This was just an okay read for me. I’m not as into coming of age stories as I thought. We follow a girl named Sam from age 7-19.

A beautifully coming of age story starting at age 7 and continuing until 19. This really reads like a memoir and its between young adult and adult fiction. A very good depiction of what its like growing up in America.

Thank you penguin random house Canada and netgalley for an arc.

This book kept me interested from the beginning. It was shocking how someone could go through so much and continue to be resilient. I loved the mom in this book and wished she could have seen more success overall.

Maybe I can no longer relate to coming-of-age stories because I couldn't get into Sam: A Novel by Allegra Goodman. Although her story was interesting, it didn't offer anything more interesting or insightful than any other coming-of-age story I've read before. There was nothing particularly captivating about Sam, and I couldn't form a connection with her. Did I feel sympathy for her? Yes, absolutely. But did I connect with her? No. Perhaps I'm becoming more cynical as I grow older, but everything in the story felt so typical and predictable that nothing really stood out to me.

It seems that my inability to connect with Sam may be attributed to my changing perspective on life. As I've aged, my experiences have shaped me into a more discerning reader, searching for unique and thought-provoking narratives. Unfortunately, Sam: A Novel fell short of meeting my expectations. While the story did evoke a sense of sympathy for the protagonist, it failed to establish a deep emotional bond between Sam and myself. This lack of connection left me yearning for a more profound and engaging exploration of the coming-of-age theme.

Furthermore, I couldn't help but notice the familiarity of the plot and character development in Sam: A Novel. The narrative followed a predictable trajectory, with no surprising twists or turns to captivate my attention. As a seasoned reader, I have encountered numerous coming-of-age stories that have challenged and expanded my understanding of this genre. Regrettably, Allegra Goodman's novel did not offer any fresh perspectives or unique insights that would set it apart from its counterparts.

This title had me intrigued, but ultimately it was not for me. I can see how it will appeal to other people though!

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Sam is a beautifully written coming of age story. It does a remarkable job of portraying Sam’s life journey between age 7 and womanhood. Sam’s been dealt some tough cards in life and must find her way but as much as I rooted for Sam, I just didn’t find her story overly engaging. It perhaps was just not the right book for me at this time. I liked but didn’t love it. Good if you’re in the mood for a beautiful coming of age story.

Sam was not my favourite book of the year but it did keep my attention. It was an overall good story but nothing to rave about.

Sam by Allegra Goodman.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for letting me read a digital ARC of this book.
.
.
.
Sam is a straightforward coming-of-age narrative that follows the titular character from age 7 to about age 19 as she grows up in Massachusetts. Sam's mother Courtney is a single mother of two focused on trying to better the family's circumstances. Sam's father comes and goes - we can tell that he loves Sam deeply, but has little capacity for parenthood. He notices Sam's penchant for climbing, and introduces her to rock climbing.
The novel is written predominantly in short choppy sentences and the narrative is linear and straightforward, but I found this one so compulsively readable. There is a tender heart at the centre of Sam's story that makes the book hard to put down.
In a letter to the reader, Allegra Goodman writes that in writing the novel she was thinking about children's eagerness and energy and that she wanted to write about "what happens to that eagerness—particularly in girls. What happens to the girl who wants to climb?"
She goes on to say that "When viewing time-lapse photography, you can quickly watch seasons change and snow melting and flowers bloom. On one level, my novel is a time-lapse of Sam’s life—but because I am not a photographer or filmmaker, I show her growth in words. I do this by shifting diction and syntax so that the voice of the book matures with Sam. The novel moves fast, but the effect is subtle. The narrative carries you along so that you can’t quite pinpoint when the little girl becomes a woman, when hope shades into sadness, and discouragement becomes determination. Like a sunrise, the change in a person is spectacular, but while it happens, nearly imperceptible."
.
.
.
#allegragoodman #bookpost #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #recommendedread #netgalley #2023reading

I'm not always a fan of a coming of age tale, but I loved this story from the perspective of Sam. I found myself committed to the character's journeys and excited to see where it would go. A fun, solid read.

An affecting coming-of-age story in which rock-climbing drives the action and serves as a metaphor for Sam’s surmounting of the obstacles in her way. She’s very young (I think I remember 7) when her father first introduces her to climbing, and it’s immediately apparent that Sam has innate gifts and the grit to succeed. But it can be an expensive sport and money is an issue. Sam’s parents have split; her father is an on-again off-again addict and unreliable with his presence and financial support, and her single mother is working several low-paying jobs just to keep her two kids housed and fed. But ways are found to get Sam to the climbing gym relatively nearby, where her talent shines and she starts to win competitions. As the years roll by and Sam becomes a teenager, she gradually loses all patience with her once adored father and refuses to have any more to do with him. I don’t think I’m throwing out a spoiler to say that Sam’s climbing coach is a creepy lech—anyone can see what’s coming from a mile away. The author does a great job of portraying Sam’s steely determination and unrelenting hard work to rise above the confusing hash of her life, and her gradual achievement of something like triumph feels fully earned and right.

