A fascinating story of a plane crash sole survivor as he tries to find his sway in his newly altered world. The book weaves between passengers on the plane, each dealing with struggles of their own, and Edward’s attempt to make a new life among relative strangers. So many poignant moments, so many lessons to be gained from reading this moving tale. Great for book clubs, for a solo read, but I wouldn’t recommend it while flying.

“Dear Edward” is a book with a lot of heart - although it isn’t an action packed novel - it still manages to be a page-turner. The novel bounces between two timelines - the journey of a fatal plane crash and the life of the lone survivor. When I read the description, I was concerned it would be unnecessarily sad, but it balances the line perfectly - it comes across as reflective and thoughtful. Great book!

Edward and his mom, dad and older brother board a flight from New York to LA, which tragically crashes. Edward is the sole survivor of a plane of 191 passengers.

Edward is taken in by his aunt and uncle, where he meets and forms a tight bond with his neighbor Shay. Starting from the age of 12, we go through the years with Edward as he works through the unimaginable trauma he has endured. The timeline goes back and forth between the plane ride where we learn about the other passengers on the plane. I loved the cast of characters and their stories that we learned more and more about with each flashback.

I loved Edwards evolving relationships with his aunt, uncle, Shay, his therapist and principal. Edward begins to find a purpose and the will to move on with the help of Shay and an unexpected discovery.

I don't know just how to portray how much I loved this book. I kept forcing myself to put it down to savour the story. It is a beautiful narrative of sibling bonds, friendship, loss, growth and love.

Make sure to add this to your TBR, it is out January 14th 2020. Thank you to the publisher & @netgalley for this ARC.

Thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.
I'm not a big fan of alternating plot lines, but I think it worked VERY effectively in this instance. It was hard in the beginning of the book, knowing there is going to a plan crash, and knowing that Eddie/Edward would be the only survivor. This isn't a spoiler, since the book blurb already tells us that. Knowing he's just a child makes it even harder, and knowing that his whole life, which is very good, is altered forever ratchets it up even more.
As someone who also had an ideal childhood like Eddie's, it was easy to imagine the overwhelming loss that he must have experienced.

I don't usually track on the aftermath of plan crashes, so I don't know if the "popularity" (for lack of a better word) that he experiences from the public is true to life or not. I would hope not, but fear it is probably likely.

I found the interactions between Edward and his aunt and uncle of particular interest, and savored those parts. I liked his relationship with Shay, though it felt a bit unlikely/contrived to me, thus the subtraction of one star.

I would certainly recommend this book.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it very much. It was very well written and the characters were well thought out.

Dear Edward is a beautiful and moving story. From the synopsis, you know that Edward is the only person to survive a plane crash that kills the 191 people on board the plane, including his parents and brother. I thought this was going to be a sad book, because when a young boy has to now navigate the world losing his immediate family, you think there is only one way this story can go, but Ann Napolitano does a fantastic job of moving the story along. Yes, Edward does struggle, but he also learns so much about himself along the way and you can't help but root for him as he does. The flashbacks to the hours on the plane before it crashed at first I thought would drag the story down, but to get glimpses into the lives of the other passengers I thought helped the story along. The ending of the book, in my opinion was the perfect way to wrap it up.

This book was amazing! The writing brought you on a journey of discovery and explained in the characters in understandable detail. I recommend this story to those who love a touching thought provoking book. Thank you for allowing me to read this story!

I loved this book. Eddie is the only survivor of a plane crash that kills 191 passengers including his brother and parents. The struggles that Edward endures after the crash are unimaginable but the author has a way with her words of allowing you to feel and understand. I absolutely loved this book.

Thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. I put it on my Kindle on a Sunday afternoon and finished it by evening. I thought it was a great plot for a book and I loved the parallel story lines throughout the book, one of the passengers on the ill fated flight and one of the lone survivor Edward as he learns to adjust to his new normal. It is very emotional and at times, gloomy, but how can it not be with the subject at hand? It is sad, yet also provides a message of hope, I recommend this to all.

I enjoyed reading this book and it kept my interest to the very end. A little slow at times, but over all a good story line.

