‘Hello Beautiful’ a poignant saga of family’s ups and downs
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Oprah’s 100th book club pick is “Hello Beautiful,” a poignant saga about the ups and downs of a tight knit family as they navigate through life experiencing joy, sadness, deception, depression, grief and hope. There are four Padavano sisters: Julia, the oldest, is ambitious and controlling. She has her life all planned out. Sylvia is a romantic dreamer. She always has her face in a book and is patiently waiting for her perfect love. Cecelia is a free spirited artist and paints beautiful murals in the community. Her twin Emeline is a quiet peacemaker and a caretaker to all. The girls often envision themselves as the March sisters from the well known classic, “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, who believed that the power of love could overcome the darkest circumstances.
The Padavano family live in an Italian community outside of Chicago. Their mother Rose is a hardworking strict Catholic with high expectations of her daughters. Their father Charlie, although a big disappointment to his wife, loves his girls unconditionally. “Hello Beautiful” is the greeting he always gives each of his daughters, making them feel special for just being themselves. Although he is only in the story a short time, I think his character plays an important role.
William Waters was an infant when his 3 year old sister died. His parents were so emotionally crushed they were unable to show him any love, leaving him sad and lonely. The only place he feels comfortable is on the basketball court and when he grows to a height of 6 feet 7 inches, he wins a basketball scholarship to Northwestern University in Chicago. When he says good bye to his parents, he knows that he probably will never see them again.
Julia and William meet in history class. Julia quickly decides that William will be her boyfriend and begins planning their future together. She introduces him to her sisters and he is immediately accepted into this loving, boisterous family, something he never knew. They were married and soon Julia is pregnant. Things are happening too quickly for William and after suffering a severe knee injury he puts his basketball career on hold and sinks into a deep depression, which ultimately results in a catastrophic family rift that changes all their lives for many years.
Over the course of years the sisters mature and change, sometimes separating from each other. All of the characters are likable and authentic with their own strengths and flaws, but readers may feel frustrated by some of the decisions and choices made by some of them. Will their loyalty and love be enough to bring them all back together in the end?
This is a book about life. It is heartwarming as well as heartbreaking. You will be emotionally invested in this family as you take their journey of tragedy, love, and devotion. I encourage you to read about these well developed characters who learn that unconditional love can make a person feel whole.
Questions
• Who is your favorite character and why?
• Did you find yourself disappointed in any character at any time?
• Why was Rose disappointed in her husband? What did the family learn about him from the community after he died?
• How did Individual choices impact the rift between Julia, Sylvia, and William? Do you think alternate choices could have resolved the rift?
• How do the parenting styles of Rose, Julia,and Cecelia differ?
• What ways do William’s friends help him see himself differently than he saw himself?
• What did Sylvia see in William that attracted her to him?
• What does the title represent and how does it relate to the story?
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Jacquie O’Neil, mother of Times Leader Media Group Publisher Kerry Miscavage reviewed this book. She and her daughter each contribute to this column.