Dear Edward…Prepare for a cry fest! It combines everything I love in Contemporary novels, a soul-destroying plot, tug at your heart strings characters and a narrative that has me hugging my loved ones for dear life! It’s not the first time that I’ve thought of myself as a masochist.

A family relocating. Multiple lives forever intertwined through disaster. Loneliness. A boy left broken. Element of a plot that in any other dimension would make for a truly devastating effect. Only Ann Napolitano could take these effects and manage to align the stars. To bring a sense of ease and rightness by the final page. The originality tears at you. You grip the pages of the book so fiercely that it threatens to tear. Your guts are gripped with a furiousness that threatens to make you lose our lunch, but its sheer power has you almost on your knees.

The opening of Dear Edward sets the reader up and gives the threatening sense of unease that later propels the story forward. Passengers getting ready for a long-haul flight. Different backgrounds. Different personalities. The same ending. It was enough in itself to send a frisson of fear running through my veins. It’s a slow burn, two timelines drip feeding the reader, building the tension. One timeline detailing Edward post-crash and one pre-crash detailing the before, a young man known as Eddie. Each chapter that gave us small amounts of information of during the flight had me hungering for more. I had to know what, when and why?

Dear Edward, is a prime example of just letting the past be just that. Don’t go to bed angry with a loved one. Bury that hatchet, you just don’t know what may be lying around the corner. Grab life by the proverbial balls and do it! You might never be given another chance.

Edward is classed as the miracle boy. He has survived and rehabbed successfully from a plane crash, that statistically had a 0% survival chance. Miracle is not what Edward feels like he is…he has lost quite literally everything. His parents, who although, challenging loved him and his brother Jordan conditionally. He’s lost his big brother, his best friend and partner in crime. He died at the age of fifteen – he will never again experience another morning, the kiss of a girl, graduate or have the job of his dreams. The relationship they shared was special and his loss hits Edward the most. I was extremely drawn to Edward’s character, the loneliness just emanated from within the pages out to me. The crash had created an almost physical barrier between him and the world. Only the love and support of his aunt and uncle, Shay and his headmaster enabled him to know what his direction in life should be – helping people.

Living with his aunt and uncle was no easy task for Edward. These were two people he hadn’t had a huge amount of contact with over the years. They both, as a married couple, had had their share of heartbreak and misery too. Multiple miscarriages had broken them down to the point that their marriage too could become one other thing to add the pile of devastation. His uncle becomes obsessed with everything to do with the crash, the inquest and the online information regarding Edward. It gives him direction – he doesn’t want to lose Edward too. He needs to protect him. Edward ends up pointing out the fact that adults don’t know more than teenagers, they are in fact just older. It’s a thought process that helps his aunt and uncle repair a damaged marriage.

Dear Edward, is a story of loss and the heart-breaking journey from grief to acceptance. You can’t erase or go back in time, but you can come to a point that allows you to accept the cards you have been dealt. It can come in the form of a young man that knows he can give back to those that ache to have a piece of their departed back. Edward can do this, and he does. The incredible maturity he displays at this heart-breaking moment in his life is wrenching. He gives those people something the dead cannot – closure.

Dear Edward, is a compulsively addictive tale of loss. It is an examination of hidden strength and blossoming friendships. It was raw and breath-taking.

This is not an easy book to read, but it is one that, in this present world, has never been more timely. I have always been open about my struggles with PTSD, but I have never come across any book (or really any other sort of media) that has been able to capture the feelings that accompany that level of trauma. Napolitano manages it in a way that is at once both deft and tangible; something like this wraps darkness over everything in a person’s life, and to watch someone stumble through it, was heartbreaking and unimaginably cathartic.

Heartbreaking and very moving story of the sole survivor of a plane crash and how he learns to live life again after such a tragedy. Beautifully written.

I know, I know, this was one of the ‘most anticipated’ books of the year. And I know lots of readers have really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure, but picked it up on account of its grief-lit potential.

Now I realise that I’m not the right audience for Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano.

It’s the story of twelve-year-old Edward Adler, who’s on a flight to Los Angeles with his parents, brother, and 183 other passengers, when the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor.

I felt optimistic about the grief-lit potential when the story began at the airport and then jumped forward to post-crash. Excellent, I didn’t particularly want to read the ‘action’ around something we know (from the blurb) happens. But then Napolitano switches back to what happens on board the plane, and introduces a number of other characters, including a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured vet returning from Afghanistan, and an elderly business tycoon. From there, the story shifts between the dual narratives – what happens on board the plane before the crash and what happens afterwards. The structure of the novel is obvious and tedious.

