Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: Jan. 14, 2020

Mini Review

After losing everything, a young boy discovers there are still reasons to continue living. This is just the sort of sappy novel that I usually do not care for. Surprisingly, I enjoyed and recommend “Dear Edward.” The unique writing style is what made the difference for me. The reader goes in knowing that that twelve-year-old Edward’s older brother, his parents, and almost 200 other passengers will die when the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor. The book is divided into two timelines, the past, which is during the flight, and the present. On the plane, we get to understand the family dynamics of Edward’s immediate family. We also meet a Wall Street rising star, an unlikeable septuagenarian business billionaire who is the rising star’s role model, an unmarried young woman who takes a pregnancy test while on the plane, a wounded vet with a secret, and an uninhibited, possibly crazy woman who happens to believe in reincarnation. These well-developed characters are very much a part of Edward’s story, creating interesting storylines that are not about overcoming tragedy. This helps make the novel less fatiguing to read since the bulk of the story in the present describes Edward’s overwhelming depression. The events that occur on the flight are divided by time right down to the minute of the crash. (Boarding your next plane might feel different after reading this one). Even though we know the ending, this part of the tale still reads like a page-turning mystery. In the present, we meet a few new characters. In Edward’s new life, disagreeing with myself, there are characters that read a bit saccharine. His aunt and uncle, new best friend and high school principal are well, just too all supporting and giving towards him to feel like true people. This contrasts with the realness felt in the characters from the plane ride. Still, in my mind, Napolitano’s weaving of past and present makes up for that over-sweetening. Plus, by the end of the novel, it can also read as a coming-of-age story, which is a genre I have always liked. And yes, as the author intended, by the end of the novel I had a smile on my face. Heartwarming stories can be a good thing.

A beautifully, heart wrenching story of a boy who is the only survivor of a horrific plane crash. Many life lessons to learn throughout the book but the most memorable one is - do not waste any time, do not waste any love.

192 people get on a plane heading to Los Angeles from New York.
192 people, from different walks of life, different stages of life, among those people is 12 year old Eddie Adler.
191 people loose their life.
Eddie Adler the boy left behind, the sole survivor.

This book, is the reason I love books.
Some books are sad for the sake of being sad. Sad without adding anything to the story, I often assume it was a misguided "stroke of genius" on the authors part.
But this book, every detail, every tragic detail in this book added a depth to the story, added depth the characters and was perfectly executed.

I generally am not drawn to sad books, as they can so easily come out wrong, but Ann Napolitano wrote a story that I can only describe as poetry.

I really loved this book! The subject matter is pretty grim to start, but the emotional turmoil, growth and relationships are golden! I won't repeat the story blurb, but just say that it was beautifully written and I was very invested in Edward's journey. The unimaginable pain and loss, for one so young, is hard to read about. and there were times when I wondered just where all of this misery would lead. The evolution of Edward and Shay's relationship is the highlight of the book to me. I'm a sucker for endings that are satisfying, or at least complete or hopeful, and this did not disappoint!
I am thankful for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley.

I almost stopped reading when I realized early on that the plane will crash. I'm a really nervous flier. But my curiosity of what happened to Edward kept me going. So glad I did! What a tender, true and well plotted story. I almost couldn't put it down. Edward's grief and healing, along with the storylines of the people who died in the crash were full of humanity and wonder. Such a heartfelt novel. I can't wait to recommend it.

Lovely, sweet and unbearably sad, DEAR EDWARD will make you want to live your life to the fullest and hold your loved ones as close as you possibly can. The novel follows Eddie, his family and other passengers on a flight from New York to Los Angeles. the plane crashes and Eddie is the only survivor. He calls himself Edward after the crash because he no longer feels like the same person. and he isn't. Edward can sense things about others with a new acuity. He can see into the marriage of his aunt and uncle who take him in and try to parent him and into the hearts and minds of others he encounters - he isn't psychic, just unusually intuitive. But Edward is also awkward and miserable, not at all the same boy he was when he stepped on to the airplane. DEAR EDWARD is a beautiful and heart-rending portrayal of how grief and trauma affect us and a journey into finding our who we are after tragedy. Ann Napolitano is simply brilliant!

Wow. This is probably the book I've enjoyed most of all the books I've read in the past few years (and I read a lot). There is a large cast of characters in the book, which may seem a bit odd, considering the nature of the book and the fates of the characters, but, getting to know those characters helps to bring life and energy to the story. It seems to make it all real and personal. As for Edward/Eddie, what a beautiful person he is. As for Shay, her mother and Edward's aunt and uncle, how fortunate he was to have them in his life. And how fortunate they were to have him. The relationship between Eddie and Jordan was a beautiful relationship. I wish my own children had been as connected as those two were. But there was something about the novel that left me with a sense of sorrow even after he had come to terms with the loss of his parents and his brother, and that was the loss of the music. That felt to me like how it must feel to forget how to pray or commune with God and my heart ached for Edward.

