I have not cried like this over a book since I felt Ramona Quimby's pain as my own in second grade.

I wanted to read this book, because I like survival stories. I like to read about courage and triumph. I wanted to read this book to find out why the plane went down, how only one boy survived. But I LOVED this book because it focused on Edward, inside his head and heart in the years post crash. Ann Napoliatano turned me upside down and inside out. And I am so thankful she did.

Edward has survived the plane crash and for that he is famous. But even a twelve year old boy can see how the attentions of the world are suspect when they're not earned. One of my favorite lines was when Edward wonders why the President ever thought it would be a good idea to talk to a young boy who is only famous because he lived. Edward knows he's not really living, even as the novel goes through what it takes to truly bring him back to life.

Told in a back and forth between what takes place among different passengers on the doomed flight 2977 and what happens in Edward's life over the following 6 years, the pacing is perfect. Napolitano knows just how to tease you with the imminent disaster before switching back to Edward's current timeline. The glimpses of the other passengers introspections are a brief window into the ordinary and extraordinary of everyday people. Some of us are good, some of us aren't; they're running to something, they're running from something. Their names may be remembered with some "fame" just as Edward will, but they are all just people. And the true meaning of a life, may simply be the connections that we make with others.

"So much could be solved [...] if we simply held hands with each other more often."

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Edward Adler was the sole survivor in a plane crash that took his entire family and 191 people total. He went on to live with his relatives and deal with growing up without his family. This book alternated between the plane ride and eventual crash and Edward’s present day life.

I really enjoyed this one! It really hit on all the emotions Edward was experiencing. It felt realistic and it was a quick read because I wanted to see what was going to happen. A unique and heartfelt story. Don’t pass this one up!

I enjoyed this one - not as emotional as I thought... I thought it'd be a little more in-your-face but it was very subtle with the grief/death scenarios. Moving but I was prepared for more. I liked the past/present timelines & appreciated the story overall. Would recommend.

It took me awhile to get into the rhythm of this book what with all the different characters and constant switching back in time and place; but once I got caught up in it, I couldn't put it down. The characters are all interesting - and heartbreaking - because we know their fate. Edward's life after the crash unfolds in a slow, painful way and we watch as he grows in understanding and maturity. This is a coming of age book but so much more. It's a way to see beyond the headlines of tragedies to see how people are affected. Sad yet victorious, the story is one the reader is not likely to soon forget.

The premise of this book caught my interest but it didn't deliver for me as much as I had hoped for. I was drawn in by the story of Edward and his recovery, as well as the story involving his best friend after the accident, Shay. The story's other narrative was about the people in the plane as they boarded it up until they knew the plane was in trouble. I felt that this storyline was weaker and it made the book uneven. Overall, the book was uplifting despite the lack of development in the secondary plot. Thank you to netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

his story is of Edward, the 12 year old survivor of a terrible plane crash where 191 passengers die, three of them his parents and brother. The fallout of this event is predictable, but the arc of the story is not, nor is the beautiful writing. As I read of Edwards difficulties adjusting to life, I wondered if I would be compelled to keep reading? Well-written, evocative, even lyrical, but where was it going? Needless to say, the final third of this book swept me into its arms and carried me into the world of forgiveness, of resolution, of acceptance, of the the harsh reality of life and death, of what is owed and not owed. In other words, it blew my mind. Perhaps it had to do with where my own personal life had been as I read it, at the bedside of a beloved son in law, hoping he would live. But isn't that what books do for us, hit us where our souls currently reside? This book reminded me, in the words of Edward's therapist..."What happened to you is baked into your bones, Edward. It lives under your skin. It's not going away. It's part of you and will be part of you every moment until you die. What you've been working on, since the time I met you, is learning to live with that."

4 enthusiastic stars!

I didn’t expect to like Dear Edward as much as I did, but Ann Napolitano took an odd premise and built some great characters and a compelling story around it. Twelve year old Edward is the only survivor of a plane crash. He was on a flight from New York to Los Angeles with his parents and brother. After the crash, Edward goes to live in a small town with his childless aunt and uncle. The story alternates between chapters from the few hours on the plane leading to the crash and from the first few years of Edward’s life after the crash. The flight chapters focus on a handful of characters other than Edward — showing their personalities and where they are in their lives at what turns out to be the last day of their death. The chapters that follow Edward’s life after the crash show his struggle to deal with the intense grief and guilt of being the only survivor. They also show Edward’s connection to the families who lost people on the flight. Dear Edward is intensely sad, but written in a way that’s not overly dramatic or ponderous. I loved the structure of the story, and how the author shows Edward moving forward with his life, connected to those who died. In the end, it felt like a beautiful very readable story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

"Dear Edward" by Ann Napolitano is a coming-of-age-story with an interesting twist-young Edward Adler is the sole survivor of the horrific crash of a commercial airplane. After losing his mother, father, and older brother in the crash, Edward has to begin a new life with his aunt and uncle. What follows is a thought-provoking and emotional story of grief, friendship, family, and ultimately hope and love.

