Dear Edward: A Novel Hardcover – January 6, 2020

This book was hard to put down. The author’s ability to explain the relationships between people was very relatable. It was easy to understand how Eddie was feeling as well as the feelings of people who lost someone in the crash. The tragedy of the lives lost was also touching, reminding us that we are never promised tomorrow.

A tragic and emotionally told story of a young man coming to terms with his personal history. I highly recommend this book for its exemplary storytelling and how it seamlessly moves back and forth between past and current time.

This book is really the opposite of what’s presented in the tv series. And, the book is much better. I admired the series, but I loved the book. Kudos to the author. The book is an amazing accomplishment and I will read it again, soon.

Couldn’t put it down. That’s definitely a sign of a good book. Very real very explicit. Enjoyed it . Super

There was substance and emotion in this book. It takes you through a journey of life and gives meaning to so much of your purpose. It is written in a way that puts you on those pages, it brings you into the story.

"Dear Edward," by Ann Napolitano, is the poignant story of a 12-year-old boy who became the only survivor of a plane crash. Napolitano got the idea for her novel from two actual plane crashes, but this book is entirely fiction. The chapters alternated in time from the present (after the crash) to the past (time on the flight). Knowing in advance that the people would perish made a difference to me as I read. I tried not to get attached to the characters, but Napolitano made it hard not to embrace their diverse and unique characteristics. I felt a sense of dread and pathos as I witnessed their last moments.Edward's life after the crash is a tough read. He lost both parents and an older brother that he idolized. He went to live with an aunt and uncle, but even that family connection was not enough to compensate for his devastating losses. Mentally and emotionally, he struggled. His aunt and uncle had tried unsuccessfully to have a baby, but a series of miscarriages extinguished their hopes. The only room they had available for Edward on such short notice was furnished as a nursery, which left him recoiling in horror. He never occupied that room, spending each night at the home of a neighbor, where he was allowed to sleep on the floor of the room of a girl named Shay, who was also 12. This arrangement went on for years until high school, which I found to be improbable, but which all the adults condoned because Shay had become Edward's lifeline.Edward was a reluctant celebrity, having been identified as the sole survivor of a major plane crash. Not only did this unwelcomed attention come to him at school, but he also became the unknowing recipient of hundreds of letters from the relatives of people who died on the plane, usually asking if he remembered seeing them or if he would carry out some aspiration that the deceased person had. Edward's uncle hid these letters in a garage, but Edward stumbled upon them and secretly shared them with his best friend Shay. The plot from that point is driven by what Edward decided to do about the letters. Edward enjoyed an unusual amount of freedom, as his aunt and uncle granted him a great deal of latitude, perhaps too much. The story took him through high school graduation and gave a glimpse into how he might decide to spend his future, along with a fortune of insurance money and donations that came his way. While the book is the story of perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, it left me with a hollow feeling that Edward would never fully recover from the loss of his family.

A coming of age story wrapped inside a gripping tale of an unimaginable tragedy…I couldn’t put it down. This book forces you to think about how very short life is and the importance of living in the present with humility and kindness.

This is a great read. Love the author’s style of writing. Could hardly put it down. When I finished the book, I really missed Edward! Will definitely read more by this author.

It’s nice but a little boring for the first half. I feel it’s sometimes repetitive. But worth it for a simple read.

I don’t remember how or when or why I added this book to my Kindle but I must have read something positive about it. I had never heard of Ann Napolitano before but I will be looking out for more of her work now!Based on a true story, the main character is twelve year-old Edward who becomes the sole survivor of a plane crash. The book is split into two parts in alternating chapters, the first focusing on the hours leading up to the tragic crash and several of the individual victims on board the flight, and the second on the central character of Edward, and those surrounding him in the days, months and years following the tragedy. Edward is sent to live with his only remaining relatives, aunt Lacey and uncle John, who cared very deeply for Edward. Though never able to have a child of their own, Lacey and John play an integral part in helping to heal Edward and help him to carry on with his life.The characters in this book are great and I immediately felt connected with them. The story flows well with the alternating chapters and it moves at a good pace. The emotional turmoil and recovery from a life changing event like this is presented brilliantly and the character behaviour feels accurate. I loved Edward’s story but I also loved hearing the stories of the other passengers on the plane and the impact the crash had on their families.This is a beautiful and poignant coming-of-age tale. It pulls sympathy from the reader in the right places with the perfect balance of heart-wrenching reservations and life-affirming revelations. This book is full of sadness, without a doubt, but it is also filled with shared sorrow, love, friendship, caring and recovery.

I am definitely in the minority with my star rating on this books it obviously just wasnt for me.Edward 'Eddie' Adler is the lone survivor of a plane crash that takes the lives of 191 passengers, the book alternates chapters from Eddie's perspective and other passengers on the plane. Throughout the book we follow Edward on his journey of understanding and healing.When I initially read the blurb and reviews for this book I was super excited but I am sad to say on finishing the book that I was underwhelmed. I found Napolitanos writing cold and detached.I found it extremely difficult to connect with the characters and I struggled to finish the book. I found for me personally the story was very slow and somewhat repetitive.I want to love this book, feel emotions for Edward and the other 191 passengers who lost so much but it just wasn't there for me. It is a great premise for a book but I feel like it slightly missed the mark.

Surprisingly uplifting for a potentially depressing subject of one boy who survived an air accident that killed all others on board.Eddie before that moment and Edward afterwards was a clever device to divide a life changed in one moment in time. It also was instantly recognisable as acknowledging that we all have those moments in our lives: defining moments against which we measure our lives. It starts in childhood when events discussed are ‘ before you were born’.Edward teaches us so much. There is his guilt for surviving, his celebrity, his isolation, his friendship with Shay, his deep attachment to his brother, his inability to ‘fit’. It highlights how different people deal with interactions with Edward and how he begins to understand their behaviours.Ultimately the story is about love of each other- the love humanity needs to sustain life and the empathy for everyone connected to that fateful flight is the reason for Edward to live and love with humility.Loved the alternate chapters of now and then and the gentleness of what could have been a harrowing story. The writer has obviously learnt empathy and love enough to share!

Terrible format in this book and the storyline was boring and mostly rubbish. The endless narrative between Edward and Shay was boring beyond belief and totally unbelieveable and the only good part was when I finally got to the end. The exchanges between the pilot and co-pilot were also unbelieveable in so far as the pilot would allow his co-pilot to act so irresponsibly, and endanger their own and everyone elses life. I nearly didn't persevere but thought it must surely get better eventually. Will never read another by this author - whoever told her she could write a novel was totally delussional. Will now go back to my tried and trusted authors.