Wow. This is an absolute beautiful bildungsroman and I'm not even ashamed to say that it made me cry.

Eddie and his family are on a plane from New York to Los Angeles. The plane crashes and Eddie is the only survivor. He moves in with his aunt Lacey (his mother's sister) and uncle John all the while missing his mother, father and especially his older brother Jordan. The story alternates between the stories of all of the people who are on the plane and Edward's life (he decides to go by Edward after the crash) as he's trying to come to terms with what happened.

We learn that Edward becomes friends with Shay, his next door neighbour, attends school with her, visits Dr Mike, a therapist, and helps his principal look after his ferns all while trying to find his place in the world after such a tragedy. His relationship with Shay is wonderful and it's such a moving story of grief and how to cope with his feelings and what he should do for the best. The family members of people who died in the plane write to him, hence the book title, and he decides that he needs to live for them.

Even though I knew the outcome of the plane crashing, the writing is exceptional and I was filled with tears at the last letter.

Twelve year old Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash. He is taken in by his aunt and uncle and has to reconstruct his shattered life. Due to his unique status, Edward is sought after by the media, the public and the families of the other victims of the crash and his aunt and uncle do an excellent job of shielding him from them. However as he gets older, Edward needs to take control of his life and deal with these people himself.
Had this book been only about Edward I would have really loved the story. However, we flash back to the lives of the other passengers some of whom make some pretty bad lifestyle decisions. One is abusing drugs, more than one is sleeping around and one is wrestling with same sex attraction. None of which I want to read about. There was a fair amount of bad language in it which was quite hard work.
There is an anti Catholic sentiment running through as one of the Catholic characters says that she used to go to church, “Before I came to my senses. I was brainwashed in Mexico.” Less sad but more predictably we have a nun with some crackpot idea that Edward’s hair looked like Jesus’s so he must be anointed. Apart from this though the nun is portrayed kindly. Predictably when you drop faith you replace it with superstition which we have in the form of a reincarnated woman who floats through the story living different lives.
So that’s all the negative. Back to the positive. Edward’s is a beautiful story. He’s from a loving family and his friendship with his neighbour Shay is inspirational. There’s a lot to like about in this book if you can ignore the aforementioned stuff.

A sad, yet life affirming novel.
Dear Edward is a beautiful book, and I suppose I should give a ‘you’ll need a handkerchief’ warning from the off.

It tells the story of twelve year old Edward Adler and his survival of a plane crash that left 119 people dead, including his parents and his older brother. The story moves back and forth in time, where we learn more about some of those people who were on board the plane, and Edwards life post-crash.

In the present day, Edwards grief is all-consuming. He can’t bring himself to eat, or sleep in the room that was always meant to be for his Uncle John and Aunt Laceys baby - she is unable to carry a baby beyond a few weeks, so the bedroom feels like a symbol of her serial losses.

Shay, the girl who lives next door with her mother, seems to be the person who holds Edward together. He sleeps on the floor of her bedroom for a long time, until Shays mother decides that it’s no longer appropriate. So Shay helps Edward prepare the basement of his aunt and uncles house as his bedroom.

Edward has to go through so many huge changes after the crash, and I really felt so much sadness for him. Even just going to school after always being homeschooled must have been a huge hurdle for him to get over, but there were also all of the other firsts that he had to overcome.

The title of the book refers to the letters that Edward and Shay find. The letters have been written by the friends and families of the plane crash victims, and Edwards uncle has hidden them from him. And with good reason. These are the letters of the grieving. They all seem to want something of Edward: to live a certain way, to take up a hobby, to do a certain job. There is no way he can do all of these things, and as 15 year olds, he and Shay realise this. As a 12 year old, he never would have, and it would have no doubt overwhelmed him.

I absolutely loved this book. It drew me in to the story of Edward, and I honestly felt bereft at the end of it. It’s undeniably sad, but it’s also life affirming, and I really liked how something so tragic could ultimately have such a positive outcome.

So if you pick this book up, read the back, then put it down again thinking that it’ll be too depressing, I’d just like to encourage you to give it a go. It’s a book well worth reading.

This is an incredibly moving and powerful novel that had me in tears more than once, yet despite being a tale of loss and of grief it manages to be poignant and uplifting. It could be unbearably sad, but it doesn't drift into the territory of mawkishness, instead holding a mirror up to the reality of grief whilst accepting that life moves on. Told from two timelines, much of the novel follows Edward, who at twelve years old is the only survivor of a plane crash that kills 191 people, including his parents and his brother. Napolitano captures the emotions and conflicts within the boy well, truly bringing to life his struggle to come to terms with this new life. Periodically the novel then shifts back in time to before the plane crashed, and there are a series of snapshots capturing many of the other passengers and crew who died in the crash.

