Hello Beautiful (novel)

Last updated

Hello Beautiful
AuthorAnn Napolitano
GenreLiterary fiction
Historical fiction
Drama
PublisherThe Dial Press
Publication date
2023

Hello Beautiful is a 2023 historical fiction novel and the fourth book by American writer Ann Napolitano. It is a drama about the four sisters in an Italian Catholic family in Chicago; two sisters fall in love with the same man, causing the family to split apart for 25 years. Hello Beautiful was published on March 14, 2024, by The Dial Press. It was Oprah Winfrey's 100th book club selection.

Contents

Plot

Julia, Sylvie, Cecelia, and Emeline Padavano are close and have different personalities. Julia is the ambitious eldest with a no-nonsense demeanor. Sylvie is a hopeless romantic who kisses boys in the library. Cecelia and Emeline are twins, one an artist and the other a nurturer. They are close with their parents, Rose and Charlie.

Julia meets William Waters at Northwestern University. When he was six days old, his older sister Caroline died of a fever and cough and was found dead in her crib. His parents were unable to move past the loss of Caroline, causing William to grow up with emotionally neglectful parents. William earns a basketball scholarship to Northwestern University and moves to Chicago. Julia and William begin dating and she introduces him to her family. William shatters his knee during a basketball game and is no longer able to play, triggering a depression he hides from Julia.

Cecelia tells her family that she is pregnant and will raise the child as a single teenage mother. Rose cannot accept this due to her religion and past as a teenage mother and kicks her out. Attempting to bring the family back together, Julia decides to get pregnant. She and William marry and have their daughter, Alice.

Charlie visits Cecelia and her newborn daughter Izzy in the hospital after she gives birth, he dies of a heart attack just after leaving. Rose sells the house and moves to Florida, refusing to acknowledge Izzy's existence. Emeline comes out as gay and begins dating a woman named Josie.

While those events unfold, Julia fails to see the growing divide between her and William as he hides his progressive depression. Sylvie notices William's mental health decline and organizes the search to find him after Julia tells her that William left her. He is pulled out of Lake Michigan and spends time in the hospital. In the aftermath, Sylvie visits him in the hospital and they fall in love.

Julia and Alice move to New York City after William and Julia divorce. He relinquishes custody of Alice out of fear that he cannot raise her due to his mental health issues. Julia raises Alice as a single mother in New York while building a successful career. When Alice is five, Julia tells her that her father died in a car accident.

Julia and Sylvie do not speak for 25 years after Julia finds out that Sylvie and William fell in love. Cecelia, Emeline, and Josie live together in a duplex in Chicago and raise Izzy together. Cecelia pursues a career as an artist. Emeline marries Josie who she met at her job at a daycare. Sylvie works as a librarian and William becomes a physical therapist at Northwestern University and eventually for the Chicago Bulls.

Julia maintains contact with her mother Rose in Florida and occasionally exchanges postcards with Cecelia and Emeline. However, she feels betrayed by her sisters' acceptance of William and Sylvie's relationship.

Sylvie is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor when she is 47 years old. Julia returns to Chicago twice to reunite with Sylvie in secret. Sylvie dies suddenly one day after collapsing in her kitchen. Julia reveals the truth to Alice.

Julia and Alice reunite with the rest of the family during Sylvie's funeral.

Background

Hello Beautiful is preceded by Dear Edward (2020). It was the writers fourth book, and was inspired by Louisa May Alcott's Little Women . [1] In the novel each of the Padavano sisters compares themselves to the March sisters, the eldest both claim to be "the feisty Jo, and they were both right." [2] Napolitano wrote the novel during the pandemic and after her father died, she said she "was grateful to find some comfort, and even glimmers of hope, inside the fictional world that became Hello Beautiful". [3] She also said the emotional notes mimicked that of her last novel Dear Edward, which were "kindness, grief, our deep human need for connection." [3] The father in the novel, Charlie Padavano, was influenced by Napolitano's grief in her father's passing. [3] Napolitano said in an interview with NPR, that the Padavano sisters were inspired by her fascination with the five sisters of her best friend's mother, "they had slightly different versions of the same face, and they seemed more themselves when they're in the same room together than they did when they were separated." [4]

