Edward is the sole survivor of a commercial plane crash. 191 others on board perished. He is critically injured but mostly makes a full recovery. On the outside. He has to learn, having been taken in by his aunt and her husband, how to deal with the trauma itself and the loss of his entire family as he knew it.

This book started off really well for me. I loved the writing style, the storyline, the before and after timelines of the crash. However, I found it hard to stay engaged and interested in the book. Aside from Florida, I didn't feel any connection with or investment in any of the other characters really. Edward is coming to terms with his loss and while this should make for devastating reading and ugly crying, it just didn't get there imho, for me anyhow. Unfortunately this book was not for me but I am in the minority on that.

What a book. The poor boy has so much to cope with. The fury I felt for him was amazing. The writing was so good, you feel like you are in the book walking alongside this poor boy. Thank goodness he has his lovely friend to support him. Life can be cruel but the people you surround yourself with can be brutal.

This story is wonderfully written. 

Edward Adler is the sole survivor of a plane crash which he lost his whole family in at 12 years old.

This is a heart wrenching and emotional story. 

Its beautiful and poetic. It shows how a 12 year old gets over the loss of his family and his journey to get to him to that point.

If you like stories about loss and second chances then give this a try

A lovely reading break from my usual genre.

Story is on two timelines. One on the flight and one with Eddie/Edward afterwards and how he copes with it all. A realistic plot. A friendship built on the back of the incident. Edward goes to stay with his aunty and uncle who could never have their own children and befriends the next door neighbour, Shay. They find letters hidden from Edward and they decide to respond to them.

Loved the touching end and a quick mention of Edward's future with Shay.

A must read

Not a plane flight read, but anywhere else brilliant.
I was drawn to this book as my husband's name is Edward mostly known as Eddie.
I was gripped from the start by the story of an unusual family relocating, unusual because the boys were homeschooled by their Father and by the closeness and honesty of the family.
Edward is the sole survivor of a horrific plane crash, as well as serious injuries he suffers from survivor's guilt, despair and flashbacks. Edward's Aunt and Uncle give him a home, but they are going through a difficult time being unable to conceive and his Aunt losing her Sister. Edward meets his neighbour a feisty girl who thinks he has magical powers as he is treated by the media as a miracle boy. Edward gets physically better slowly but can only move on when he finds a way to help others.
The story moves between the period prior to the crash and Edwards present life, very well done. Characters are fascinating and technical detail of crash interesting.
Verty moving, unusual story.

I need to lie down or be cuddled or have a big mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows after reading this book. This is the first book this year to have reduced me to a blubbering, red-eyed, snot bubble of a wreck. It’s safe to say that I loved this book. In fact love is too weak a word to describe how much this book touched me. I actually hugged the book against my face while sobbing and making strange snuffle noises while my partner just shook her head and went back to watching TV. She’s used to such behaviour. I loved the structure of the book with chapters of Edward in the present, learning to live without his parents and brother interwoven with flashbacks on the plane from check-in at the airport right until the crash. The final chunk of the book when Edward finds out just how many people have been touched by the fact he survived almost pushed me over the edge. Dear Edward is astonishing.

Can you possibly imagine what it would be like to be the sole survivor of a commercial airplane crash which took the lives of 191 others including every member of your immediate family? Before reading <b>Dear Edward</b> by Ann Napolitano I couldn't either but she skillfully took her readers into this scenario and made it as real as one would ever want it to be.

Twelve year old Eddie Adler together with his older brother Jordan and both parents were aboard a flight when the unthinkable happened and their plane went down. This is not a spoiler as it's right there on the blurb. Edward was the only survivor and the author recreated in exquisite detail the journey through his grief and trauma. Dealing not only with his physical recovery but also the psychological issues. Time had no meaning, fear was always right there under the surface and even happy memories were painful. <i> This is how memories appear now, like a burglar bursting through a locked door without warning.</i>

His attempt to come to terms with what he had lost was overwhelming, not just for him but also for the aunt and uncle who took him in and devoted their lives to his protection and recovery. <i>They have been bucked off the horse that was their life. Their nephew is lying in front of them, broken, and he is their responsibility.</i>

I adored the friendship offered by Shay, the young girl who lived next door to his new home. She was his companion and quite frankly his lifeline. She guided him through some of the toughest times and was there beside him with each step of his recovery.

