This book is as heartbreaking and a tear-inducing as I expected, and it's a mesmerizing story about love, family, trauma, grief, and hope.

The stories about the people on the plane were fascinating. The passengers are a diverse array of characters from all walks of life. It was a bit bothersome knowing that all of the these people were going to die and it was very poignant.

Edward's life after the crash was captivating. The people that surround him, support him, and embrace him are unforgettable. Edward may have survived the crash, but the grief and trauma that he experiences made my heart ache for him. The relationship that he develops with Shay, the girl who lives next door, brings a ray of hope into the story. This book made me cry many times.

This book is about survival, memories, pain, loss, and healing. It's moving and profound. You don't find out until the end about what caused the crash. I loved how the story was interspersed with the passengers (then) and Edward (now) which helped break up the grief and lend a lighter mood to the book at times.

This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story about Edward who must live with the horror of being the lone survivor of a plane crash that claims the lives of his family. It is about redemption and guilt and ultimately about love. I read the book while on a plane. Probably a very bad choice but I couldn’t put it down.

At the beginning of Dear Edward, we know that Edward, a twelve-year-old boy, survived a plane crash that killed 191 people, including Edward's brother and parents. We do not have any information about the plane crash or how Edward survived.

The story unfolds in two different timelines. One timeline follows Edward as he deals with being the sole survivor of a horrific tragedy. Edward goes to live with his mother's sister and her husband, who are dealing with not just this loss, but with other losses as well. The other timeline chronicles the flight. Some of the other passengers on the flight are introduced, so we gain a little insight into some of those 191 lives that were lost. As the book progressed and moved closer to the actual crash, it felt a little strange to keep reading. I felt like every time I turned a page, I was a page closer to killing all of those people.

The alternating timelines did not bother me too much until I got close to the end of the book. It started to feel frustrating to keep getting interrupted with Edward's timeline when I was anxious to see what was happening on the plane. That's not to say that Edward's timeline wasn't compelling, I just wish the chapters were organized a little differently toward the end.

That part aside, it was a good book that was well-written with believable characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Dear Edward
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a lot of potential, but for me it fell flat. Edddie, his brother Jordan and their parents are on their way from NY city to LA due to a family move. The plane crashes and Eddie, 12 years old, from now on called Edward is the only survivor and such, an instant celebrity. The novel goes back and forth in time. The time prior to the crash details some of the passengers and their private lives. After the crash, how Edward copes with the loss of his family, going to public school for the first time ( he was home schooled by his father) and living in suburban New Jersey with a maternal aunt and her husband.
I didn’t think the detailed stories of the other passengers added to the story and I did not enjoy reading about them. Eddie’s story was heartbreaking. He developed a deep friendship with a neighbor girl, had some support from his school principal, but others in his life left him cold. His aunt who has unsuccessfully tried to have a baby of her own and her husband were unable to give Eddie the support he needed in spite of their best intentions. I also felt, his counselor over several years didn’t help him either to try to overcome his terrible loss. Overall three stars at best.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

In the face of tragedy, what does it take to find joy?

“Dear Edward” by Ann Napolitano is the story of 12-year-old Edward Adler, the lone survivor of a horrific plane crash that killed everyone else on board, including his older brother and his parents. After the accident, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in New Jersey. While he’s survived, he begins to feel a part of him has been left behind in the sky. How does someone adjust to life on earth when everyone you know and love is gone?

This book could have gone two ways: a melodramatic tearjerker that was a little too Hallmark or a well-written, poignant coming of age story about a young boy’s grief. I’m pleased to report it was the latter. This was a beautiful novel covering family, friendship, and the exploration of a new life. Many thanks to @netgalley and @thedialpress for this e-arc. The novel arrives on stands 01/14/2020.