Critical reception

Hello Beautiful received positive reviews. Bruce Holsinger of the New York Times said that Napolitano "resists the easy satisfactions of the sentimental and never settles for simple answers to emotional predicaments faced by her characters. [2] Oprah Winfrey selected Hello Beautiful as her 100th pick for Oprah's Book Club 2.0. In her review, she said "I'm telling you... once you start you won't want it to end... and be prepared for tears." [1] Diane Cole of The Washington Post described the book as "a tender tearjerker... this one chronicles life's highs and lows with precision." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harper Lee</span> American novelist (1926–2016)

Nelle Harper Lee was an American novelist whose 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. She assisted her close friend Truman Capote in his research for the book In Cold Blood (1966). Her second and final novel, Go Set a Watchman, was an earlier draft of Mockingbird, set at a later date, that was published in July 2015 as a sequel.

<i>Little, Big</i> 1981 fantasy novel by John Crowley

Little, Big: or, The Fairies' Parliament is a contemporary fantasy novel by John Crowley, published in 1981. It won the World Fantasy Award in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Macaulay</span> English writer

Dame Emilie Rose Macaulay, was an English writer, most noted for her award-winning novel The Towers of Trebizond, about a small Anglo-Catholic group crossing Turkey by camel.

<i>Ellen Foster</i> 1987 novel by Kaye Gibbons

Ellen Foster is a 1987 novel by American novelist Kaye Gibbons. It was a selection of Oprah's Book Club in October 1997.

<i>The Color Purple</i> (1985 film) 1985 film by Steven Spielberg

The Color Purple is a 1985 American epic coming-of-age period drama film that was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Menno Meyjes. It is based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker and was Spielberg's eighth film as a director, marking a turning point in his career as it was a departure from the summer blockbusters for which he had become known. It was also the first feature film directed by Spielberg for which John Williams did not compose the music, instead featuring a score by Quincy Jones, who also produced. The film stars Whoopi Goldberg in her breakthrough role, with Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, and Adolph Caesar.

<i>Jos Boys</i> 1886 novel by Louisa May Alcott

Jo's Boys, and How They Turned Out: A Sequel to "Little Men" is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, first published in 1886. The novel is the final book in the unofficial Little Women series. In it, the March sisters' children and the original students of Plumfield, now grown, are caught up in real world troubles as they work towards careers and pursue love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Strayed</span> American writer (born 1968)

Cheryl Strayed is an American writer and podcast host. She has written four books: the novel Torch (2006) and the nonfiction books Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012), Tiny Beautiful Things (2012) and Brave Enough (2015). Wild, the story of Strayed's 1995 hike up the Pacific Crest Trail, is an international bestseller and was adapted into the 2014 Academy Award-nominated film Wild.

<i>Kiss</i> (Wilson novel) 2007 novel by Jacqueline Wilson

Kiss is a book for teenage readers, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt. It was published 2007 by Doubleday. The book revolves around a girl called Sylvie whose childhood friend Carl is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oprah Winfrey</span> American talk show host, actress, producer, and author (born 1954)

Oprah Gail Winfrey, known mononymously as Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. Dubbed the "Queen of All Media", she was the richest African-American of the 20th century and was once the world's only black billionaire. By 2007, she was often ranked as the most influential woman in the world.

<i>Brooklyn</i> (novel) 2009 novel by Colm Tóibín

Brooklyn is a 2009 novel by Irish author Colm Tóibín. It won the 2009 Costa Novel Award, was shortlisted for the 2011 International Dublin Literary Award and was longlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize. In 2012, The Observer named it as one of "The 10 best historical novels".