This was a beautifully told story. Alternating regularly between pre and post crash Napolitano developed the characters of a number of passengers and crew members. This way, not only did the tension build in the lead up to the crash but she provided insights into the relationships between the Adler family and helped us to understand how and why Eddie was missing them so much.

Though melancholic the story was one of survival against all odds and carried a message of the redemptive powers of human goodwill. My congratulations to the author for bringing to life this story inspired by real events. Thank you too to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

4.5 stars on Goodreads.

Not a gripping read by any means but one that I wanted to keep reading. Sole survivor of a plane crash and a child, Edward just needs someone to hold him and show him love. It appears that most people are too afraid to get too close and show him how loved he is for fear of upsetting him. I just wanted to give him a hug. Worth a read and a place on your bookshelf.

DEAR EDWARD - ANN NAPOLITANO⁣
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Im still trying to process my feelings for this book whilst I write this review.⁣
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12 years old, the sole survivor of a plane crash and learning to live again without all that you knew, your comforts and your identity. To Edward, it probably felt like learning to breath again, learning to walk again but without the loving comfort and hands off your parents to guide you.⁣
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When I lost my mum I felt like an orphan at the age of 33. I felt like the comfort I knew was gone, that shelter removed and I had to navigate this new reality without her guidance. The world as I knew it was no more. My protection removed. I remember walking into my garden after 10 pm, in the pouring rain because I truly did feel like I couldn’t breath. So, when I read that part in this book, that pain hit me like a wave. It was far to REAL.⁣
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I think this is the reason why so many people loved this book - it was the reality of emotions that sealed its fate. ⁣
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I loved how she writes so openly about friendship, relationships between friends, bereavement and coping mechanisms. She touches upon such heavy issues but still keeping her book light. ⁣
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This heart-breaking novel consumed my heart and thoughts in the best possible way. ⁣
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The story, itself is told in two alternating plots: the day of the crash and then Edward’s life after. Which in my opinion was so important for character development, to watch Edwards life transform and grow before us. The past and present intertwined effortlessly and the narrative flowed. ⁣
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I was so invested in their lives from start to finish that I did not want it to end. What Ann has produced was so MUCH more captivating and honest than anything I could have read. She writes with such humanity and compassion, the challenges of facing our own mortality, preparing for death, whilst providing glimpses of light and hope in the process. ⁣
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Thank you Ann Napolitano for your words. For Edward. For showing us that we never truly get over a loss of that magnitude but rather accept ou new reality and move forward.⁣
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Zubs 💛💋⁣
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Many thanks to the publishers Viking UK for the gifted copy. ⁣
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Wow! I think this has just become one of my new favourite books!

This book is a poignant reminder of all it is to be human, of how love and pain are interconnected and how beauty can come out of tragedy.

Through the book we learn simultaneously the events of the day the plane crashed and the recovery of Edward (no longer Eddie). The story is both heart-breaking and beautiful.

A fabulous book!!

This is such a beautiful book. Edward is the only survivor of a plane crash and the narrative swaps between the lead up to the crash and Edward’s life and teenage years beyond that. He becomes a focus of interest / obsession of both the media and the families of the victims, and has to cope with that on top of his own tragedy. His growth and understanding as he matures is so beautifully portrayed.

I started this book twice because it just didn’t click with me at first and I found the pace too slow. I’m glad I came back to it and persevered because it builds into a moving meditation on the purpose of life and has kept me thinking ever since.