Ann Napolitano’s book Dear Edward, grabbed my heart & didn’t let go. Many of us, myself included, have experienced great loss for a wide range of reasons. This book encompasses the same questions we may have asked ourselves. At times, I wish it had not taken me so long to find the answers, but reading books, both great fiction such as this or inspiring memoirs including Tembi Locke’s #FromScratch, inspires kindness & patience for ourselves along the journey. Read more on this beautiful book & add this to your #mustlist: A twelve-year-old boy struggles with the worst kind of fame—as the sole survivor of a notorious plane crash.
What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live? #FridayReads #WinterReads

"Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again."

Amazing, emotional, poignant, heart wrecking, beautiful story of a young boy’s survival and adapting to his new life! Of course I’ll give full five stars but having hard time to block my sobs! This is shaking to the core, emotions are all over the place kind of effective, strong reading.

I’m so pissed off myself to take this long to start reading this book. Maybe I was not brave enough to read a story about grief and try to find your way after you lose your loved ones kind of dramatic, sad story. Especially the beginning reminded me of Night Shymalan’s “Unbreakable” movie, starts with a train accident and only one guy is alive among all the casualties.

But this story is more tragic because only Edward stays alive and loses his family, taken by aunt and uncle. Now he needs to learn how to endure his devastating grief feelings and live without his family. But mostly he needs to learn how to deal with his guilt feeling.

I loved Eddie’s growing friendship with Shay and rediscover his strength, learn to be adult and make peace with his faults parts. Definitely this book will stay on your mind so long as soon as you finish the last page and close it.

I’m so happy to discover an amazing and talented writer who could move my world with her gifted lyrical words.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this amazing book with me in exchange my honest review!

I found this book to be written as a very unique perspective into the life of the only survivor of an airplane crash.... who happens to be a 12 year old boy. The author takes us back and forth by chapters.... the first being that of the timeline of the crash...from the moment the passengers board until the final event. And the other is how the young boy, Dear Edward, survives the crash and finds that adapting to life afterwards is very difficult. The book is written with heartfelt insight into the hurdles of this boy, which includes his physical healing, but also his mental healing. With the help of his young neighbor girl, Shay, he plods through trying to acclimate back into a society which includes the families of the crash victims attempting to contact him as the "last person who may have seen or interacted" with their loved one. Meanwhile he is living with his aunt and uncle who are trying to protect him from the outside world at the same time their marriage is struggling to survive. I enjoyed reading the book and thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review, which this has been. #NetGalley, #DearEdward

An original story with great characters. Napolitano pulls life from a tragedy. This is a novel many people will read more than once.

This was an uncomfortable book. You know from the start what will happen so you don’t want to get to know the characters that well. I was hesitant and it was a slow start. Keep reading, though. The comfort level gets higher and you become curious. It certainly is not an upbeat read, though. There is chapter after chapter of characters coping with grief. It has an ending that is satisfying, though.

This book hit me right in that dark emotional place. Which made it a bit hard to read. It was gut-wrenching and raw and wonderfully written. But I wasn't not prepared for the impact it would make. Good read - but fair warning about being in the right headspace for a heavier read.

Get the tissues ready for this one! Imagine you are the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills your parents and your brother. Now imagine you are only 12 years old and are shuffled off to your aunt and uncle whom you barely remember! So this is one tear-jerker of a story that is heart breaking and lovely in its tenderness and pathos. Initially I didn't think I was going to like the structure as it vacillates between present with Edward and his new life and the occupants of the plane leading up to the crash. I kept thinking, we already know these people are dead so why should I care? Oh, but we do! And now I can appreciate Napolitano's story so much more! Because of course, Edward is somehow connected to these strangers whose families need closure, see him as a folk hero, or just want to wish him well. But how does one cope as a 12-year old who feels left behind and must find his place in this unfamiliar family and world? This is his story and it's beautiful and realistic, and it might just make you look at the world a little differently! Hug your loved ones and appreciate what you have; be the best human you can be! Oh, and maybe avoid reading this book on a plane!

Edward is a 12 year old boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash with 191 people. He loses his parents and older brother and ends up living with his Aunt and Uncle. He has to build a new life while living in the limelight of being the “miracle survivor”.