I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did, but it really was fabulous. The store is heartbreaking and brought me to actual tears several times. The ending, though the reader knows what will happen, is an emotional punch in the gut. that caused me to ugly-cry while reading the book on public transportation. I greatly enjoyed the flashbacks to the lives of the other passengers on the plane, as well as to Edward's family prior to the accident. The author's masterful writing makes every character come alive, making it all the more devastating when the reader reaches the part describing the actual crash. Readers will laugh, cry, fear, hope, and love right along with the characters. "Dear Edward" will certainly be considered one of the best books of 2020.

Wow, oh wow. If this is an early sign of what to expect in 2020, I am beyond excited. The story that Napolitano created was so amazing and felt so real.

This story is about Edward, a 12 year old boy who is the sole survivor of a major plane crash. What Napolitano weaves is a tale, one of remorse, love, forgiveness and so many elements that you can imagine.

The chapters alternate to the aftermath of this tragic accident. His learning to cope that his family has died, moving in with his very loving aunt and uncle, and his new friendship with Shay, which she becomes essentially his will to live. The other chapters take you back to the fateful flight. You are introduced to many passengers and all their happenings of their lives.

What essentially made this book so wonderful was about 3/4 of the way in to this beautiful story. Edward finds bags of letters his uncle was waiting to share with him. These are from family and friends of the passengers. I won’t lie to you, you will have tears reading these letters. What Edward chooses to do once he finds them is the most amazing part of this book, and ultimately uplifting.

This book will give you all the feels, and you can tell the author took a lot of time, and paid attention to details to make you feel like this could almost be non-fiction at times. This is a hard book to read, but so worth the journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The letters made the book one I "really liked." As described, this book is life-affirming and shows people working through some difficult life experiences. Napolitano effectively tells the story by alternating past and present timelines so we see Eddie on the plane and Edward who survived the crash. Loved seeing how the letters were juxtaposed against passenger stories. Beautiful!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

12-year-old Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that has killed his family. He is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and learn how to navigate life that will never be the same.

This book is told from Edward’s point of view after the plane crash and from the points of view of various passengers on the plane during the flight. This book had me in tears and it is a story that makes you think about what it means to not just survive, but to truly live. This is just a beautiful book.

191 passengers died in a plane crash, including Edward's family. Edward was the only survivor.

This is a tough read on many levels. How do you deal with loss at such a young age? Loss of loved ones is unfathomable, let alone dealing with it. What happens to your life? How do you move on? And the constant question of 'Why me?' I think the author captured it really well in this novel.

Edward built a wall around himself and dulled his emotions, and was constantly trying to fend off thoughts that took him back to the plane. He let 'Eddie' die with the crash, and took on 'Edward' as his 'new' identity. He wanted to be left alone, or just hang out with Shay. It took him 6 years to get out of that deep hole he dug. His childhood came and went in a blurry of activities.

The writing allowed me to empathize with Edward. His loneliness, loss and despair was unbearable. The weight of being the one alive was burying him alive. Minutes and hours felt so long. I wanted so much for him to move on, to stop carrying that weight. But at the same time I saw how difficult it was for him to deal with it. And he was only 12!! It felt safer to feel numb.

I loved reading about Edward and Shay, how they bonded and became each other's strengths, and how his uncle and aunt helped him to in every way they could, although they were struggling themselves. Principal Arundhi was quite an interesting character too. I loved how he inadvertently helped Edward and directing his attention to ferns instead of forcing him to stick to the typical curriculum.

I especially loved the part when Edward came to a realization that he wasn't the only one dealing with loss, his aunt, Lacey, lost her sister in that crash too, and so did the family members of the victims of the place crash. It kind of hit me at the same time too. Made me realize how we sometimes can become to involved in our own misfortunes, that we forget there are others in this world who are suffering the same fate, if not worse.

