I loved this. I kept thinking about it while I was doing other things, and wanting to get back to Edward to find out how things were going.

This story was so much more than I expected, but thankfully Napolitano didn’t rely on her book’s promising premise. She wrote the hell out of this and created an irresistible and true-feeling character in Edward.

The messy zigzags Edward takes toward growing and changing and understanding himself and what life should be are made richer and more hard-won by the moments when he realistically freezes, when he questions everything, when he searches desperately for meaning, and by his sometimes clumsy attempts but ultimately beautiful success at connecting with others.

Nothing is too easy here, nor is it ever melodramatic in Napolitano’a hands. Edward tries on the mantle of taking responsibility for every life lost, he wallows in the despair of others and their hopes that he will pursue their loved ones’ lost dreams and right their wrongs, then he messily works out how to create his own lucky, unshackled, truest life.

I was given an advance reader’s copy of this book by Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my. Oh MY! What a treasure! I looked to see if the author had had any experience with survivors of mass tragedies, but that was not cited. The story, the characterization, the emotional pain and the growth were so heart felt, it was hard to believe that they had not been experienced (or at least witnessed) first hand by the author.

There’s no way that I could possibly do justice to this beautiful book in a review. Let me just say, “Read it. You’ll never be the same.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely put Napolitano on my list of authors to seek out.

Great, absorbing and engrossing read. A troubled family is moving to LA and boards a plane, encountering fellow passengers and their stories during the flight. Midway through the flight, the plane crashes and the only survivor is 10 year old Eddie (later Edward). The novel told in alternating chapters of his life in the months and years following the crash, and the individual stories of the passengers he and his family members encountered during the flight. Very interesting take on grief, memory, and resilience.

This poignant, bittersweet tale of loss, and coping with its grief, grabbed hold of my heart and still has not let go.

Written in parallel storylines, the transitions between the two are smooth and keep the story moving along. I savored every chapter. Edward will be in my head for a long time.

Oh, how I loved this book! Edward was a ten-year-old sole survivor of a plane crash that kills his mother, father, brother, and 183 other passengers. Edward’s childless Aunt and Uncle take him, but in addition to losing a sister in the crash, the couple is grappling with another significant loss. On the first day at his new home, he meets one of my all-time favorite literary characters, Shay.

The exploration of what Edward might represent to the victim’s family was fascinating. With nearly 200 victims, the author could explore the many dimensions of grief. I was pleasantly surprised by the array of viewpoints, particularly the one from the first responders.

I enjoyed the back-and-forth between Edward’s survival journey and the drama(s) that unfolded on the flight. Included in the many riveting backstories was the fact that Edward’s mother was sitting at the front of the plane while they were in the back. So many things to unpack in that thread. She was the primary breadwinner, and the family was moving across the country for her career. She spent weeks leading up to the flight meticulously preparing the moving boxes leaving no time to get her work done. So, she booked herself a first-class seat so she could meet a deadline. I was on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out if she would be reunited with her family before the crash.

I thought it was genius of the author to have our protagonist go through this tragedy during his most formative years. As if being a teenager and figuring out what you want to be in life isn’t hard enough! It was interesting to see Edward’s transformation from the tragedy shift once he reached the age his brother had been when he died.

A minor point that tickled me was the role math plays in the book. I loved that Edward’s father was a math geek, and how formulas and equations brought him peace and made him remember his father fondly. Sweet.

An enthusiastic five stars for Dear Edward. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Books, and Ann Napolitano for an ARC of Dear Edward in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What a great book. Very well written. The story tells the story of Eddie, the sole survivor of a plane crash as well as the last hours of the flight. I couldn’t put it down.

A fascinating premise--a young boy is the sole survivor of a horrible plane crash. I loved the parts where he was trying to figure out who he is without his family who all died in the crash. On the other hand, I felt like we learned too much about the other victims who were not related to Edward. They got as much page time (it seemed) as everyone else. It's a fictionalized tragedy. I didn't feel like I needed to know so much about them. Edward's story was much more interesting but I felt like it lacked a bit because of all the attention spent on other people.

This book is set around the plane crash that occurs when Edward (the sole survivor) and his family are moving to a new state. The book alternates chapters between talking about the plane ride prior to the crash, and then talking about Edward's life after the crash when he moves in with his Aunt and Uncle. In the chapters about the plane ride we learn about the lives of some of the other individuals on the plane ride. Family members of those who died in the plane crash write letters to Edward asking them if he met their loved one. This made me realize how little interaction we have on a plane ride with the people around us and how if that was me I probably would not have met anyone. I really liked this book!