The changing perspectives adds a layer of depth and emotional intensity to the novel that may have been lacking had the entire tale been narrated by a grieving and bereft teenager. Considering how little time is actually spent on each individual passenger, it is a credit to the writing that Napolitano manages to bring so many people to life here. Some of the snapshots are entertaining, some moving, others poignant, but each character feels real and engaging. Somehow, in relatively few words, you feel like you know these individuals and I kept rooting for something to change even though you are told very early on how that fateful plane trip will end. This flair for characterisation and development shows through in the present day narrative as well and I can honestly say, I rarely feel the kind of connection to characters that I did for Edward, his aunt and uncle and Shay.

This is undeniably a story about grief and loss, not only Edward's but that of his aunt who has lost her sister and all the relatives of those who didn't survive. Of those who think Edward is 'lucky' or the miracle boy because he survived, not imaging how difficult it must be to be the one left behind. I found this a powerful and true reflection of the nature of grief and the ebbs and flows that come along with it. Edward's journey isn't an easy one and the nature of grief means that the loss of his family isn't something that will ever leave him, but Napolitano describes beautifully the stages and emotions he goes through. She doesn't dwell too long on them though, instead keeping the story moving as Edward begins to heal both physically and emotionally with the help of his aunt and uncle and the rather brilliant Shay.

All in all, this is a novel that captured me heart and soul. There isn't any doubt in my mind, this is a full throttle, no holds barred five star endeavour. It is a striking, beautiful and moving tale of loss, grief, heart-ache, life and love. There is so much here to love here and I don't doubt that this tale will stick with me for a long time to come.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this novel.

This was a refreshing read and take on those left behind after a disaster. The characters were not stereotypes or platitudes but well developed and easy to believe in.

Edward is the sole survivor of a commercial plane crash. At 12 years old he has lost his family and been through trauma that very few people can understand...this story is about his journey through the trauma and into life beyond.
I really enjoyed this book. I found the writing style flowed well and the characters felt authentic and believable.
The way that the author puts the emotions, thoughts and feelings into words is really creative and I found it thought provoking and emotive.
Overall this story is about a traumatic event, and it is narrated beautifully. It made me cry, made my breath catch in my chest, but in the end it left me smiling and I would definitely recommend it. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

How would you feel if you were the only one who survived a plane crash?

That's what ends up happening to Eddie. The book then flits between going through the situation on the plane tracing some of the last hours of the flight which should have successfully flown between New York and LA, but didn't.

Eddie and his family were moving to LA for his mother's work as she is a writer. She is actually sitting in first class so she can get on with some of her writing.

Most of the book traces how Eddie copes after the event being the sole survivor. After a while he and his friend Shay happen upon many letters that have been written by family members of the other people who died on the flight.

It is a beautiful, moving story and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

Edward is the only survivor of a plane crash that killed his parents and his 15 year old brother. This story deals with how he tries to come to terms with everything, and put his life back together. I loved the themes of friendship, family and love that ran through the whole story. There were a lot of different characters and back stories but I didn't struggle to follow along with them all. I thought this was very well written, and it definitely had me tearing up a few times!

Couldn't finish this. I so wanted to love it as it sounded like something I would enjoy! But it was too slow, there were so many characters and backstories to follow and I found myself skipping paragraphs.

Dear Edward is a poignant novel which manages to be both heart-breaking and heart-warming in the same breath. It tells the story of a 12 year old boy, Edward, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash which killed 191 people, amongst whom were his parents and his older brother Jordan. We follow Edward through his recovery, both physical and otherwise, as he tries to come to terms with how to live his life without his family, in a world where everyone knows him as the boy who survived.

The author does a fantastic job of portraying the grief Edward must lug around with him, not only for his own family, but the burden of being the only one who survived. As family members of those who died on the plane reach out to Edward, he struggles with survivors guilt, and carries around the weight of everyone else's grief along with his own, asked to live his life in memory of the others.

The novel gives a stark reminder of the importance of living in the moment, not putting off things we are excited about for reasons that, in the long run, don't actually matter. Anything could happen at any moment that would prevent us from going on to do the things that we said we'll get to later, or do once this other important thing is done. Why wait?

Another thing that stood out for me was the truly incredible durability of us as human beings. This boy, when faced with the worst possible thing that anyone could imagine, was able to go on. Not immediately, and not with any degree of easiness, or without help, but eventually Edward was able to come through the other side, perhaps not the same person as he was prior to the accident, but he was ok. He survived something unimaginable. That just really hit me hard which is why I spent half of this book on the verge of tears, trying to continue reading through the blurriness.

