Dear Edward
Fiction
Dial Press
January 6, 2020
Advanced Reader Copy
352
Publisher via BookExpo
What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live? One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them are a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured veteran returning from Afghanistan, a business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. Halfway across the country, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor. Edward's story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a part of himself has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery--one that will lead him to the answers of some of life's most profound questions: When you've lost everything, how do you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other? How do you learn to feel safe again? How do you find meaning in your life? Dear Edward is at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again.
My review:
3.5 stars
There has been a lot of hype for this one, and while there was a lot to deserve it, I struggled with my rating. The main focus of the book is on Edward, a twelve year old boy who is the only survivor of a plane crash which killed the rest of his immediate family. I'm just going to put it out here and then I can go on with the positive parts of my review, I didn't like this kid! I've struggled so hard with writing this review because it makes me feel like such an evil witch to say this! Of course I felt horrible sadness for him at the beginning of the book, but after enough time had passed, I wanted him to snap out of it and create a life that his family would be proud of (he redeems himself somewhat in the end, but it was too late for me). He had a great support staff behind him, and except for his friend Shay, he wouldn't take advantage of them (why didn't he work with the therapist who could have helped immensely?). Now that I've gotten that off my chest, here is what I did like about the book. It's told in two story lines, one is present day Edward, and the other is a minute by minute account of the plane and its passengers before the crash (many of who are tied back into the story at the end). I really liked the glimpses we had of the passengers' remaining moments. I absolutely loved the character of Shay, a teenage confidante, who is the only stabilizing influence on Edward. I really felt for the aunt and uncle who try so hard to do the right thing by Edward after being thrust into parenting a 12 year old boy they barely know. I did enjoy the ending, although I think it would have been even more impactful had I been on board with Edward the whole time.
I do highly recommend this one. I am in the minority with my attitude toward Edward (and I still feel awful about it!), and I think most readers will really appreciate the coming of age story of a survivor.
I’ve read several mixed reviews on this one. Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts