Dear Edward Book Review

Book Review by Dinh.

Review:

We are always looking for a great 5 stars read and I am so happy to have a read a fantastic book so early on in the year. This book is definitely going to be one of the best books in 2020!

Story line

Dear Edward was inspired by a 2010 plane crash in which 105 passengers and crew died except a nine year old boy.

The blurb on the book jacket tells the story line well. The story is about the flight from Newark to Los Angles in which the plane crashes leaving one sole survivor, a 12 year old boy, Edward Adler. We journey with Edward as he copes with the aftermath and finds a way to recover from this devastation.

Writer’s Style

With such heavy themes, I was expecting the book to be very sad, which it was, but it was also uplifting. I did cry in some parts but overall it wasn’t depressing.

Napolitano does a great job in writing in a survival story that has hope and new beginnings. This book was tender and hopeful.

I was moved and totally immersed in this party survival and part coming-of-age story.

I loved how this story was told. The story goes between Edward’s story and some of the passenger’s story. The time line for Edward’s story moves forward from after the crash when he’s living with his aunt Lacey and uncle John. The other time line goes back into the passenger’s story before they get on the plane.

The alternate stories with Edward and the passengers were equally interesting and both kept my interest and kept me turning the pages for more.

Characters

The characters in the book were wonderful. All the characters were well developed and fleshed out.

I loved how Edward’s relationship with his aunt and uncle developed. His aunt and uncle tried their best even though they were dealing with some of their issues as well.

I also enjoyed reading the side stories about the other passengers. The passengers were eclectic and the variation of their backgrounds made an interesting read.

I liked that the characters were realistic. Shay in particular felt so believable. Shay’s relationship with Edward felt real. She was his friend but also asked things that a regular teenager would ask and tell Edward things with out hang ups about being polite. She was direct with him.

Ending

I loved the ending and was sad to finish the book.

My Final Thoughts

I highly recommend Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. It was a fantastic read! The book is compelling, with a wonderful cast of characters and although a tear-jerker in parts, will leave you thinking about the book long after you put it down.

Get the book here! Or listen to it for free with an Audible trial.

Belong to a book club? Check out Dear Edward book club discussion questions.