BOOK REVIEW: Dear Edward by Anne Napolitano

One summer morning, a flight takes off from New York to Los Angeles. There are 191 passengers aboard: among them a young woman taking a pregnancy test in the airplane toilet; a Wall Street millionaire flirting with the air hostess; an injured soldier returning from Afghanistan; and two beleaguered parents moving across the country with their adolescent sons, bickering over who gets the window seat. When the plane suddenly crashes in a field in Colorado, the younger of these boys, 12-year-old Edward Adler, is the sole survivor.

Dear Edward depicts Edward's life in the crash's aftermath as he struggles to make sense of the meaning of his survival, the strangeness of his sudden fame, and find his place in the world without his family. In his new home with his aunt and uncle, the only solace comes from his friendship with the girl next door, Shay. Together Edward and Shay make a startling discovery: hidden in his uncle's garage are sacks of letters from the relatives of the other passengers, addressed to Edward.

As Edward comes of age against the backdrop of sudden tragedy, he must confront some of life's most profound questions: how do we make the most of the time we are given? And what does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

Publisher: Viking Books

Pages: 352

I am so pleased to be part of the blog tour for this publication, I think it is a book that many will be talking about in 2020. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano is beautifully written and one of the best books I have read about growing up.

Edward gets on a flight from New York to Los Angeles with his parents and older brother. The plane never makes it to the destination, it crashes, killing 191 passengers, Edward is the sole survivor. Physically and mentally broken, Edward leaves hospital to go and live with his aunt and uncle Lacey and John. He and they have been warned by medical staff how Edward will feel different in so many different ways after such a traumatic event but nothing can prepare them for the reality of his long and slow recovery. Edward has lost everything, he doesn’t feel like he fits anywhere until he meets Shay, a girl the same age living next door. They gradually become friends and Shay becomes Edward’s security blanket, with her by his side he feels as though he can start to face the world again,

Lacey and John have tried to shield Edward from as much publicity and knowledge of the crash as possible but Edward discovers hundreds of letters that have been sent to him. Most from the family and friends of those killed in the accident. Some asking for sightings of their loved ones, some begging him to fulfill ambitions that their relative did not get to accomplish. Edward with the help of Shay begins to use these letters as a way to move forward, he knows he has to find a place in the world, he does not need to fulfill someone else’s destiny but he does need to find his own.

Dear Edward is such a compelling story, Ann Napolitano flits between Edward in the present and Edward on the plane with his family. We get to know some of the other passengers in detail and then this is tied up with their relatives writing to Edward later in the book. I very much enjoyed Napolitano’s writing style, she is very observant and includes interesting details that give you such a vivid picture. I loved the way in which she explores and lays emotions bare too. Edward is experiencing so many different emotions and not just because of the accident but because he is a young adolescent boy. He is very sensitive to those around him and he cares deeply. His relationship with Shay is a crucial part of the book, Napolitano captured the easy nature of children especially in the first part of the book. The honesty and perspective that Shay has is vital to Edward, many of those around him are afraid to say what they think or feel in case they should upset him. Shay does not care which is why she is the perfect friend for him.

Dear Edward is one to watch out for this year! Many thanks to  Viking for sending me a review copy and inviting me on the blog tour.