What I found difficult to engage in though, was the stories the passengers in the plane. I saw what the author was trying to do, to give the victims their stories, to be remembered, but I couldn't see the point of it as they were sort of repeated towards the end when Edward found the letters addressed to him, hence the title, Dear Edward.

I'm not saying their stories are unnecessary, but maybe shortened, and give a little more focus on Edward. I must admit that I skimmed some parts when it came to the stories of the passengers, because I was more interested in reading about Edward and his present day and how he was trying to cope. And honestly, I don't think I missed much skimming those parts.

My favorite character was definitely Shay. I guess for the same reasons Edward was drawn to her too - funny, outspoken and street-smart. I loved the touching, tender ending. It was perfect.

And the part that got me all teary was the letter written by one of the rescue volunteers that ended with 'I'm here. I'm here. I'm here.' Simple, yet powerful words.

This is a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story of loss and grief, but it is also of love and friendship, strength and survival, and hope and humanity. Give it a gander!

Thank you Netgalley and The Dual Press for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful, feel-good, uplifting story. Sometimes this is all you need. Beautifully written, a story of survival and hope.

Edward's family is moving from New York to Los Angeles to relocate for his mother's job. Edward and his brother Jordan are home-schooled by their father, Bruce. The flight they are on crashes in Colorado, killing everyone except Edward. He is the sole survivor. Going to live with his mother's sister and her husband proves to be quite a struggle for all involved. He has many physical injuries but these are nothing compared to his emotional struggles. He meets his next door neighbor, Shay, and she gives him the life line he needs to eventually move forward.

As the story progresses, we learn about some of the other people on the flight and their back stories.

I was so afraid that this book would be too heavy and depressing for me. It is a very heavy topic and is so heartbreaking, but it's presented in a way that isn't overwhelming. We get to see enough of Edward's life outside of the plane crash to get into his head a little bit and see how he and everyone else around him was impacted. I loved seeing how his mindset and perception changed over time and he started to realize that it wasn't just him that was dealing with the after effects of the crash and how it seeped into everyone's lives. Overall I really enjoyed this book and thought that it showed us just enough of a picture about the crash without going into too many gory details.

My first book by this author and itdid not disappoint. Thrilled to have gotten to read and review this title early. Will be glad to recommend to others when it comes out! Thanks Netgalley!

Dear Edward is a different sort of a book. Edward is the lone survivor of a horrible plane crash that killed his parents, his beloved older brother and 116 other passengers and staff. Edward is only 12 when life as he knew it comes to a drastic end. Not only does he have to heal from severe injuries but he some how has to wrap his head around the fact that he's lost his parents and brother. Fortunately his aunt (mother's sister) and her husband take him in, but he struggle to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Edward can only sleep on the floor of his nextdoor neighbor's bedroom, but that begins a bond with Shay, an unusual little twelve-year-old girl. At first Shay is convinced that Edward is magic, or will manifest superpowers. When that doesn't happen Edward looks farther to find a purpose in his survival.

Napolitano does a fantastic job with a difficult subject. The chapters alternate between Edward's point of view and the passengers'point of view, including the co-pilot's fatal mistakes. She handles the characters with sensitivity without being sappy or maudlin, or too grisly - especially Edward and his aunt and uncle who are dealing with their own grief and difficulties. The story was sad, but not depressing, and watching Edward work his way back into a well-lived life was very satisfying. There was a little adult content, but Dear Edward would be a great read for young adults as well as adults of any age. This is a unique and very fulfilling book -enjoy!!!

Being a teenager is hard for everyone but so much more so for Edward Adler. At the age of 12, his mother, father, brother, and Edward boarded a plane for their move from New York to Los Angeles. Three quarters of the way there the plane crashes and leaves Edward as the sole survivor. He ends up moving in with his aunt and uncle, a couple who had gone through years of fertility struggles and recently suffered a miscarriage. Needless to say they’re ill-prepared to deal with this grieving 12 year old and Edward has no idea how to deal, at all. He wonders why him, why was he the lone survivor? Having been very close to his older brother Jonathan, who by virtue of being older seemed to have so much more of a life and purpose, Edward often thinks it’s his brother who should’ve survived instead.

Unaccustomed to being the lone kid in the home, he finds solace and comfort in the neighbor girl Shay. Shay is a bit of a brainy misfit and in many ways, Edward and Shay heal each other.

