Dear Edward - Ann Napolitano

Dear Edward is a wonderfully charming, heartwarming novel that explores humanity, its reaction to trauma, and ultimately celebrates our ability to overcome and to thrive.

Trauma, or some form of adversary, which a protagonist must overcome is a necessary part of any work of fiction. Dear Edward tells the story of Edward - the lone survivor of a plane crash in which his mother, father, and beloved brother all perish. How does one move on from such a tragedy? How does one cope? How does a survivor truly survive? These are all questions Ann Napolitano explores.

The novel employs a structure that intersperses Edward’s recovery form the crash, with the story of the plane, its passenger, and the crash itself - a very astute choice, as the reader is kept waiting until the very end of the novel to witness its catalyst. The final pages, which juxtapose the end of Edward’s journey with the harrowing crash which set him on the path in the first place, work brilliantly - I found myself in tears.

“I wouldn’t have done that to you… I know what it’s like to be left behind.”

I don’t want to say too much about the plot, as there are enjoyable little developments throughout, but Edward’s relationship with his brother Jordan was one I found particularly poignant, as well as that of he and Shay - the daughter of his Aunt & Uncle’s neighbor with whom he becomes fast friends.

The exploration of how the family members of the 191 dead passengers feel the need to contact the lone survivor of the crash - and why they do so - was quite profound. By all accounts, Napolitano based her premise on two real-life plane crashes, so had a wealth of inspiration to draw on.

I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of Dear Edward, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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