<i>Housekeeping</i> (film) 1987 film by Bill Forsyth

Housekeeping is a 1987 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Bill Forsyth, starring Christine Lahti, Sara Walker, and Andrea Burchill. Based on Marilynne Robinson's 1980 novel Housekeeping, it is about two young sisters growing up in Idaho in the 1950s. After being abandoned by their mother and raised by elderly relatives, the sisters are looked after by their eccentric aunt whose unconventional and unpredictable ways affect their lives. It was filmed on location in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. It won two awards at the 1987 Tokyo International Film Festival.

<i>And One Was Beautiful</i> 1940 film directed by Robert B. Sinclair

And One Was Beautiful is a 1940 American romantic drama film directed by Robert B. Sinclair and starring Robert Cummings, Laraine Day, and Jean Muir. It is based on the story of the same name by Alice Duer Miller. Two sisters are attracted to a rich playboy. One runs over and kills a man, and lets the playboy take the blame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. M. Homes</span> American writer (born 1961)

Amy M. Homes is an American writer best known for her controversial novels and unusual short stories, which feature extreme situations and characters. Notably, her novel The End of Alice (1996) is about a convicted child molester and murderer.

<i>Storm of Love</i> German television soap opera

Sturm der Liebe is a German television soap opera created by Bea Schmidt for Das Erste. It premiered on 26 September 2005. It airs 50-minute episodes on weekdays at 15:10. It was announced in May 2024 that Sturm der Liebe has been renewed until 2027 and that its runtime will be shortened to 25 minutes starting in 2025. In July 2024, it was announced the programme's running time would remain 50 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Kwok</span> American author

Jean Kwok is the award-winning, New York Times and international bestselling Chinese American author of the novels Girl in Translation, Mambo in Chinatown, and Searching for Sylvie Lee, which was chosen as The Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick.

<i>The Patron Saint of Liars</i> (novel) 1992 novel by Ann Patchett

The Patron Saint of Liars is a 1992 novel, written by Ann Patchett. This is the first novel published by Patchett, and it was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Patchett completed the manuscript for The Patron Saint of Liars during a fellowship at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The novel focuses on a young woman named Rose who abandons her life in California as a married woman. She leaves for Kentucky and takes residence at a home for unwed mothers that is owned by the Catholic Church. As she watches girls give birth and disappear from the home, she must think of her own plans and what the future has in store for her.

<i>Pictures of Hollis Woods</i> 2002 young adult novel by Patricia Reilly Giff

Pictures of Hollis Woods is a 2002 young adult novel by Patricia Reilly Giff. The novel received a Newbery Honor Award in 2003. It was adapted for television in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Kane (Arrowverse)</span> Fictional character in the Arrowverse

Kate Kane, also known by her superhero alias Batwoman and supervillain alias Circe Sionis, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise of TV series, first mentioned in the 2018 episode "Nora" of the television series The Flash, based on the character of the same name, created by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid and Keith Giffen in 2006, and adapted for television by Caroline Dries. In this version, she is the cousin of famous superhero Bruce Wayne, living in Gotham City, and becomes a superhero in his absence. The character has been portrayed by two different actresses, Ruby Rose and Wallis Day. In the first season of the Batwoman television series, Rose portrayed Kate; when Rose was fired after the end of the season for "multiple complaints" about her behavior, Day was cast as Kate in a recurring role for the second season, while the position of series' lead was taken over by Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder, Kate's successor as Batwoman.

Ann Napolitano is an American writer. She has written four successful novels.

Emeline Bachelder Gurney (1816–1897) was a woman from Fayette, Maine, who was shunned by her family and community. Emeline gained notoriety after death, with her life story inspiring a documentary, then a book and a play.

References

  1. 1 2 "Oprah's 100th Book Club Pick: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano". Oprah.com. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  2. 1 2 Holsinger, Bruce (2023-03-11). "It's Like 'Little Women' — but With Basketball". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  3. 1 2 3 "Resources". annnapolitano.com. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  4. ↑ Simon, Scott; Sherburne, Lennon (March 18, 2023). "Ann Napolitano on her new novel 'Hello Beautiful'". National Public Radio . Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Review | Oprah's pick, 'Hello Beautiful,' is a tender tearjerker". Washington Post. 2023-03-15. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2024-06-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.