In terms of how grief was examined, there were some notable moments – instead of confronting Edward about his circumstances, Edward’s new school principal gives him the job of tending some precious ferns, and through this shared task, they form a friendship. The principal is perceptive and caring, without pandering to Edward – a contrast to the other adults in his life who were doing whatever it took to ‘make him happy’ (which Edward says makes him feel worse because nothing makes you happy when your ‘…whole life fell out of the sky’).

Equally good was the way in which Edward slowly understands that he does not have the monopoly on grief. For example, after months of living with his aunt and uncle he realises that when he lost his mother, his aunt lost her sister. Understanding his loss, and that of the families of the other 183 passengers becomes central to the post-crash story. The way Napolitano introduces this – through letters people write to Edward, the ‘miracle boy’ – again becomes quite repetitive in terms of structure. It culminates in a Hallmark ending which I’m sure lots of readers loved, but left me rolling my eyes.

Toward the end of the story, another important grief theme is introduced. Edward asks his counsellor when he will be ‘over’ his loss. His counsellor explains that his grief is not going away and that ‘…what you’ve been working on…is learning to live with that.’ My interest in grief stories is exactly that – seeing how people learn to live with something that is incredibly painful. Because they do learn.

This book is well written but I felt it fell short in terms of creative structure and emotional depth.

2/5 Okay.

I received my copy of Dear Edward from the publisher, Viking Books, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A very unusual book. Eddie is the sole survivor of a plane crash...how will he cope, and how did it happen? We’re taken through the final hours and minutes of the flight, and the years after in Eddie’s, now Edward’s new life.
A fantastic, very moving story, that never drifts into mawkishness. I really enjoyed it.

This an easy to read, gentle novel, belying the quite terrifying subject matter. Edward aged 12 is the only survivor of a plan crash that kills his family and nearly 200 other people. We jump back and forth in time between Edward after the crash, in a state of deep trauma, living with his bewildered aunt and uncle (themselves grieving), starting a new school, trying to exist if not actually live; and the events leading up to the crash itself - the inner thoughts of some of the other passengers, the pilots, the crew.
I put off reading this book for ages I admit. Surely no one actually loves flying - ok, that liminal space is fascinating in its own way, and the rituals of the journey, and the funny little meals, and the excitement about what happens at the other end. But ultimately, aren't these all distractions from the fact that at any moment this big metal bird could fall out of the sky and end it all? And when that actually happens, what do you do? So, no, reading about an actual plane crash kept getting put off and put off.
But actually, there's a happy ending of sorts. Life does go on; it has to. And when your hero is a 12 year old boy on the cusp of adulthood, grieving for an adored big brother and a mother and father who loved him, you do feel an obligation to push through for Edward. As those around him do in this lovely book. The reactions to a celebrity in their midst paint the extras in a realistically unflattering light; but those closer to him are just trying to do their best, and protect the boy from more harm. He's a beautifully drawn character who will make you look towards the children in your own life, wondering what if. Hoping that if the worst happened, they too would be surrounded by care and love, as Edward is.

This was slightly disappointing. It was very bleak, and although the writing is beautiful it didn't really grab me.

This is not my usual type of read as I like a good thriller but this book is worth a read
Eddie is a story of a 12 year old boy that is the lone survivor of a plane crash that takes not only his mom, dad, and brother but all the other passengers. except him.
How do you live with that guilt , pick up your life and start again
Moving in with his Aunt & her husband his only relatives they have no children of their own so how do you deal with a grieving 12 year old his Aunt is also grieving for her sister.
This story takes you behind the scenes into the lives of of the people on the plane and then how Edward learns to cope with his loss and move on will he ever heal or feel normal again,
Tear jerking but also thought provoking and well written

After a tragic plane crash, twelve year old Eddie is the only survivor. His aunt and uncle take him in and with the help of a good friend he eventually manages to find himself and rebuild his life.
He discovers hundreds of letters sent to him by relatives and friends of the crash victims and in reading them starts to come to terms with what happened.

The story is written from Edward's point of view in the present day, and from the views of some of the passengers on the plane. I liked this format and found it so sad reading the passengers hopes and thoughts, knowing they were going to die.

Initially, I didn't really warm to Edward's character as he was so closed off. About 2/3 of the way through the book I started to like him.
I'm not sure how realistic the scenario is where everyone dies at the scene apart from Edward, who is conscious and lucid enough to shout for help.
I also found it odd that no one really queried him sleeping at his neighbour's every night for years.
His aunt and uncle had their own problems to deal with and everything would have been traumatic for them too, however, they seemed to let Edward do what he wanted.

The ending was alright but a wee bit twee, predictable and cliche for my liking.