Our main character is a 12 year old boy called Eddie. He is flying to LA with his family, because his mum, Jane, has a screenwriting job. He is very close with his 15 year old brother Jordan and as they board the plane they are bickering over who gets the window seat. We see snippets of the lives of all the other passengers too: a gay army veteran, a Wall Street millionaire, a woman taking a pregnancy test in the toilet, and the air crew. Over Colorado the plane gets into trouble and crashes, killing every one of these people, except Eddie. The novel then explores how this 12 year old sole survivor of the crash copes with the trauma of the crash and the loss of his whole family.

Eddie goes to live with his aunt and uncle. His mum’s sister Jane wants to help Eddie but is struggling to know what he needs. Their instinct is to protect as much as possible. In this time of press intrusion, keyboard warriors and internet ‘experts’ everyone wants a piece of Eddie. How did this boy survive when every other passenger died? As well as being hounded by the outside world, Eddie can feel the weight of his aunt and uncle’s grief as soon as he arrives at their home. It’s an unbearable burden for a boy who has lost everything. He keeps putting one foot in front of the other, but he’s not really present. He has disappeared inside himself and even his therapist can’t get through to him.

The author uses intervening chapters about the other lost passengers. We learn a little more about their lives and start to comprehend how much their families have lost when the plane went down. Every single passenger had something or someone to live for. The one that really brought a lump to my throat was the woman who has just found out she was pregnant. I remember the joy I felt at that moment and the way I imagined the whole life of my baby spooling out in front of me. For Eddie, the knowledge of all these lives being snuffed out in a moment, is an unbearable burden. There’s a survivor’s guilt and an obligation to value the opportunity surviving has afforded him, But when you are unable to comprehend and accept your own loss, how can you live life to its full potential? Eddie is barely existing and has no appetite for daily life. He’s also aware that he doesn’t have any boundaries, Jane is so concerned about shielding him and doing the right thing, she has created a situation where he can get away with anything, No one dare say no.

Eddie’s saving grace is meeting the girl next door. Shay seems able to understand how he feels, even more than his therapist. More than that, she is forthright and able to say no to him. He feels safe with her. He finds that the only place he can sleep is at her house. He is honest and able to tell her that he is numb, he simply can’t feel anything. He is like a clockwork toy, making all the right moves but without any emotional connection. He has no appetite for the life he’s been gifted. As he recovers physically and is able to go back to school, Shay supports him,

Where this novel succeeds is its depiction of grief and how a huge loss like Eddie’s never goes away, but becomes easier to live with. He slowly starts to heal and let his emotions reconnect. He has to learn that although human connection is scary, it is ultimately the only way he will heal.

This book was totally different from any other story I have read in my many years as an avid consumer of books. It made me think a lot about being the sole survivor of any major disaster. I liked the characters and wanted Edward to be able to move on from his experience. Half way through the book I couldn't figure which way the story was going to turn. I liked getting to know a little about the different passengers on the plane and about their families and loved ones. It was a story that kept me engaged to the very end and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

3.5🌟
The end of this book had me feeling like a big messy puddle!
The book is based around 12yr old Edward who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed his parents and his brother. It follows his life from this point up untill he reaches18 and how he adjusts to life after the event. It switches between present events and interactions between the passengers on the plane that day leading up to the crash. I was totally invested in the start of this book but I did lose interest about 1/4 of the way through. I found I wasn't that bothered by the storyline of the additional passengers on the plane and its not untill the end that you realise what an important part of the book those interactions play. The book didn't really grab me again untill Edward starts reading the letters from loved ones of the people that died. Reading these letters had me feeling quite choked and emotional. The last part of the book where we discover what caused the crash and what the passengers are going through had me in bits! Although I liked Edwards growth in the story I found most of the characters felt a bit flat and I couldnt really connect with them. Overall a good story and be prepared to need lots of tissues

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano is a wonderful book to read and savour. It is the story of Edward, who is the only survivor of a plane crash that not only kills his parents and older brother but everyone else on board. The book is in three parts and tells Edwards story from before, during and after the air crash but also tells other people’s stories,who were on that plane that day.
It tells the story of how Edward survives and begins to live his life surrounded by people who love and care for him. This is the story of Shay, his aunt, his uncle and other people whom Edward comes into contact with.
It is an easy to read story which is incredibly sad, evocative and very moving. In the end it is a story of live, death and whom you love. That then shapes us all to become the people we are.
Highly recommended.

