional depth and aching precision, as she delves into the complex inner lives of her characters. Her prose is both bracing and restorative, offering a sense of catharsis to the reader as she explores the multitudes of love and hurt that families contain.
Hello Beautiful Book Summary
William Waters grew up in a house full of tragedy, where his parents couldn’t even bear to look at him. He was relieved when his basketball skills earned him a scholarship to college, which was far from his childhood home. This is where he meets Julia Padavano, an ambitious and spirited young woman who appreciates William’s calm and steady nature. Julia introduces William to her family, and he quickly falls in love with the Padavanos’ loving and chaotic household. The family consists of Julia and her three younger sisters, Sylvie, Cecelia, and Emeline, each with their own unique personality and talents.
But William’s past starts to come back to haunt him, causing chaos and putting Julia’s plans for their future and the sisters’ unwavering loyalty to each other in danger.The result is a catastrophic family split that alters their lives for generations to come. Will their unbreakable loyalty be enough to bring them back together when it matters most?
Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving and tender novel that explores the possibilities that arise when we choose to love someone for who they are. This book is a breathtaking portrait of the power of love, even in the most challenging circumstances. The novel vibrates with an intense emotional power that is sure to stay with readers long after the final page is turned.
The book touches on themes such as family, loyalty, love, and the power of the past to shape the future. It is a beautiful story that will leave readers with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation for the people in their lives. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys stories about the strength of family bonds and the transformative power of love.
Hello Beautiful Book Review
Ann Napolitano is an American novelist who experiments with point of view in her novels. Her four novels, published over a span of nearly two decades, each fit the perspectives of its vibrant characters to the moral arcs of their stories in new and beguiling ways. “Within Arm’s Reach,” Napolitano’s debut novel, featured six first-person points of view from three generations of an Irish Catholic family, each portrayed in the present tense but with subtle changes in register and tone. “Dear Edward,” her third novel, took more technical chances with point of view. While the doomed plane hurtles toward its demise, one timeline roams across the cabin of a flight in a daringly head-hopping third person. The second timeline presents the single point of view of Edward, the crash’s sole survivor.
Napolitano’s new novel, “Hello Beautiful,” begins in 1960 with the birth of a boy, William Waters. William’s childhood was shaped by the death of his older sister, which went on to shape his life in fundamental ways. His relationship with his shattered parents is cold and distant, and he understands “that they’d only ever had one child, and it wasn’t him.” William finds refuge and kinship in basketball. At the same time, Julia, a perfectionist with a 10-year plan, has certain expectations for William that set him up for another kind of failure.
The book’s structure is elegant, and chapters move along in the braided perspectives of William, Julia, and Sylvie in an unvarying pattern that breaks only at the novel’s midpoint, as William and Julia’s marriage falls apart. Though only a handful of chapters come from Alice’s point of view, the first lands like a blow, as Alice, aged 18, reads her father’s journal, which reveals his secrets and vulnerabilities. William’s basketball career is sidetracked by mediocrity, failure, and a devastating injury, but it’s also buoyed by lifelong camaraderie with teammates who will help sustain him through his most difficult moments.
William’s fortunes turn for the better with his marriage to Julia, who offers him the kind of raucous and love-filled life his aloof parents could never provide. However, the novel’s hint of tragedy to come darkens the sisters’ youthful exuberance with misfortunes on the novel’s horizons, both near and distant: an attempted suicide, alienation and betrayal, divorce, disease, and early death. These are reoccurring themes in Napolitano’s work, which defies sentimental easy satisfactions and never settles for simplistic fixes to her characters’ emotional predicaments.
Napolitano’s “Hello Beautiful” is not a typical sports novel, tracing the predictable arc of an elite athlete’s triumph, downfall, and redemption. Instead, it is a beautifully crafted novel that explores love, loss, and redemption in the lives of its three main characters. The novel’s point of view is expertly handled, and the author moves seamlessly between the perspectives of her characters. This is a novel that will appeal to readers who love literary fiction and appreciate the skill and craftsmanship of a great writer.
The Main Character in Hello Beautiful Book
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano centers around the life of William Waters, the main character of the novel. William is born into a family that is forever changed by the death of his older sister just six days after his birth. This tragic event shapes his relationship with his parents, who are distant and unresponsive, leaving William feeling like he is not their true child.
Basketball becomes William’s refuge and passion, leading him to win a scholarship to Northwestern University, where he spends the rest of his life in Chicago. However, his basketball career is sidetracked by injuries and failure. William’s love life is also marked by difficulties, as his wife Julia has specific expectations for him that lead to another kind of failure.
Despite the challenges he faces, William finds kinship with his teammates and refuge in his marriage to Julia, who offers him the warmth and love that his parents never provided. However, their marriage ultimately falls apart, leaving William to navigate life on his own.
Sylvie, Julia’s bookishly romantic sister, also plays a significant role in William’s life. She offers him guidance and wisdom as he faces the challenges of his life. Alice, the daughter William shares with Julia, also features in the novel, albeit briefly.
Detail Book
Publisher : The Dial Press
Release Date : March 14, 2023
Language : English
Total Page : 400 pages
ISBN : 9780593243732
Hello Beautiful Book Target Audience
The target audience for the book “Hello, Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano is primarily adult readers who enjoy literary fiction. The book explores themes of love, loss, and the complexity of human relationships and is written in a lyrical and introspective style that may appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories. Additionally, the book touches on topics such as addiction and mental illness, which may resonate with readers who are interested in exploring these issues in fiction. Overall, “Hello, Beautiful” is a thoughtful and nuanced novel that is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy literary works that delve into the complexities of the human experience.
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