Words Jackie LaPlante
From the Bennetts to the March Family to the Mitfords, sisters make for intriguing stories in the world of literature. From the outside, sisters are easy to stereotype: the strong one, the nice one, the frail one. From the inside they provide an instant sense of tension: they are friends and foes, companions and competitors. For anyone who has a sister (I do), the overriding feeling is that a sister is but a portion of a greater entity. While singly sisters are good, together they are powerful, sharing common references and supporting one another, compensating for the other’s weaknesses, fortifying their strengths.
The Padavano sisters, protagonists of Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful, are well aware of their bond. Born in the 1960s and raised in Chicago, the girls remain closely tied as they enter adulthood. Even after the eldest falls in love, the girls continue to be devoted to one another. Julia’s fiancé, William, was raised by cold parents in a quiet house; he takes in stride the chaotic, loving lifestyle of his fiancée and her family, respecting the sisterly bonds from the sidelines. It is only when William’s suppressed past catches up to him that the familial ties are shaken and a rift between the girls occurs.
The sisters are lightly modeled on the March sisters of Little Women and recognize themselves as such: Julia is the strong-willed one; Sylvie, the caring one; Cecilia, the artist; and Emeline the baby. Parents Rose and Charlie are deeply connected but opposite in nature, and Charlie, though slightly haphazard, provides the understated love that nurtures his daughters. While William, denied his parents’ love, has found acceptance through basketball, he remains aloof from the brotherly kinship his teammates offer. It is William’s sense of being outside the circle that is the catalyst for upheaval and change in the story.
Ann Napolitano has a keen sense of character, and the unpleasant personalities are as compelling as the loveable ones. While the relationship between the girls is the heart of the book, readers without sisters will enjoy this heartwarming and well-written story of finding love and belonging.
There are so many fantastic books that feature sisters. While four siblings seem to be a magic number, not all sisterly relationships in the books noted below are straightforward. But no matter the situation, the positivity and strength of strong relationships between sisters can be compelling.
Here are a few others to try:
1. The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