DEAR EDWARD is a beautiful novel that has the potential to greatly impact its readers. I particularly enjoyed Eddie's journey of self discovery after being the sole survivor of the plane crash and how he eventually discovered his place in the world. I was surprised at how tenderly his friendship with Shay was portrayed and appreciate how Napolitano developed his relationship with his aunt and uncle. I did feel that the novel was slightly too long. While I understand why the author wished to include the flashbacks to the day of the plane crash, at times they interrupted the flow of the present-day narrative.

Different. I could find nothing to compare with Dear Edward. On the surface it's the story of a horrific plane crash and of Edward, the twelve year old sole survivor. Chapters bounce back and forth between the passengers on the flight and the quiet voice of Eddie, his soul hunkered down inside Edward, an outwardly almost normal, automaton. Edward leaves the hospital with an aunt and uncle he doesn't know well, lives in their house in a new town, goes to a different school. Everything Eddie ever knew is gone: his mother, his father, his brother, his home, his friends. The girl next door is his age and he grasps onto her as a lifeline, his only friend in an empty world.
The chapters about the flight are told from different passengers viewpoint. We see families at the airport before takeoff and slip into the lives of several on the flight of several hours. A wounded soldier going home to his grandmother, a young woman with a positive pregnancy kit who's unsure how her boyfriend in California will react, a rich old man dying of cancer, a young stockbroker, and of course, Eddie's family.

The book is half over before the two story lines begin to intertwine and we see the meaning behind the title. No spoilers. This is partly a coming of age story. The ending is upbeat, maybe a little too pat for some readers. I liked it.

This was a beautifully written book that's ostensibly about a boy who survives a plane crash, but is more so about life and loss. It's about the labels we give some lives, as "special" and the expectations we place on those lives, while the rest of us are given the freedom to coast with lives that are merely "ordinary" in comparison.

Before I read this book, I had read some reviews expressing irritation with its structure. You know from the very beginning that everyone on the plane is going to die but Edward, and yet the author keeps returning to that flight and handful of key characters who are on it. I can see why that bothered some readers. However, those people all end up having some sort of impact on Edward's life or the choices he makes. Those people are worth getting to know, even if they don't have a heroic role to play in the story.

That's not to say though that this artistic choice was in no way problematic. I do think the back and forth interrupted the flow of the story a bit and meant that the pacing in the middle portion of the book lagged. However, I thought the book was so masterfully pulled together at the end, it didn't bother me much overall.

Basically these are small quibbles. Overall, this is close to a five star book for me personally, with some touching passages in it including this one, when Edward asks a fortune teller what he's supposed to do with this miraculous life he'd been gifted and she says simply, "The same thing we all must do. Take stock of who we are, and what we have, and then use it for good."

Like I said... beautiful.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it. Eddie and his family are leaving NY to start new lives in CA where his mom's job is taking them, or so they think. Tragedy strikes and drastically stops that plan. How do you pick up pieces too broken to fix?
Without good vying it away, let's say that survivors can have very moment axed emotions and can't always find that forward path easily. Friends and family help us be the people that we are meant to be. Dear Edward was handled in a very believable way and tastefully done. A new author for me!
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a unique and captivating story. Edward and his brother and parents were on a plane as they were moving from New York to Los Angeles. The plane crashes, 191 passengers were killed and Edward is the sole survivor. He is taken in by his Aunt and Uncle who have no other children. Edward is physically broken, emotionally as well. He becomes friends with Shay who lives next door and she becomes his rock. Edward has to learn to live again, and want to live. It is a beautiful story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“The air between us is not empty space.”
Dear Edward is a beautifully and powerfully written account of tragedy and how one boy is able to finally recover through the relationships he’s built over his lifetime. Napolitano delivers a deeply moving novel that takes us through strands of understanding in order to piece together events and truths that allow us, as humans, to live and love.
There are poignant messages throughout the story that give life lessons and clarity not only to Edward, but also to the reader. I have not encountered a book I’ve liked this much in a while, and even though the beginning had me a bit on my toes, once I settled into the characters and plot, my heart was stolen.