I feel like this book deserves 3.5 stars (instead of just 3).

I loved that this book flipped between two story lines; the flight from New York to LA and Edward's life post crash. The juxtaposition between these two timelines allows the reader to see who Edward was and who he was becoming as each chapter progressed. Without providing any spoilers, I just enjoyed Edward's growth throughout the book. It was a cute and well rounded story about healing after trauma.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano was an emotional book that took me by surprise. It follows the story of Edward Adler, a 12 year old who was the sole survivor of a plane crash. The novel shows his struggles through the healing process the years after the event. At the same time the story also relives the flight minute by minute from boarding until the accident.


Although it is emotional and as a reader I felt myself becoming attached to characters I knew were going to die the novel is oddly uplifting. It shows how people can persevere and not just survive but truly live after difficult situations.

This is a powerful story and I recommend you check it out when it hits shelves in January 2020.

Dear Edward is a story about a “miracle” boy who is the lone survivor of a plane crash. Napolitano weaves between what happened on the airplane and how Edward is coping with survivor’s guilt.

I’m giving this a 3.5 star rating. Here’s why:

(Potential Spoilers)

Edward and Shay’s friendship is the bedrock of this book IMO. Their interactions and natural childlike curiosities help propel the storyline. I enjoyed the fact Eddie received so many letters asking him to basically live the lives of the people who perished. This seemed plausible and very probable. The last 15% of the novel was the best, Edward is basically told there is no special reason why what happened happened. It just did. That really stuck with me given that I had been anxiously awaiting for some type of twist. Sad things happen and that’s part of life,

I wanted to rate this novel higher but I have some qualms. I really wish we got more depth of character from his aunt and uncle. Napolitano spent more time writing about characters that died during the crash. I’d prefer more narrative on the impact this has on Lacey. I almost felt detached from her character.

There are so many characters in the flashbacks that at times I had trouble keeping up with who was who.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RandomHousePublishing for providing me a copy of #DearEdward for my honest review.

I adored this book! I now need to track down this author's earlier novels. This novel is sad and difficult at times, but it is also life-affirming and warm. Highly recommend!

6/25/2019 – Dear Edward – Net Galley – Ann Napolitano – The Dial Press/Random House – 2020

5 stars. I loved this book. It did take me a couple of chapters to “get into” it, though. Once I did, I did not want to put it down and finished it in two sittings with just a brief intermission!

Edward is a 12-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of an horrific airliner crash in which 191 people lose their lives. Among those 191 are Edward’s parents and his 15-year-old brother Jordan. The boys were home schooled their entire lives by their brainy father, so they were extremely close to each other. After living their entire lives in a New York City apartment, the family was heading to Los Angeles for a new life due to mom Jane’s writing job.

The crash happens over Colorado, where Edward spends the initial phase of his medical treatment and recovery. Thereafter he is eventually taken by his Aunt Lacey, his mother’s younger sister, and her husband John back to their place in New Jersey. They have no children of their own despite multiple attempts but they are determined to make a home for Edward as they are each other’s only family.

Edward, being 12 years of age, is at a vulnerable time in his life even if there had been no airliner crash and the loss of his immediate family. He is treated by other people, even authority figures, as a porcelain doll and is pretty much not held accountable and not given boundaries. Everyone knows his story and whenever they venture out for physical therapy, doctor visits and counseling, Edward is subjected to stares and phone photography by multitudes of bystanders. He has made friends with the girl next door who is the same age, and he decides he wants to go to school for the first time in his life. On that first day at school, he is driven the three blocks by the neighbor because the street is lined with hundreds of people who know what he is doing, where he lives and what his schedule is. People on both sides of the streets are snapping photos of him and trying to get as close as possible. Since he is already traumatized, it does not really sink in. He actually lives in his own little bubble at this time and for some time to come.

Shay is the neighbor girl, a very intelligent person mature beyond her years in many ways but with some socialization issues of her own. She has been suspended in the past for fighting with another student. Edward decides he wants to sleep in Shay’s room rather than the unused nursery that Aunt Lacey had assigned him. For some reason, the adults agree to this including Shay’s single mom Besa. I had a bit of a problem with the lack of boundaries given to this boy, but I also could see adults being afraid to impose boundaries on a newly orphaned traumatized kid recovering from major physical injuries.