A genuinely heart-stoppingly beautiful book. Have tissues at the ready, that's all I'm going to say.

A massive thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills his mum, dad and brother. The novel looks at the difficult job of him putting his life back together. It is emotional and quite difficult reading at times and very moving. The stories of the people on the plane with him are woven into the account of the crash which alternates with the story of his recovery. I enjoyed this despite finding it quite difficult to read at times. Thanks to Netgalley and Viking for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Edward of the book’s title is a 12 year old boy who is the sole survivor of an aircrash, struggling to rebuild and make sense of his life while grieving for the loss of his entire family. Dear Edward is a beautifully written, emotionally charged coming of age novel that has really stayed with me.

Ann Napolitano writes a beautiful but heartrending story full of wonder, richness and loss.

A plane en route from Newark to Los Angeles crashes, killing everyone on board except for 12 year old Edward Adler. Not only does Edward lose the life he adores; he must also come to terms with the loss of his family - his parents and his beloved older brother, Jordan.

The novel travels back and forth in time between events during the flight and Edward’s life afterwards. The prose flows seamlessly and I found both timelines equally fascinating. On the plane, the reader is privy to the family dynamics of Edward’s immediate family, as well as meeting a Wall Street wheeler and dealer, an unmarried woman who may (or not) be pregnant, an obnoxious septuagenarian business tycoon, a wounded veteran returning from Afghanistan, and a nonconformist woman running away from her controlling husband. These well-developed characters are very much a part of the narrative, creating interesting storylines that are not about overcoming tragedy. This helps to make the novel a more arresting read, since the bulk of the story in the present describes Edward’s depression.

A traumatised Edward, carrying his heavy burden of grief and sorrow, goes to live with his Aunt Lacey and his protective Uncle John, at their home in West Milford, New Jersey. Aunt Lacey is struggling to handle her own losses. Having been home schooled, Edward now has to cope with attending a local school, getting used to the other children, and socialising with them. A girl of his own age, and neighbour, Shay, becomes his greatest solace, and they develop a close friendship.

I didn't expect to become so emotionally invested in this novel. I felt immense sadness for Edward, losing not only all of his immediate family, but also his future with them, particularly his 15-year old-brother as they will never get to grow up alongside each other.

This was a magnificent, moving story of the power of love, friendship and caring, to help a young boy cope with a terrible tragedy and give him hope for the future. Highly recommended, with confidence.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my request, from Penguin Books UK/ Viking via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

All. The. Stars!!
Dear Edward was not what I expected at all when I was offered the chance to read an ARC from NetGalley! I expected to read a story of despair, hurt, anger and upset. What I actually read was love, trust, support and hope.

Edward's family and his new friends are so very supportive and I actually found myself thinking that I could never have been so strong in their situation. As Edward moves on from the crash and the moment his life changed forever, we see his journey of growth and acceptance despite having experienced so much heartbreak at such a young age. I can't imagine how difficult this would be if it happened in real life but I felt like the characters all supported Edward so well that I just loved them all.

What a beautiful read! Well written, beautifully developed and stunningly resolved, Dear Edward shows us the best of being human and I seriously cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Napolitano and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very different book to my usual read but the premise really drew me in. How does one boy survive a plane crash, how does he cope & how does he life change subsequently. Really enjoyed this book which flipped between the crash & his life. Would recommend.

We meet 12 year old Edward when he is about to board a plane with his brother and parents. When the plane crashes down, and Edward is the sole survivor, he becomes the focus of intense media interest. Taken in by his aunt and uncle, Edward must learn to live without his family, in a new state, and in a home that has previously been childless.

This book is a journey from grief and loss into love and understanding. Edward begins to learn more about the other passengers on the plane, and starts to understand the devastating consequences of the plane crash on both his own family, and the families of the other passengers grieving for their loved ones.

Although the novel focuses on a child and was often written from a child's point of view, it sat comfortably within an adult fiction genre. I am sure many aspects of this novel make it an excellent choice for young adults, too, and this book did have some profound observations on navigating a life that has been torn apart.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

A slow burning journey into grief and love, this was a powerful tale covering two different timelines; the months and years after that fateful crash and the hours and minutes leading up to it. This follows Edward, as sole survivor, as he tries to come to terms with the fact that he’s very lucky to be alive, that he’s lost his beloved parents and big brother. The loss of all those other passengers, his miraculous survival and health afterwards aren’t the only important things happening in his world. He’s thrust into the lives and care of his aunt and her husband, who are going through their own unique grief and that of next door neighbour Shay, who is angry at the world and constantly butts heads with her mum Besa. His own grief makes him blind to the goings on in the lives of those around him. I loved Edward’s journey and his relationship with Shay and how they support each other. How, through the discovery all those letters from the loved ones of those who died, seeking comfort, giving him guidance and advice and challenging him to live life to the fullest - he does the memories of his parents and brother justice by his actions.

