Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano

A Three-Star Book Review

Hello Beautiful was one of my favorite reads of 2023, so when I heard about the re-release of Ann Napolitano’s debut novel, Within Arm’s Reach, I knew it was one to add to my reading list. While I didn’t love it like I did Hello Beautiful, I did appreciate Ms. Napolitano’s mastery of the family saga once again.

Summary of Within Arm’s Reach (No Spoilers)

Within Arm’s Reach is the story of three generations of the McLaughlin family and their conflicts, decisions, and experiences over the course of nine months. With multiple points of view, we learn about the characters and their places within the family. From the aging matriarch Catherine to two of her adult grandchildren and a daughter and son-in-law in between, their stories are complex and their lives mostly unfulfilled.

My Thoughts about Within Arm’s Reach

Family sagas are usually win for me, but Within Arm’s Reach presented too many other issues for me to love this one.

• Unlikeable Characters: I’m a fan of nuanced, complex characters who aren’t lovable at first read. But I have a difficult time rooting for any character when they show no redeemable qualities. Catherine and her daughter Kelly were two examples of this. They were controlling and self-centered, and I didn’t like their actions.

• Plot Line: Within Arm’s Reach is full of exposition and little action. I can’t give away the ending, but I didn’t feel there was any resolution, mostly because there wasn’t any rising action or climax to resolve.

My Final Impression of Within Arm’s Reach

I rarely post a negative review about a book I’ve read, but Within Arm’s Reach does have one hallmark of a great book: the writing. As this was Ms. Napolitano’s debut novel, it was interesting to compare her writing style to Hello Beautiful. In either case, she is an exceptional author, and I look forward to her next book.