Book Review: DEAR EDWARD by Ann Napolitano

Title: DEAR EDWARD

Author: Ann Napolitano
Publisher: Penguin Books UK
Read: February 2020

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

Book Description:

One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them is a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured vet returning from Afghanistan, a septuagenarian business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. And then, tragically, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor.

Edward's story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place for himself in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a piece of him has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery--one that will lead him to the answers of some of life's most profound questions: When you've lost everything, how do find yourself? How do you discover your purpose? What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

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. 

What attracted me to this book:

I always feel hopelessly drawn to stories of survival and overcoming tragedy, even though I know I may be an emotional wreck afterwards. DEAR EDWARD is based on the true story of a young boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed his entire family. How could you ever move on from such tragedy? I needed to find out ....

My musings:

If you are afraid that a book about such a horrific event would be depressing, then rest assured that DEAR EDWARD was anything but. Napolitano may have chosen a rather scary theme, but she handled it with such sensitivity and insight that I felt uplifted rather than mired in sadness and regret. I enjoyed the clever use of the dual timeline here that slowly explored both the time leading up to the crash as well as Edward’s journey towards healing afterwards. Whilst Edward is out main protagonist, we also get to hear from the different POVs of various passengers on the doomed plane, who Edward briefly encountered on his journey. This element gave the story additional depth for me, as I put myself in the shoes of travellers who are about to die in a fiery crash. For someone who is not a particularly relaxed flier, this book may not have been the perfect choice, but I am hoping that in a few months’ time, when it is my turn to board a plane, the memory will have faded sufficiently enough that an onboard G & T will be enough to soothe my anxiety.

There were a lot of moving moments in the book, from Edward’s grief over the loss of his brother and best friend, to the small snippets of the other passengers’ lives, who are al headed into a future that will not play out as planned. For people with flying phobias, rest assured that the actual crash is described in ways that will not give you nightmares into infinity, but handled with the same sensitivity as the rest of the story. Another highlight for me was Edward’s friendship with Shay, who ultimately turns out to be his salvation.

Summary:

DEAR EDWARD is a story about tragedy, survival and grief, but it is also one of hope, love, and starting over. I made it almost to the end before having a good sob! Whether you cry or not, it’s impossible not to be touched by a young person who has lost so much and yet manages to rise from tragedy – it truly pays homage to the human survival instinct. Everyone who has ever lost a loved one will relate to some of Edward’s emotions as he tries to come to terms with the tragedy, and it really resonated with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.