Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano @napolitanoann @campbell_cass @PRHAudio

the setup…
On the morning of June 12, 2013, 12-year old Eddie Adler, his parents Bruce and Jane and 15-year old brother Jordan board a plane in Newark going to Los Angeles to their new home. Somewhere over Colorado, the plane crashes leaving only one survivor. There were 191 souls who lost their lives that day, including a young pregnant woman going to meet the man she plans to marry; an injured veteran returning from Afghanistan; a successful Wall Street investment manager; a free spirit leaving her controlling husband for her next life; a wealthy aged and health-challenged business tycoon; and, a seasoned flight attendant who makes a strong impression on everyone.

the heart of the story…
Survivors of a jet plane falling from the sky are few so Eddie becomes an international marvel. He’s severely injured and traumatized but one thing is clear to him. The boy he is today is not the one who boarded that plane and he now prefers to be called Edward. His mother’s sister Lacey and her husband John step forward to assume responsibility for him and together they work hard to help him find his new normal. His therapist is also a mainstay in his new life but it’s young Shay next door who becomes his touchstone, the one person he can count on that accepts him as is, needing nothing from him but to be his authentic self.

the narration…
The writing is lovely and I appreciated how the narrator’s style seemed to honor that, focusing on getting the storytelling right versus dramatic voice interpretations. She was masterful in her delivery.

the bottom line…
Edward’s journey was heartbreaking at times, inspirational at others and triumphant throughout as this preteen was forced to deal with issues much beyond his emotional and age experience. The story transitions between past and present for not only Edward but several of the passengers on the flight. That provided meaningful context for what comes later, even though I was unsure of the point at the time. No matter because it gave identity to those beyond the Adler family in the moment. But it’s Edward who touched my heart for his dignity and perseverance in the face of having the life he knew and loved destroyed in an instant. It’s a story I won’t soon forget as this young man sought purpose for his life when most would have forever lost themselves in grief.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 6, 2020
• Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
• Audio Length: 11 hours, 36 minutes
• Publisher: Random House Audio

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