It is a work of fiction and a different idea for a novel, but not the most cheerful.

I would recommend it and would read more by this author.

Thanks to Penguin Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book to review.

Dear Edward is a coming of age with a difference. Imagine if your nearest and dearest were all wiped out in one tragic event – one which you miraculously survived, if this happened when you were just 12 years old how would YOU cope? Unimaginable? Yes, thank God, but the author has managed to put herself in this position and tell the story of survivor Edward and allow us as reader to walk in his shoes. It is done very well too.

In a series of flashbacks to just before the terrible tragic plane crash at the heart of this novel, we come to know Eddie as he was, when he had a loving Mother and Father and his older brother Jordan who was his hero, whilst we join Edward as he now prefers to be known as he emerges alone from injuries and trauma he sustained.

As would be expected the main after effects are deeply psychological and Edward finds it really hard to fit in anywhere and be just a normal boy. His miraculous survival have made him an overnight celebrity and it seems like he is being pulled in hundreds of different directions at one when all he wants to do is keep his head down and grieve.

But redemption comes in a new friendship. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the girl next door, Shay. Truths emerge about the Aunt and Uncle who take him in and we see the hitherto childless couple adapt to losing their relatives and bringing up a deeply troubled pre-teen boy.

Also I liked hearing snippets of the lives of many who have also lost a loved one in the same incident, although I found it pretty unlikely that just about every single relative who lost a loved on would all independently write to a young boy, these letters form the Dear Edward of the title and actually play a big part in his recovery.

The book is heartwarming yet deeply disturbing and I would advise it may prove a difficult read if you have experienced loss of a loved one or have a teenage boy yourself.

Emotional and uplifting.

Quite a sad story about a twelve year old boy that is the sole saviour of an airplane crash. The story details his life about how he comes to terms with losing his family and learns to live without them. A good read

It has took me a while to get round to reading this one. When I first started reading this book I didn't think I was going to enjoy it. It took me about a third of the book to get interested. The book jumps from the crash to the present which was good as it didn't give details as to why it crashed at first and leaves you wondering. The ending was great pulled it back from a three start rating to the four I will give it.

How do we deal with the loss of family? That's the main storyline in this story. We all do it in our own way, some handle it themself and others need a support system... This book is about that support system, and it blows it up into huge proportions. Overdone in it's emotions and attempt to portrait a 'miracle'; IMHO.

Besides that, there's some issues with the story, contradictions and so on.

Nice attempt but didn't touch me, but I understand there's a huge market for this book.

o: I like the cover :)

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately just could not get into it. I finished reading it but just did not enjoy the journey.

So intriguing. A wonderful character-study, this novel is teeming with life and love. It is an emotional journey, but so worth it. A fantastic trip.

A beautifully written story of love and loss, hope, resilience, kindness and human connection.

The characters are an interesting collection of people and well developed by the author. The two timelines - during the flight itself and Edward’s life after the crash - are easy to follow and flow very well.

Despite the basis of this story being the tragedy of a plane crash and the loss of human life, I found the story uplifting and satisfying. I would certainly recommend this book.

I am grateful to the publisher, Viking Books (UK) for a digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This isn’t the kind of book I would usually read, but I so enjoyed it.
12 year old Eddie is moving to LA with his family, when the plane he is in crashes. 191 people died, he is the only survivor.
Now Edward, he goes to live with his Aunt & Uncle.
This story is about Edward’s journey to recovery and a new life that he didn’t ask for.
He befriends Shay, a girl the same age who lives next to his Aunt, she becomes his mainstay and together they face the world.
The book is well written and I really felt like I got to know the characters. Thoroughly recommended.

Dear Edward, tells the story of a 12 year old boy, the only survivor of a plane crash which claims the lives of all passengers, including Edward’s entire family. The story alternates back and forth, the time before the crash and the time after. Before the crash we are introduced to multiple characters on the plane, their backgrounds and stories. The timeline after the crash shows how things change drastically for Edward and how he slowly begins to put his life back together after this devastating time. I much preferred finding out the lives of the other characters and their family members who were left behind, than those chapters with Edward. Although this is a well written novel, I feel that I didn’t connect in the way that I wanted to with Edward’s character. Overall, I liked the book but it didn’t pull at my heartstrings in the way that I badly wanted it to.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press/Random House

Wow, this book was simply beautiful. This coming of age story of a poor boy tragically orphaned at 12, when he is the sole survivor or a plane crash, we follow Edward and his heart wrenching journey of grief and discovery.

Well written, handled beautifully

This book is gripping, emotive and moving as we follow Edward's journey following being the only survivor of a plane crash as a 12 year old boy.