Within Arm's Reach: A Novel

No one in my mothers 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 its not a matter of keeping secrets; its a matter of being polite mannerly and tough. The McLaughlins couldnt spill their woes or ask for help even if they wanted to because they dont have the vocabulary. They are stranded within themselves convinced that the only way is to silently persevere. Within Arms Reach follows three generations of an Irish-American Catholic family who are jarred into crisis by an unexpected pregnancy. This lyrical first novel is told through six different points of view including those of the unmarried pregnant Gracie a local advice columnist; and her grandmother the matriarch who is struggling with her commitments to both the living and the dead. Within Arms Reach is a poignant reminder of how interconnected our lives are with those we love how much more we inherit than wills decree and how the ghosts of our ancestors walk by our sides every day. Ann Napolitano artfully paints a riveting portrait of a family in crisis depicting how the ties that bind us so closely to one another are often the ones that cause us the most pain. As the McLaughlins respond to the unplanned and profound change in Gracies life their own memories and personal stories begin to emerge. In the end Napolitano creates a family quilt of sorts each persons life and actions closely woven throughout the fabric of the past present and future. Within Arms Reach is a rich and deeply satisfying narrative of guilt love betrayal and the ultimate loyaltythat of blood.