Within Arm's Reach

"Ann Napolitano writes beautiful books. I had the feeling that was the case when I started on her latest book, Hello Beautiful months earlier, but after reading Within Arm's Reach, now I'm convinced of this.<br/><br/>Within Arm's Reach is actually one of Napolitano's first novels that was originally published 20 years ago, but is being re-issued this year. It tells about the lives of a large Irish family told in multiple point-of-views across three generations. What fascinates me about this book is if Napolitano's writing was this good 20 years ago, then I can't imagine how good it could possibly be in her latest novels, Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful.<br/><br/>The way Napolitano writes each character is so realistic that I was convinced that the character's thoughts on the page were actually my own thoughts. She also has the incredible talent of capturing everyday commonplace things in beautiful yet relatable prose.<br/><br/>The only drawback for me is that the ending felt a bit rushed. It seemed like everything was meant to culminate in one specific final event, but it just didn't feel like an ending; it felt like there would be another chapter or even an epilogue left to tie up some of the loose ends. But perhaps this is the author's intent. In a sense, she could be conveying that no matter how much you want it to, life won't always be wrapped up in a neat little bow in one final chapter; the characters' lives will continue on, even if the reader can't continue with them.<br/><br/>As a disclaimer: if you are in the mood for reading a fast-paced plot heavy book, then this isn't the one for you. However, if you are in the mood for an in-depth character study written in beautiful prose, then this is it.<br/><br/>Special thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for sharing this digital e-ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.<br/><br/>Ann Napolitano's Within Arm's Reach is now available wherever books are sold."