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pomoevareads's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The re-release of Napolitano’s debut novel Within Arm’s Reach originally published twenty years ago shows the origins of the author’s natural ability to tell the story of a family. In this instance the grandmother character is based on her own grandmother and the number of children she had. It is an Irish American family in which a single 29 year old granddaughter has become pregnant out of wedlock. While this may have been shame inducing in 1980s Ireland it didn’t quite fit the less strict society within the United States.
This novel features a fair amount of family members and a few extra characters but I was able to hold most of them in memory with the assistance of a family tree at the beginning. I found myself well engaged with the story for the most part while losing a bit of steam at the end.
Grandmother Catharine’s visions of people passed worked for me because of mumblings of my own father in his dying days.
Overall, I am happy to have read Napolitano’s debut and will continue to follow this author’s work after especially loving Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. While it is clear that the author has grown in her ability to tell a story, it is also certain that she was developing a talent she has always had.
Thank you to @netgalley and @dialpress / @randomhouse for an ARC of this re-release in exchange for my honest opinions. Within Arm’s Reach returns to shelves on April 30, 2024.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Child death
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