Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Edward Adler was 12 years old when a plane crash killed the rest of his family. They were in the process of relocating from New York City to California, where his mother had taken a job as a screenwriter. As the sole survivor of the crash, Edward's story captures the nation's interest. Fortunately for Edward, his mother's sister Lacey and her husband John care deeply about Edward and immediately travel to where he is hospitalized to take him home with them.
The story line moves back and forth between the day of the plane crash and Edward's life as he tries to come to terms with both his physical injuries and the grief of losing his family, especially his beloved older brother Jordan. His aunt and uncle shield him from the news media and the intrusion of strangers who view him as a Miracle Boy, while still trying to give him a normal life. Other friends use their own forms of therapy to help Edward, including his school principal, his psychologist and his best friend Shay. One night a few years after the crash, Edward and Shay find bags of letters addressed to Edward that his uncle has hidden in the garage, keeping them for when Edward is older, from survivors of other victims and people who just want to urge Edward to live his life to the fullest. They begin to read the letters and have to decide what to do about them. Ultimately, Edward has to find his own way forward and to find closure.
The novel is inspired by a news story that the author read many years ago, about a flight that crashed en route to London with one child surviving, but this isn't just a disaster novel. Ann Napolitano does a masterful job of portraying Edward's confusion and grief as he learns to cope with an unimaginable tragedy and go on with his life. We also hear Lacey and John's story as they attempt to help their damaged nephew while dealing with their own grief. At one point, Lacey laments that her sister Jane (Edward's mother) would be appalled at what a poor job they were doing and blamed it on their own childlessness. My immediate thought was that this is a situation no one is prepared to deal with, even if they have six children.
My heart was deeply touched by Edward and all of the passengers on the flight, from the girl dealing with an unexpected pregnancy to the gay soldier who has been forced to hide his feelings for a fellow soldier. The characters are well-rounded and multi-dimensional, and the story is satisfying without being maudlin or sappy. Highly recommended
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