"Allegra Goodman has written a wonderful coming-of-age story. In
Sam, the heights our heroine reaches are not so dizzying, but that she ascends at all is a reason to cheer."
--The Wall Street Journal "
Sam is original, full of heart, and makes you think and feel. A coming-of-age tale for all ages."
--Good Morning America "A sensitive portrait of life lived along the poverty line in modern-day America. Allegra Goodman offers a . . . sympathetic reflection on the struggles of a girl's life. Anyone who has ever been the focus of a child's impossibly inflated regard will feel alternately charmed and gutted by [
Sam]."
--Ron Charles, The Washington Post "An irresistible coming-of-age portrait . . . a profound and gorgeously written gem about the tough, tender route Sam must navigate--grappling with friendships, love, insecurities and burgeoning womanhood--to chart her own course."
--People "Goodman does a marvelous job of depicting this world of struggle and sacrifice, exhaustion and addiction, with neither condescension nor exaggeration. I admired Goodman's empathy, wisdom, and commitment to telling the story of one ostensibly simple but ultimately meaningful life."
--Priscilla Gilman, The Boston Globe "Sam is a novel for anyone who's witnessed a kid grow up, felt nostalgic, and yearned to watch the process all over again.
Sam captures that unique magic of human development through the story of one steadfast girl."
--Minneapolis Star Tribune "What seems at first to be a simple coming-of-age story deepens under its own weight and shows itself to be a beautiful meditation on all the ways we love and fail each other."
--Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward "
Sam is a deeply wise and empathetic portrait of this unforgettable girl, making her way into this tricky world and into the reader's life."
--Amy Bloom, New York Times bestselling author of In Love "
Sam is one of the most evocative and tender examinations of youth that I've ever read . . . One of the best writers around, Goodman has made something truly beautiful, evoking a feeling that is hard to name but stirs inside us with every line."
--Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here "
Sam is about as perfect of a coming-of-age story I have ever read. It explores what happens when one girl loses the wonder of childhood--the innocence of her early years only to reclaim her power and hope."
--Jenna Bush Hager, Today "Allegra Goodman's
Sam stands out among realistic coming-of-age novels about contemporary American girlhood. We care deeply how Sam's story turns out, thanks to Goodman's brilliance and empathy."
--Bookpage "It's impressive how much emotional power is packed into this . . . contained story."
--Publishers Weekly