I'm struggling to find the adjective for this book...I've cycled through profound, amazing, deep, intelligent. All fit, yet none are enough. This is hot chocolate and butter cookies on a cold winter night....honestly, it is that perfect. 12 year old Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills 191 people, including his mother, father, and brother and this is the story of moving through life with the weight of grief coupled with survivor's guilt. Although this is Edward's story, you get to know others on the flight as well which adds nuance and depth. You will care deeply about the characters, and it will lift you up and break your heart, sometimes in the same sentence. I loved this book and will be recommended it to all my reader friends. This one is too good to keep quiet about; I'm just sad that I have to wait until January to start giving it as a gift! Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing an advanced copy for review.

Edward Adler, 12 years old, is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills 191 people including his own family. How would anyone exist after that?

This book is a mosaic of emotion, told through the thoughts of a young boy who doesn't want the fame suddenly thrust on him, but also told through the passengers on the plane with flashbacks throughout the book to that faithful day. You are given a glimpse into the final hours of those with no idea this will be their last day on earth and their thoughts and desires as they hurl toward their destiny.

This is a sojourn into tragedy and the road to the other side for Edward is painted with empathy, remorse, despair, guilt, and yes redemption, where he learns not only to survive, but live again.

Highly recommended!

Surviving a tragedy can bring unwanted notoriety. Twelve year old Edward, the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed 190 people, including his family, is the object of such scrutiny. After Edward leaves the hospital, he goes to live with his aunt and uncle. Edward is treated with kid gloves by everyone, except for Shay who is the girl next door. Edward’s story is told in present time and partially through flashbacks to the plane trip. As Edward grows up, he feels stuck in an emotional vacuum. But then he discovers the letters...letters from the families and friends of his fellow passengers. Edward is finally able to break gown the walls he’s built around his heart.

I really enjoyed this exploration into what the lone survivor of a plane crash would feel. The author does a great job of giving voice to Edward, a character I grew to love as the novel progressed. It was also interesting to see a peek into the lives of a few of the other passengers on the flight. Napolitano is a beautiful writer and I highly recommend this book.

There are moments in our lives that forever change us - there is no going back to the people we were before. Often, these life-changing moments are accompanied by intense grief, as in the case of young Edward Adler, the only survivor of a horrific plane crash, which not only took the lives of nearly two hundred passengers, but those of his family, as well. Author Ann Napolitano's new novel Dear Edward explores the entanglements of grief as felt through the heart and mind of a 12-year-old boy, who became an Internet and media sensation for being the only passenger to walk away from the plane crash with his life. They say he is incredibly lucky, but he doesn't feel that way - he lost everyone who was important to him, and now he has to find a way to navigate this world alone.

Above everything else, Dear Edward is a portrait of grief, Anyone who has ever suffered a great loss will instantly recognize the black hole that is now Edward's life after losing his mother, father, and older brother. Napolitano's novel is slow and quiet, examining the intricacies of sorrow through the eyes of a child, who ages to a man throughout the course of the novel. Also worked into the plot are flashbacks of the other passengers on the plane the day of the crash. We learn about the lives of those who Edward never stops thinking about as he tries to find meaning and purpose in a changed world.

Dear Edward will appeal to readers who like touching, hopeful stories, that are introspective and reflective. Readers may find that the book is slow-going, but isn't grief like that? Grievers often feel like they are living in a vacuum, making no note or observance of the world moving on without them. While the writing style of Dear Edward can sometimes feel detached - Edward is a tough cookie to crack and let readers in - there are some incredibly moving parts of this story, liable to bring readers to tears.

I received a free e-copy of Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano from NetGalley for my honest review.

A beautifully written yet desperately sad story of loss and finding the power to heal and survive the unimaginable.

This book is the story of a 12 year old boy, Eddie Adler. He is the sole survivor of the crash of Flight 2977. Eddie has lost his entire family in the plane crash, and is placed in the care of his Aunt and Uncle. Eddie, who was once home schooled has to now learn to communicate and get along with others at school. The other students, however, treat him differently, because he cheated death.

Edward's story is national news, of course, so everyone knows what happened to him. Yet, Eddied struggles to find out who he is and where he belongs without having his family. He feels like a part of him was left in the sky after the crash but the other part is here and now. He is torn, sad, lost and confused. You need to read this book to learn his story, hear his heartfelt words and follow his journey of finding his purpose.