I saw the title and immediately thought of "You've Reached Sam". Cute and wonderful dialogue. Feels young adult but a bit better.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this title. Sam is a young girl who adores her father, but is separated from him as she lives with her Mom, Courtney, and her half brother. Sam loves to climb. It is something that she shares with her father. Sam is good at climbing. She misses her father when he isn't around for her. Her father tries, but he has demons of his own. This family is struggling. Courtney wants to make sure that Sam gets a good education and goes to college or University. Courtney works all the time, never really has a life of her own. Sam's brother has issues too. His father spoils him rotten and leaves Courtney and Sam to deal wirh the fallout. Those three love each other though. That is a constant. Courtney has to learn to trust that Sam knows what she is doing. I found this story was hopeful and current. We all have our crosses to bare, as we navigate life.
I give this story a 3.75 out of 5. The characters were relatable and likeable. Those that weren't were jerks.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy! I rate this book a 3.5/5. It is a well written (detailed, no discrepancies or typos) story of a young girl dealing with the ups and downs of growing up and figuring out her life and future, something lots of us can identify with. The characters were mostly relatable and “nice” with no big surprises or traumas, which was nice! I think this would appeal to a younger reader who is looking forward to or living that part of their life.

Fiction | 15-Adult
Sam, by Allegra Goodman (2023)

As promised, here is the second book tackling the challenges of growing up into womanhood. This is the first novel I’ve read by Allegra Goodman, but I will look for more. This is a terrific novel; it reminds me of Judy Blume’s work like Deenie and Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s poignant, nuanced, thoughtful, heartbreaking at times, and yet hopeful. It’s written in third person, in present tense throughout, giving it a documentary-like feel. Sam’s voice is authentic as Goodman chooses language that is appropriate to Sam’s age, and matures as she grows. The novel opens when Sam is seven years old, delighted to be spending a day with her magician father Mitchell. At the fair, Sam and her dad avoid the carnie games “because that’s how they get you.” Sam adores her father (the dreamer), even though he regularly disappears, and then suddenly reappears with promises to do better. Her mother Courtney is reliable, hardworking, and determined. She’s especially determined that Sam will do better for herself and go to college, an irritating refrain for Sam. Courtney juggles two jobs to pay the rent and feed Sam and her younger half-brother Noah, whom Sam loves. However, she actively dislikes Noah’s father Jack, but he is still the dad, and “that’s the way it is.” I loved Goodman’s technique of having Sam adopt parental commentary like that; it gives such a sense of how she is raised. When Mitchell introduces Sam to indoor rock climbing, she tackles it with enthusiasm and determination, making friends and joining a team as she grows stronger. As a teen, she falls hard for her climbing instructor, and when that doesn’t end well, she quits the sport, refusing to talk about why. As her father continues to disappoint, Sam turns her back on him, despite her mother’s pleas. I truly enjoyed this coming of age novel, watching Sam navigate her painful teen years, figure out who she is and what she wants from life. She stumbles both literally and figuratively as she balances her love for climbing and the outdoors and her mum’s constant reminders that she needs a career with good pay. Are these really mutually exclusive? Can you live your dream and still pay the bills? There’s a sweet romance, and a satisfying, hopeful conclusion that leaves a lot of questions, which I did like. I did want even more about the ninety-something Ann – there’s an entire story behind that character, I bet. My thanks to Dial Press for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59722217

This is a beautiful coming of age story following a girl from age 7-19. The story is told from a 3rd person perspective by the protagonist Sam.
I found it was a slow start but once I got hooked, it grabbed me and I looked forward to seeing the ending. Characters were very well developed and each of them kept you intrigued. I wanted to find out what happened in the end. Great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I think there seems to be a disconnect between what the synopsis promises and what the book delivers. Despite the fact that this is supposed to be a coming of age story I didn’t see significant growth in Sam. She remained a simple-minded narcissist in my opinion. The characters weren’t very well developed and most of them insufferable. The interaction dialogue was juvenile beyond what I’d expect for a book with a younger main character and the internal dialogue was downright annoying - especially at the beginning of the book with younger Sam.

I do try to look at a book from all angles and find redeeming qualities but I just really did not enjoy this one.

4.5⭐️

What an interesting read. The story is told from Sam’s point of view but in third person. We are taken on the journey of Sam’s life with her mom & brother, as well as her dad & a few others who are important.

There were many instances I felt I could relate to Sam & Courtney’s (her mom) relationship with my own mother. Or times I was able to see the relationship from the outside & thinking of my own relationships. It brought tears to my eyes a few times.

I did feel like I was expecting something more from the storyline, almost like it was building to something bigger that never came. All in all though, it was an inspiring story of Sam finding herself & figuring out her story. I highly recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Sam by Allegra Goodman was an incredibly compelling read. This was definitely a character-driven novel, and all the characters really tug at your heart strings. I was so sad when the book was over, and it is one that I've been thinking about since.

I loved this book. This is a wonderful coming of age novel it is very well written with well developed characters and relationships.
Allegra Goodman explores the social issues of poverty, addiction and abuse in this incredibly moving book.
I highly recommend this novel.