How would a twelve-year old boy survive losing his entire family of origin, mother, father, and older brother, in plane crash? How would he cope with being the only survivor of the crash, which took, in addition to his family, nearly two hundred passengers and crew? How could anyone survive this?
These are just some of the questions explored in the novel Dear Edward (2020) by Ann Napolitano.
Napolitano switches back and forth between two timelines throughout Dear Edward. The first of these occurs during the hours preceding the plane crash, the majority of which are depicted on board the flight from various passengers' points of view. The second unfolds after the crash, initially in the hospital, as Edward's injuries are tended to, and then later, after he is recovered enough physically to be released and goes to live with his aunt and uncle, who hope to adopt him.
Needless to say, Edward's journey to recovery does not go smoothly. His grief is unspeakable, as is the guilt he feels as a sole survivor. He has achieved the kind of celebrity status no one would ever want, and those fascinated enough to seek him out often say exactly what he dreads hearing—that he is "lucky," for example, or "saved for a purpose". Ultimately, Edward has to return to the land of the living, to school and friendships and activities. How he does this, and who he allows to help him along the way, will keep you turning the pages.
Dear Edward is a thoughtful novel, and the writing is strong and engaging. While my description of the plot might make it sound like a depressing read, I want to reassure you that it is not. Ann Napolitano explores rocky emotional territory here, for sure, but there is hope laced throughout. You'll see it in the surprising ways members of Edward's community gather around him and provide support. If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a village to save a child and bring him back to life. And it takes the unique spirit of Edward, a moving character if there ever was one, too.