Oh I really loved this book. It was written so beautifully that it just flowed so well.

I actually started reading it on a plane journey (Crazy!) and maybe that added to the atmosphere that I feel the author built up so well.
The detail she includes about all of the passengers made them so real and I could practically picture myself sitting there among them. She humanises them by including detail about their lives and it is apparent that they all have their issues/problems just like any one of us. They just felt so vivid to me.

The narrative style could have been very confusing as it alternates between 'Edward', in recovery as the sole survivor, and 'Eddie' as he was on the plane with his family. That is fine but the bit that could have confused readers is the fact that the sections of the book based on the plane include detail from all characters in one long flow. i.e. it does not have subheadings to show it is moving to the thoughts and lives of the next passenger. However, the characters were so distinct that I did not find this to be a problem. It really was very well done.

I loved the subtle, simple plot of Edward as he comes to terms with his new life post-crash and his friendship with Shay and his relationships with his Aunt, Uncle, Shay's mum and the school principal. At times I wanted to scream to him that he needed to open up to them more, but if he had it would not have felt as authentic.

I was very keen to find out what caused the crash and a few different scenarios crossed my mind and kept me guessing.

The inclusion of the letters to Edward, quite far into the novel, finally meant that the title of the book made sense. I loved how the letters became a turning point for him and his recovery.

A really well written and beautiful, heartbreaking book.

My ARC did not seem to have the extra content about the author's inspiration so I will definitely be researching into that a little more.

Thanks so much to Penguin and Netgalley for this ARC - I will be recommending it to family, friends and my library users.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

In the summer of 2013, 12-year-old Edward Adler becomes one of the most famous children in the world and for the most terrible of reasons. He was the only person to survive a catastrophic plane crash that killed every one of the other 190 passengers and crew on board. Edward’s parents and his beloved older brother Jordan were among them and now Edward must rebuild himself, piece by broken piece, in the effort to come to terms with a future denied his brother and everybody else on the plane. Edward is taken in by his aunt and uncle but it’s with his new next door neighbour Shay that Edward finds some comfort and it’s with Shay that Edward works to make sense of his survival and his fame. Edward is himself a source of comfort to the relatives and friends of those lost and they write to him, many asking Edward to live the lives that their loved ones can’t and, as Edward grows to adulthood, he must learn what it means to live, not just to survive.

Dear Edward has a fascinating premise, albeit an upsetting one and I was immediately drawn to it. I was fortunate to get hold of one of the gorgeous Waterstones special editions and reading the book was an emotional experience. The novel follows Edward through his teenage years but much of it dwells on the first year after the crash when Edward has to learn to do the most basic tasks again, devastated as he is by grief and also the trauma of falling from a plane. He can hardly even remember to eat. Edward, and the reader, discover more things that he can no longer do. Edward barely talks at all in these early days and so it’s all a puzzle for us to work out, why he can do some things and not others. He is treated with a great deal of care by his aunt and uncle, who have a difficult life themselves, his new friends and head teacher, as well as by the general public who desperately want to help him. The author, too, is extremely tender towards Edward, allowing his character time.

The novel moves between Edward’s story and those last hours on the plane. We get to know some of the people on board, including Edward’s lovely family, and we learn why they are making the flight from New York to Los Angeles. For many, it is the start of a new stage of their lives. We know, of course, that they are instead destined for the end of their lives. This made these sections, for me, very difficult to read. It didn’t help that I’m a nervous flyer!

Dear Edward is beautifully written. However, I didn’t engage with it as much as I thought I would and I’m not entirely sure why that is. I think it may be partly because I wasn’t especially interested in the lives of the other passengers but the main reason may well be that it is all simply too harrowing, painful and desperately, desperately tragic. I loved the letters, though. I really liked the engagement of others with Edward, especially his aunt and uncle and headmaster. I loved some of the people who are drawn to Edward in order to feel close to their lost loved ones. Some of them are very interesting indeed. I suspect that this may be a novel that you will get more from if you invest more of yourself in it as you read it. I wasn’t quite able to do that due to the subject matter but I know that many readers have succeeded.

A sad and compelling book about surviving and moving on after a catastrophic event. It moves back and forth between the characters on the plane and the life afterwards of Edward, the sole survivor. I did enjoy it - even with a plane journey of my own due in a couple of days. However, I also found some of it a little unbelievable in relation to Edward , sleeping every night in the room of the girl next door for example.