Jane and Bruce Adler boarded the flight from New York to Los Angeles with their two sons, fifteen-year-old Jordan and twelve-year-old Eddie. There were another 183 passengers on board, plus the flight crew. The family were moving to LA after having lived in New York the whole of the children’s lives – it would be a new chapter. But the plane was destined not to arrive, crashing during a storm as turbulence buffeting the plane. When the rescuers rushed to the scene, they found one twelve-year-old boy, still miraculously alive in the carnage.

As Edward slowly recovered his many injuries, physically he improved but mentally he was shattered. He missed his family, missed Jordan as they’d never been apart. How could one damaged boy make sense of what had happened to him? Why was he spared and not his brother? Edward was living with his aunt and uncle, his mum’s sister and her husband and Lacey and John were kind to him. Next door was Shay and her mother Besa. Shay and Edward became fast friends, with her being a saviour to Edward when he felt so lost.

Dear Edward is a profound and poignant look at life and its fragilities. How we take things for granted – each other – until one day it’s too late. Author Ann Napolitano has nailed it with this book in my opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed Dear Edward and with it being my first by this author, I’ll be looking to read more by her. Set between the current day with Edward, and back on board the plane as it moves forward in slow increments of time, we get to know the passengers who are fated to be making their final journey. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

A boy is the sole survivor of a plane crash. Why him? Is he 'the chosen one' like Harry Potter?
The twelve year old struggles with his identity. There are two lives in this story - before the crash and after the crash. He even uses two names. He was Eddie before and Edward after. Before, he was part of a family with parent and a brother and simply an ordinary boy no one was interested in. Afterwards his family consists of an aunt and uncle and everyone wants to know him. For a while he is a celebrity, an oddity. Then comes resentment. Why is he so special?

To continue this theme, the story is split into two narratives. One is aboard the plane as it goes through its final journey, looking at some of the issues of a few characters, considering their life choices and ambitions, as one does on long flights. The other is how Edward copes with his new life where absolutely nothing of his old life remains. He is cut off from the media intrusion by his uncle's protective hiding of letters, documents and social media and news coverage. Edward finds a way to cut off his thoughts and feelings by creating an internal sheet in a similar way.

A few years pass and the boy matures to realise that he is not 'the chosen one' and this leaves him to decide what his purpose is. This is an intense and deeply moving journey, written with the minimal of sentiment and yet is both emotional and cerebral. Written mainly from the child's perspective the emerging thoughts and philosophies come across authentically lateral. The other advantage of this point of view is that the legal, medical and technical aspects of the story can be skimmed over realistically.

In the end we find out why the plane crashed and how Edward was found. The epilogue ties up the whole story and leaves plenty to think about. An original, well-written and poignant story, about survival, identity, guilt and purpose; expertly told and a pleasure to read.

I’d seen a lot of hype about this book, so I was really looking forward to reading it. Now that I’ve finished it, I can’t decide whether I liked it or not. The story weaves between the flight and the characters on the plane and between Edward after the crash and how he comes to terms with life as the only survivor on the plane. I kind of didn’t want to read the bits about the people on the plane as I didn’t want to get to know them, knowing that they were all going to die and I found the parts about Edward’s rehabilitation slow and a little depressing. I struggled with it for quite a way into the book, but I feel that the story was finally saved around 70% of the way into the book with the discovery of the letters (and a realisation of why it’s called ‘Dear Edward’) and the last 10% was actually quite beautiful and bumped my rating up by a star.

This was a lovely book to read, emotional, funny, and gripping.
Loved reading Edwards thoughts, and how he works things out in his own mind.
Characters were brill and a great mix
Very well written loved it

A place accident, a tragedy, but one small boy survives. This delicately written novel explores the weight of expectation on a grieving child's shoulders and how to salvage hope. Beautiful.