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Loading... Within Arm's Reach: A Novel (edition 2024)by Ann Napolitano (Author)
Work InformationWithin Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. There is no such thing as love without loss. from Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano After the success of her third novel Dear Edward, which my book club loved, and last year’s Hello Beautiful, which I recommended to the book club, we now can read Napolitano’s first novel. It is inspired by her own grandmother and family stories. Catharine was determined that she would not leave behind a broken family. Each generation carried its scars into the next, each generation putting up barriers and hiding the truth. Catherine had suffered so many losses– a husband, a daughter, the twins. She never got it right, failing each child. Her daughter Kelly is dealing with a husband broken by grief and guilt after his employee died on the job. He goes through the motions, but is totally closed off. Underneath her hard exterior, she is vulnerable and needy. Her daughters are struggling. Lila was a stellar student in med school, but does not have the patience to deal with real people. And Gracie’s wild life has resulted in pregnancy, and she is determined she will be a single mother. The only family who supports her is her Gram, Catherine, who sees the baby as a second chance for the family, a new generation; maybe this time they can get family right. Each character tells her story in alternating chapters. This big, dysfunctional, Irish American family is filled with colorful characters struggling with relatable problems. It is a lovely read, compassionate and moving. Thanks to the publisher for a free book. I loved Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful so I was thrilled to get an ARC of the reissue of Ann Napolitano's first novel, Within Arm's Reach. It was another excellent family drama. The characters were all very real and their relationships with each other were very believable. I was disappointed in the ending - I wanted a little more closure for each of the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. no reviews | add a review
No one in my mother's family ever talks about anything that can be categorized as unpleasant or as having to do with emotions, and, as a result, they no longer have anything to say. For them it's not a matter of keeping secrets; it's a matter of being polite, mannerly, and tough. The McLaughlins couldn't spill their woes or ask for help even if they wanted to, because they don't have the vocabulary. They are stranded within themselves, convinced that the only way is to silently persevere.' Seen from the point of view of different generations of women within this family and set around a small town in New Jersey, this is a novel about a family of Irish Catholic descent, the McLaughlins. This is a rich and resonant novel about how the totally unexpected pregnancy of the youngest (29) unmarried member the family tears apart its facade of normalcy, and throws the entire family into a state of crisis. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Catharine, the matriarch of the Irish-American McLaughlin clan, is approaching 80 years-old. Catharine has the gift of visions and has conversations with deceased relatives, a gift of her heritage. She has 6 surviving children after losing three. Kelly, 56, is her oldest surviving daughter, is married to Louis and mother to Lila and Gracie. Now Gracie is pregnant and Catharine is sure this baby, this start of the next generation will help bind the family together again. Right now the whole family keeps a tight rein on their emotions. This new addition may change everything.
The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of six different characters : Gracie, Catharine, Louis, Lila, Kelly, and Noreen Ballen (Catharine's nurse). These are all fully realized, exquisitely written characters who came to life on the page. They are all portrayed as real individuals, with different opinions, flaws, strengths, and conflicting emotions.
The writing is excellent in this portrait of three generations of a family. Within Arm’s Reach demonstrates how interconnected the members of a family can be and how they inherit more than they realize from their ancestors. I enjoyed everything about this novel except for the fact that it was left open ended. Certainly it showcases the developing talent of a gifted writer. It was a pleasure to read this debut novel from 2004 since I loved and adored both Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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