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A review by bethreadsandnaps
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
4.5
4.5 stars
Catherine Newman's sophomore novel SANDWICH features matriarch Rachel (Rocky) who goes back to the same annual Cape Cod rental for a week with her children in their early 20s and her husband. The memories of past summers, with one specific summer in particular, come back to her as she is reconciling that she's moving to a new phase of womanhood and parenthood.
I had presumed that the "Sandwich" title analogy would be to having elderly parents on top of children of her own. That may indeed be true, but there are also other analogies that would also work. Rocky's parents don't make an appearance until at least halfway into the book, and Rocky's daughter Willa takes second billing in this novel. I enjoyed her immensely as a character. She's insightful, passionate, and would be a delight to have as a daughter. I loved the mother-daughter relationship here.
The big "secret" in this novel is not really a secret, as you are given many hints and the author gently leads you there. That's a positive for me because what Rocky is wrestling with doesn't come out of nowhere, makes sense, and is in line with what the reader knows. It was just the right length to make an impact but not be too long. As a reader, I felt at peace when I ended this novel.
While I really liked Newman's first novel, I even liked this one better!
P.S. I love the golden summer beach house cover (not the cover with toast).
Catherine Newman's sophomore novel SANDWICH features matriarch Rachel (Rocky) who goes back to the same annual Cape Cod rental for a week with her children in their early 20s and her husband. The memories of past summers, with one specific summer in particular, come back to her as she is reconciling that she's moving to a new phase of womanhood and parenthood.
I had presumed that the "Sandwich" title analogy would be to having elderly parents on top of children of her own. That may indeed be true, but there are also other analogies that would also work. Rocky's parents don't make an appearance until at least halfway into the book, and Rocky's daughter Willa takes second billing in this novel. I enjoyed her immensely as a character. She's insightful, passionate, and would be a delight to have as a daughter. I loved the mother-daughter relationship here.
The big "secret" in this novel is not really a secret, as you are given many hints and the author gently leads you there. That's a positive for me because what Rocky is wrestling with doesn't come out of nowhere, makes sense, and is in line with what the reader knows. It was just the right length to make an impact but not be too long. As a reader, I felt at peace when I ended this novel.
While I really liked Newman's first novel, I even liked this one better!
P.S. I love the golden summer beach house cover (not the cover with toast).