He fortunately is surrounded by people who care about him including his relatives, his school principal and his therapist. Most importantly, he befriends the girl next door, Shay, who he deeply connects with. She becomes his lifeline and it is the power of this friendship that ultimately heals him.

Edward feels a responsibility to help the families of the 191 victims and justify his existence. This helps to ground him and give him a reason for being.

The book goes into the lives of the other passengers and some of this was of less interest than others.
Overall, this was an interesting read. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me and advance copy.

Edward is a twelve year old boy traveling to California with his mother Jane, father Bruce and fifteen year old brother Jordan. The family is moving to accommodate Jane’s new job as a screenwriter. The family has always lived in New York City. We start the story with everyone trudging through the Newark airport, security, and Jordan’s newfound independence. They then board the plane, Jane in first class and the rest of the family in the back.

There are brief descriptions of some of the other passengers and crew that we will meet throughout the story. Each has their own reasons for traveling to Los Angeles; some to start new lives, some for work, some for vacation. At the end of the first chapter, we move to evening of the same day when the NTSB is at the crash site of Trinity Airlines flight 2977 trying to make sense of the disaster. One person has survived this horrible crash, and that is twelve year old Edward.

Now known as the “miracle boy”, we follow Edward’s story as he tries to piece back together his life. In addition and alternating with Edward’s story, we follow the time that the plane was in the air learning more about those other passengers and crew, and how that Airbus A321 ended up in pieces on the ground of a remote part of Colorado.

Napolitano carefully unravels this story in bits to allow us to try to absorb what tragedy occurred on that June day in 2013. She feeds us bits of the time on the plane over the course of the next five years of Edward’s life. It is not an easy road for Edward, nor the passengers as the plane heads to its demise. Edward’s story is fascinating though, and teaches us that in every tragedy there is a chance for hope and rebirth.

The book tends to be a slower read as the story unfolds. There is so much to absorb regarding Edward’s feelings. It’s not an easy read, and there are times you wonder how this boy even survives. It is beautifully written, giving us characters surrounding Edward who have their own feelings to resolve. This book is a keeper. One that made me stop and think and be thankful for what I have.


4.5 stars on Goodreads


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 1 January 2020 .

I liked this book but can't say that I loved it. It started out with me really gripped by the story but I quickly started to lose interest. I think the back and forth between the passengers on the doomed flight and Edward in the present kept losing me, I would just be invested in one and it would all of a sudden switch. The momentum changing lost me. I did tear up a few times with Edward navigating his new way of life and I was so in love with the relationship between Eddie and Shay and wish there had been more of that.

I liked this book but it felt like something was missing. I wish it had focused on just Eddie and his family rather than on various passengers. I think it would’ve helped me form more of a connection to Eddie and the story in general. Beautiful cover.

Absolutely adored this poignantly beautiful novel. I wanted to adopt Edward myself, with all his human frailty and his unashamed love for his brother. I found most appealing the human connections - family, neighbors, classmates, teachers, principal, strangers.....I will REREAD this one. A classic.

This is a great book, but it probably should not be read prior to taking a vacation that would involve air travel. Edward is a young adolescent who loses his entire family in an airplane disaster. The book vacillates between Edward while on the plane, and his life after. The story is heartfelt and well told it gives us hope that people even young people when faced with the worst tragedy still find the ability to go on. Thank you for my advance copy I will continue to look for future books by this author. I will recommend to my friends and family.

This book was amazing!!! Only disclaimer is if you are flying anything soon wait until you are home.

Dear Edward is a moving and emotional story about Edward a teenager that is the only survivor of a plane crash. He lost everything in that flight except for himself. Now all that sounds like a gut wrenching book and don’t get me wrong you will cry ( I mean like ugly cry) but you will also laugh and feel uplifted by all the hope in this book.

I highly recommend this book!!! Hands down one of my favorites so far this year. And since I read in 2019 def one of my favorites of 2019!!