Description

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A transcendent coming-of-age story about the ways a broken heart learns to love again.

One summer morning, a flight takes off from New York to Los Angeles: there are 192 people aboard. When the plane suddenly crashes, twelve-year-old Edward Adler is the sole survivor.

In the aftermath, Edward struggles to make sense of his grief, sudden fame and find his place in a world without his family. But then Edward and his neighbour Shay make a startling discovery; hidden in his uncle’s garage are letters from the relatives of other passengers – all addressed him.

Following the passengers’ final hours and Edward’s unique coming-of-age, Dear Edward asks one of life’s most profound questions:

What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

———————————

‘Ann Napolitano’s writing is astonishing. I’m in awe’ Marian Keyes

‘A very moving and emotional read’ Anne Tyler

‘Gripping and elegiac, this is a captivating novel about loss, love and growing up’ Rosamund Lupton

‘That rare book that breaks your heart and stitches it back together . . . Don’t miss this one’ Jodi Picoult

Publisher Review

A heartbreaking emotional journey * Daily Express * Gripping and powerful, this is a beautifully written novel about the importance of human connection - and how it's possible to rebuild a life, even when everything you associate with it is gone * Sunday Express S Magazine * Truly heartwarming... told with acute observation about the human soul * Prima, Book of the Month * A wonderful cast of characters in a beautifully written coming-of-age story -- Nina Stibbe * The i * This is an astonishing novel which almost broke my heart -- Louise O'Neill A haunting novel that's a masterful study in suspense, grief and survival... A powerful book about living a meaningful life during the most difficult of times * New York Times * A poignant novel about grief and hope * Marie Claire * Persistently lovely...one of the most touching stories you're likely to read in the new year * Washington Post * Stunning.... in this life affirming tale, the downright unbearable blossoms into a testament to the power of love and grace * Vogue * Dear Edward made me think, nod in recognition, care about its characters, and cry, and you can't ask more of a novel than that -- Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of 'Room' Eddie is an ordinary twelve-year-old, until a horrific plane crash turns him into the real-life Boy Who Lived. Ann Napolitano brings clear-eyed compassion to every character in Dear Edward, from Edward himself, caught between living and merely surviving, to his fellow passengers, who don't have that choice. The result is a rich, big-hearted tapestry that leaves no one behind. Fans of Room and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close will be spellbound by Dear Edward, which explores trauma with the same honesty and tenderness as it does the crooked path to healing -- Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of 'The Immortalists' A plane lifts into the sky, and in that timeless space between destinations Ann Napolitano gives voice to those suspended passengers, drawing out their differences and moments of connection, while weaving past and present into a profoundly beautiful, page-turning story of mystery, loss and wonder. Dear Edward is a meditation on survival, but more importantly, it is about carving a life worth living - about love and hope and caring for others, and all the transitory moments that bind us together, when the ghosts of many voices become one. -- Hannah Tinti A stunning novel of courage and connection in the face of unimaginable loss. An extraordinary read. -- Helen Simonson I loved Dear Edward so, so much. I laughed, I wept, and often I just stopped and marveled at the words on the page. Magnificent! -- Lily King From the first page of this heartwarming and heart wrenching novel, I was dazzled. Napolitano weaves a story that brims with humanity-with joy and sorrow, love and friendship, survival and triumph, and a cast of unforgettable characters. Dear Edward is a masterpiece that everyone should put at the top of their reading list. -- J. Courtney Sullivan Outstanding, beautifully written, a compulsive read. Dear Edward is the best book about a young person I've read since Emma Donoghue's Room -- John Boyne, bestselling author of 'A Ladder to the Sky' Gripping and elegiac, this is a captivating novel about loss, love and growing up. -- Rosamund Lupton, bestselling author of 'Sister' Ann Napolitano's writing is astonishing. I'm in awe -- Marian Keyes