Interspersed throughout the tale of how Edward copes with being a lone survivor and growing up with the weight of it all weighing on him, we slowly get snippets about the flight and it’s passengers. I have some mixed feelings on how this is done yet I think it helped add to the story to get to know some of the people on the flight. After all, Edward is not only carrying the grief and memories of the family he lost, but in so many ways carrying the memories of all 191 people who died in the crash.

It’s somewhat tough to write a review of this book because it’s a story where so much and so little happens all at the same time. The focus of the book is on Edward himself and his grief and the oddness of situation and survival. It covers several years, yet most of what happens is internal, inside Edward. This may not be for everyone, but as someone who is drawn to character driven and emotion-led stories, I enjoyed it. I think also, as unique as Edward’s situation is, there is so much to relate to here. We all face grief and loss and have our own brushes with death or things that make us feel so different and isolated from those around us. Yet while we all face these things, there are no easy answer in how to cope or grow from it but much as Edward finds solace in his friend Shay, or in caring for his school principal’s plants, there’s a sort of comfort and understanding in reading a book like this. It reminds us of how alone we all feel in grief and yet how universal it is at the same time. We watch Edward struggle, even discussing with his therapist that he is neither a child or an adult but something else entirely. Yet we also watch him heal, something that is never as easy as it sounds, and even make something, though it takes him much of the book to figure out how, of his experience.

It’s a beautiful book. I was surprised after finishing it to see it’s apparently based on a true story but while aspects this of this may seem extraordinary, if anything, the truest story is in how Edward grows as a person and faces the universal issues of grief, of being a survivor.

WARNING! This is a one sitting, three hankie read. I had a long to-do list this past Saturday. I might have gotten quite a bit accomplished if I hadn't taken a quick peek at this book just to get an idea of how much I was going to anticipate the reading. - So much for the to-do list.

This initially heart-breaking and ultimately uplifting and life affirming novel about a young boy sorting through the wreckage of his life following a catastrophic plane crash completely absorbed me. Napolitano masterfully captured the dull, bottomless ache that follows the loss of a person's core, that person who means the most to you, who defines who you are. Edward's struggle is compounded by being the center of attention both of curious bystanders and as the link of grieving families to the 191 lost in the accident. While my heart ached for Edward and all the others involved with the tragedy, his ultimate path left me quietly cheering.

Many of us know what it feels like to grieve the loss of loved ones, but how unimaginable to lose your whole family at twelve years old as the sole survivor of a plane crash. Who is there to understand what Edward Adler, this young boy, broken physically and emotionally, is feeling? Is there anyone to help him heal, to find his way through the trauma and horrific loss? Perhaps it’s his Aunt Lacey, who has not only lost her sister, but suffers her own personal losses. Or maybe her husband John, who is determined to protect Edward from those who may want to exploit him, from any more hurt. Or maybe his therapist, Dr. Mike. Maybe it’s the young girl, Shay, who lives next door and becomes a source of solace for Edward. Maybe it’s his principal who helps nurture Edward by having him nurture the plants in his office. Maybe it’s the families of some of the others who have perished in the crash. Perhaps it’s all of them. It takes a village.

This is such a heartbreaking story and I cried for Edward multiple times as he grieves the loss of his family, particularly at the moments when he thinks of his older brother Jordan, with whom he shared a special bond. The sadness I felt was not just for his family, but for a number of other passengers that we meet in alternating narratives which reveal their personal stories and why they are on the flight. We learn what his parents and brother are thinking about and also an injured soldier, a dying man, a pregnant young woman, a flamboyant woman who believes in reincarnation, among others. Later in the story we get a glimpse of the grief of their loved ones in a stunning way.

It’s thought provoking in a number of ways - how does a young boy bear his grief, this loss, the trauma of what he has experienced but it made me consider how little we know of the burdens that people whose paths we cross might carry. This book is full of sadness, without a doubt, but it is also filled with shared sorrow, love, friendship and caring. A beautiful story.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.

Edward is just 12 years old when the plane he is flying on with his family crashes and he is the only survivor. 191 people dead and yet he lives. Why? Some think he is a miracle, some think he is lucky and many send him letters asking him to do them favors and lead lives similar to those on the plane whose lives were lost. Throughout the novel, you are constantly rooting for Edward and for those who support and love him. His aunt and uncle, his best friend Shay, his principle and countless others. It is ultimately a story of hope and one that I know will stick with me for a long time.