Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano

Napolitano's debut novel, Within Arm's Reach, is getting a reissuing after the incredible success of Napolitano's 2023 hit, Hello Beautiful. First published in 2004, Within Arm's Reach allows the reader to spend some time with three generations of an Irish American family. From grappling with an unplanned pregnancy to wading through the complexities of the various relationships, this debut explores the unspoken emotions and interconnectedness within the family, emphasizing an enduring, but sometimes testy, bond.

One thing I love to take into account when going back and reading an author’s debut is to see the beginnings of what would be more developed later on — her skill with plot and character that she exhibits in Hello Beautiful is evident here, and she covers many of the same themes. Napolitano drew inspiration and much of the characterization of the matriarch on her own similarly sketched grandmother. And while I appreciated the aspects that were clearly based on someone she loved and knew well, I don't know that the grandmother of the novel was as complete of a person as the real-life counterpart. Perhaps this was an instance of being too close to the subject — where so much exists and is known in the author's head but doesn’t see how the complete picture fails to make it to the page.

Many of the individual storylines had interesting elements, with most of the characters demonstrating lives lived outside of the family, which brought in some much-needed depth. However, the small carousel of narrators in first person present tense only underscored the author's novice status. I would have preferred to see more breathing room in the narrative (as present tense can be demanding), perhaps with only three narrators representing each generation. Such changes would have allowed for more expansive characterization and deeper connections with the reader. Nonetheless, this quaint novel about a family grappling with secrets and intertwined lives offers a glimpse into the early stages of Napolitano's literary journey.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.