Fix empy slicing an array backwards by relying on slice.indices

python/pyarrow/array.pxi

@@ -549,41 +549,9 @@ def _normalize_slice(object arrow_obj, slice key):
         Py_ssize_t start, stop, step
         Py_ssize_t n = len(arrow_obj)
 
-    step = key.step or 1
-
-    if key.start is None:
-        if step < 0:
-            start = n - 1
-        else:
-            start = 0
-    elif key.start < 0:
-        start = key.start + n
-        if start < 0:
-            start = 0
-    elif key.start >= n:
-        start = n
-    else:
-        start = key.start
-
-    if step < 0 and (key.stop is None or key.stop < -n):
-        stop = -1
-    elif key.stop is None:
-        stop = n
-    elif key.stop < 0:
-        stop = key.stop + n
-        if stop < 0:  # step > 0 in this case.
-            stop = 0
-    elif key.stop >= n:
-        stop = n
-    else:
-        stop = key.stop
-
-    if step != 1:
-        indices = np.arange(start, stop, step)
-        return arrow_obj.take(indices)
-    else:
-        length = max(stop - start, 0)
-        return arrow_obj.slice(start, length)
+    start, stop, step = key.indices(n)
+    indices = np.arange(start, stop, step)
+    return arrow_obj.take(indices)
 
 
 cdef Py_ssize_t _normalize_index(Py_ssize_t index,

python/pyarrow/tests/test_array.py

@@ -486,6 +486,7 @@ def test_array_slice_negative_step():
         slice(None, None, 2),
         slice(0, 10, 2),
         slice(15, -25, -1),  # GH-38768
+        slice(-22, -22, -1),  # GH-40642
     ]
 
     for case in cases: