I told you I’d be back, so here I am with another Bookworms for you today. With everything going on, this book just might pull you out of your own life for a little while.
After all, I feel like that’s part of the beauty when it comes to books and so many other forms of art. They have an uncanny ability to really take you out of whatever reality surrounds you and drop you in another one with a quick blink. I think a lot of people could use that right now.
The book I’ve chosen for you today is one that deals with change, the kind that we’re all facing even while it might look a little different. One way or another, your life or those within this book, it’s all a paradigm shift. Maybe you don’t know how to handle it all—trust me, the main character in this book had no idea. So if you give it a chance, you just might find a way while Edward does too.
Because, without further ado, here’s my book for you today.
Dear Edward—Ann Napolitano
I want to start you with the premise of this book, it’s quite simple actually. There’s a plane crash with one single survivor, a 12-year-old boy named Edward. In losing his family, he has to fit himself into his Aunt’s life as they all adapt to what has become a new reality they have no choice but to face. Through friends, family, counselors, and even plants, Edward must figure out what it means to life his life and how much of the past he brings into his present.
Some of it is sad, of course. The material isn’t light. But the way this book was written, it actually doesn’t focus on the concept of loss. Not really. It focuses on the lives. The way it’s structured, it takes us back and forth from the plane ride to the reality Edward is now facing and throughout, we slowly bring the two together. Though it takes a moment to get used to, there’s a reason the book is written like this.
Not only do we understand Edward, what he’s been through, and what pieces he’s trying to rearrange throughout the novel, but we also get to understand everyone else around him—past, present, and future—in the process. We get a glimpse into all the different lives one person came across in just a few hours and why they all matter at all.
The more you think about it, the more you’ll probably realize just how many people you meet or come into contact with on a daily basis. These people are siblings, parents, friends, children… And each of them all have their own people. What Napolitano does within this book is show us just who these people might be. Edward is the lone survivor, yes. But his story is not the only one we need to hear. She takes the time to pull us through the past and the present in order to understand who these people were, the complicated histories of each, and she finds a way to make us care.
When it comes to a novel, that’s everything. And when you’re looking for a good distraction, for something to get wrapped up in for a little while, this is one of those that isn’t so hard to do that with.
One of the things I think that was done incredibly well with this book is the acknowledgement that not everything is so cut and dry. All the loose ends aren’t always tied up, not everything needs to have some divine purpose, and so many people can feel so many different ways about a single event. We get a perspective through the writing within this book that isn’t always present in novels like this. I can appreciate that.
So, if you’re looking for something to read, maybe give this a try. Though I didn’t read the physical book—shout out to Audible, well narrated—I think it is worth it in whatever form you take in the story. Especially now, as a reminder of life outside of this and maybe a little insight into how you feel about everything going on too, check out Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano if you get the chance. If you do, let me know how you like it, I’m all ears for feedback.
Until Friday, take care of yourselves.
kwilliamsbooks 