A review by gretchreads
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

3.5

I have been wanting to read one of Ann Napolitano's books for quite some time, and I picked up Dear Edward since it was readily available at the library. I will admit that I was a bit apprehensive to read it as an anxious flier, but I was fine given that the plane crash is not graphically depicted. It is mostly referred to in conversation but the actual crash is depicted for less than 5 pages of the book.

This was a beautiful, character-driven, coming of age story. Edward is our narrator, but we also get a glimpse of how the plane crash shaped Edward and the lives of his Aunt Lacey, Uncle John, and best friend Shay. I particularly loved how the glimpses into his fellow travelers' lives from the dual timeline were interwoven into the present.

While this quote refers to being the sole survivor of the plane crash, it is one that I think it applicable to many of life challenges.

“Edward. It lives under your skin. It’s not going away. It’s part of you and will be part of you every moment until you die. What you’ve been working on, since the first time I met you, is learning to live with that.”
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