3.5. I really liked A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano so I was looking forward to read her new book, Dear Edward. The general premise of the book is very creative—the lone survivor of a commercial plane crash, Edward Adler (“Eddie”), a twelve year old who lost his family in the crash. The plot not only covers the impact on Edward post tragedy but also has a parallel story line throughout the course of the novel that covers certain of the other passengers on the flight from the airport where the plane took off to moments before the crash. Both of these plot lines intersect with Edward, which really makes it a coming of age book. It is likely many people might like this book, however, I was disappointed. I found it very contrived. In my own view, I found the plot line and many characters largely unrealistic: his aunt and uncle, his neighbor and friend Shay and her mother, and many others depicted in the book. The characters were not well defined but very ambiguous which made it harder for me to connect.

This did not capture me like it has other readers. I wanted more Edward. Just as I felt I was connecting with him, the story did flashbacks to other passengers on the plane. None of which I had any particular feeling about. I think I would have enjoyed more if the focus could have been more on Edward’s aunt and uncle and how they rebuild a new life rather than the other characters.

I loved this book. It was exquisitely plotted, written and executed. Grabs your attention right from the start and when you realize what's happening you sort of gasp, yet can't stop reading.

Do not read this on a flight. I'm flying in two weeks and hope I forget a bit of it by then, ha.

Loved the characters, their development, their growth, their love for one another.

I must read more from this author.

Dear Edward is an unbelievable story of loss, growth, and love that will leave you with insurmountable heartache and in absolute awe. A powerful read and simply one of the best books I’ve read in such a long time. Although it broke my heart over and over again, I could feel every bit of this story within my bones. I couldn’t break away from this narrative.

Thank you so much for granting me the opportunity to read this amazing book. (A more comprehensive review will be posted on my blog closer to the date of publication.)

I gave up on this after reading about 15%. I found the flashbacks annoying--I wanted to focus on Edward's life.

Star Rating: 4.5

What would you do if everyone you ever loved left you behind?

Dear Edward outlines the poignant emotional and physical journey of a twelve year old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash. Eddie Adler is a witness to 191 passengers perishing, including his brother Jordon, and both his parents. As he picks up the pieces, he finds little comfort in his new life. As he goes through the motions of life, he starts to question why was he chosen? An unlikely haven is found with Shay, the neighbor’s teenage daughter. Shay and Edward are coming of age together, in an unlikely friendship that is tested as they grow older.

Dear Edward is not a lighthearted novel that deals with a dark subject of loss, tragedy helplessness, and internal retreat. The narrative is written in past and present, with the the Adler family boarding the plane to its final memorial and Edwards journey out of the abyss. Edward’s current character is complex and unnerving. The characters on the plane are vivid and colorful with their own backstory that will eventually see its future in the form of a letter tucked in a P.O. BOX. The story comes together at the end, leaving the reader with a lingering catharsis as Edward finds some light at the end of dark winding tunnel.

Dear Edward is a well crafted story that divulges in psychology of tradegy. Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I highly recommend this book. Ann Napolitano is a talented writer. The way she described Edward and his recovery and feelings after the crash, were as if she was actually in Edward’s skin. The back and forth between Edward and parts of his life before and after the crash, and the actual time spent on the airplane, were so well done. The different relationships described, of some on the flight, added to the intensity. The challenges everyone felt were realistic and heartfelt. I will definitely keep Ann Napolitano on my radar and look forward to reading more from her. Thank you Netgalley and Dial Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I must admit I was skeptical about this book when I first read about it. But I kept thinking about it so I finally picked it up to read. It’s well written and I like the back and forth between current day and the crash. I didn’t expect to get to know those who died on the plane. It’s hard to even begin to imagine how someone would go on if this happen to them and I believe the author did a good job of taking a stab at the unimaginable. One caution - follow my words not my actions - don’t read this book while on vacation when you have to get on a plane again in a few days:)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

WOW. Just WOW. I loved this book - even though it made me uncomfortable. After all, who likes reading about a plane crash? But the author made it so real, and I felt that I completely knew Eddie/Edward and loved seeing the development of his character. I cannot recommend this book enough!

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.