As the title already highlights my opinion about this book, I won't go ranting about how much I loved it. But, I will tell you what I loved about it and Why.
So, to start off 'Dear Edward' is a realistic Fiction Novel by Ann Napolitano about the journey of a 12-year old boy who was the lone survivor in a plane crash. The story jumps from the day of the crash to the present life of Edward, showing us the lives of the ones who died in the crash along with Edward's family. It gives us glimpses of the final moments of the people before the crash, which is so weirdly sad because you know they are going to die.
The story takes us on a journey of Edward's survival after losing everything. The world is in the awe of the kid. The special kid who survived the accident. While Edward is still in shock, unable to deal with his grief. He is mentally, physically, and emotionally broken.
To people, he should be thankful he survived, but to him, it's not a gift but a curse to have been the only one who survived and was left behind to deal with this grief alone. We follow Edward's life for many years, where he is still coping from the loss with the support of his Aunt and Uncle and an unexpected friendship with his neighbor, Shay. Together, they unravel the events around the crash and try to help Edward move forward in his life.
The story is inspired by a real event where a flight from South Africa to London crashed and the only survivor was a 9-year old boy. Although the events are totally fictional, it does make one think how difficult it would have been for the 9 YO boy. The connection to a somewhat similar incident is what makes this book so realistic.
The story.... The journey.... Everything in this book made me cry... a ton.! Although it isn't a thick novel, it still took me long to read this as it was sad, beautiful, and heart-wrenching altogether. The portrayal of Edward's grief, survivor's guilt, his love for his older brother, and how it heals the overpowering pain is so wonderfully written that it warms your heart.
I loved this book for its storyline entirely. It's a 5-star read for me.