A loud, chaotic family of four girls with a strong mother envelopes an only-child boy from a silent family. There’s beauty in contrasts, no?

Set in Chicago beginning in the 1960’s, two of the Padavanos sisters and William, the only child, get to tell their stories chronologically interwoven between chapters. The inside flap of the hardcover asks, “Can love make a broken person whole?” which points more to William as the main character. When I think about the story, I think about the sisters and their family dynamics.

I also think about loyalty, love, loss, depression, suicide, parental love, marital discord, friendship, basketball.

I thought it would be revealed who “Beautiful” is; if you’ve read and have an insight about that, please enlighten me.

Great read. Thought-provoking. 5 stars.