Ms. Napolitano uses a flashback format to tell this story. The first several chapters are of the airliner passengers of course, but after the crash, she intersperses Edward’s recovery phase with flashbacks to the airliner. She drew an amazingly interesting cast of characters on that plane including a very sensuous chief flight attendant who has an assignation with a male passenger in the restroom (room being a misnomer, as we all know they are more like cubbyholes). One of my favorite characters was Florida, a woman who is very aware of her previous many lives and startles her seatmate with her tales of life in previous historical eras. There is a very wealthy elderly man on his way to LA for a cancer cure, a younger man of the same ilk who wants to be that very wealthy man but while he is still young, and Linda, a young woman on her way to reconnect with a lover by whom she is pregnant.

With each flashback, we learn more about Bruce and Jane, Edward’s parents, and the state of their relationship, as well as the secret that Jordan has been keeping from everyone including Edward. I found myself looking forward to those flashback sections, even though I was totally engulfed in Edward’s new life.

The author has an amazing talent for storytelling, as well as character development and pulling all the threads of her story lines into a seamless tapestry. I love that she showed so much respect for all her characters, including the “kids.” None of her young people were bratty and selfish, but all showed growth and self-awareness and it was heartwarming to see the friendship between Shay and Edward strengthen over three years.

I definitely recommend this book.

I received an ARC of this title from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the publisher for letting me read it.

This was a great book! Very engaging, great story line and character development throughout the book.

The last part of the book seemed a little rushed, but overall I loved the book.

Ann Napolitano’s last book (A Good Hard Look) was published in 2011, and after reading Dear Edward, all I can say is that I hope she’s working on her next book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group, I was able to read Dear Edward and am so happy to have had this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
In Dear Edward, Ms. Napolitano’s strength in character and story development is on full display. Edward’s story is intermingled with those of his family members and of five other passengers on the ill fated flight. Their stories unfold through chapters that alternate between the progression of Edward’s life and flight 2977’s journey to Los Angeles. We get to know the passengers, the challenges they’ve faced and their reasons for going to Los Angeles.
The author also does a wonderful job of capturing the flying experience. In fact, I’m glad I don’t have a flight coming up in the near future!
Dear Edward is not just about Edward, and the supporting cast of characters are well developed in this beautifully written book.
Dear Edward is scheduled for publication in January 2020 and my recommendation is to add to your TBR list! (less)

This is the story of a twelve year old sole survivor of a plane crash. It alternates between descriptions of the plane ride itself and Edward's new life with his aunt and uncle who have taken him in.

The plane ride chapters include stories about the various passengers, none of which I found particularly interesting. As for Edward, he is a lost soul through three fourths of the book. He does have an interesting relationship with the girl next store. I liked Shay because she was a persistent friend who refused to be disheartened by Edward's lack of personality as he wallowed in self pity. It was only in the last few chapters that I became engaged in the book as Edward, with Shay's help, began to set goals for himself and found a renewed spark of life.

A just okay read in my opinion.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

A young boy the lone survivor of a plane crash.A boy who now must live cope in a world without his closest realities..This is so well written so emotional their are ups and downs for this young boy but there are always glimmers of home.Perfrct for book club discussions. #netgalley #randomhouse.

Can I give this book 10 stars? This beautiful story of Eddie/Edward is the best one I've read in A LONG time! Ann Nepolitano takes her readers through the emotional rollercoaster of a boy's journey to healing after he loses everything. It is incredibly well scripted, and touches an ALL emotions. I was joyfully teary numerous times as the people in Edward's life contributed whatever they may have had to help him. I loved the back and forth in time of the chapters. I love that each character was well developed and relatable. I love the lessons learned, not only by Edward, but by those who loved him, and needed to be a part of him. I cried heartfelt tears with the way the story ended. I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading Dear Edward! I will recommend it to all my bibliophiles!

Neapolitano has written a remarkable, lovely, and totally original novel about a child who becomes a “miracle” when he alone survives a plane crash. Eddie is forced to build an entirely new life when his family is destroyed in an air crash. He is fortunate to be surrounded by an incredible amount of support from his mother’s sister, her husband and the remarkable young girl who lives next door.

Eddie’s rehabilitation, both physical and mental, is portrayed with sensitivity. I was never bored for a moment. Napolitano created a cast of beautiful characters, from the relatives who cared for him, to his therapist, the school principal and the families of the victims.

His relationship with his neighbor, Shay, is very touching and allows the reader hope for a happy ending, even in the throes of such emotional devastation. The importance of friendship as a tool of healing is beautifully wrought.

There are ancillary characters that are exceedingly well-developed and likable. I was amazed at how invested I felt in some of them.

I cannot begin to express how totally appealing I found this novel. I think that reading groups will love this book and I will certainly recommend it to my Education students since it will impart tremendous insights into the mind of teenaged boys and sibling bonding. Of course, I will remind everyone to bring tissues because there are special moments that bring tears.

I thank Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this golden nugget of a novel.

Very good. Very engaging. This was emotional in a good way, although a little uneven. You can tell the author put a lot effort into getting the details right. Good work overall Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!