Dear Edward
First edition (US)
AuthorAnn Napolitano
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreFiction
PublisherThe Dial Press (US)
Viking Press (UK)
Publication date
January 6, 2020
Media typePrint (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages352 pages
ISBN978-1984854780

Dear Edward is a 2020 novel by American writer Ann Napolitano. It tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills all of the other 191 passengers, including the protagonist's family.[1][2] Dear Edward was published on January 6, 2020, by The Dial Press.[3] It is Napolitano's third novel,[1][4] and is also a TV series.

Writing and inspiration

The novel was partially inspired by the crash of Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771 on May 12, 2010, which resulted in the deaths of all 103 passengers and crew except a 9-year-old boy.[4] Napolitano said of the real-life crash: "This story just flayed me. I could not imagine how the boy would be OK, and I could feel from the stickiness of my obsession that I was going to have to write a book that created a set of circumstances to make him OK."[4]

Critical reception

According to the online review aggregator, Book Marks, the book received mostly positive reviews.[5] Angie Kim of The New York Times called it a "suspenseful page-turner" and a "haunting novel that's a masterful study in suspense, grief and survival".[1] Elisabeth Egan, also of The New York Times, called it "a surprisingly uplifting story, full of hope and dry humor, with an underlying, noncloying message about the decency of strangers".[4] NPR book reviewer Heller McAlpin called it "a sure-footed tearjerker" and "in part a tale of survivor guilt, which is fueled by the weight of oppressive, often bizarre expectations on the miracle boy".[2] Jenna Bush Hager, the co-host of Today with Hoda & Jenna and daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush, selected Dear Edward as the January 2020 selection of her Read With Jenna book club.[6] Stephanie Larratt of Today wrote: "While the story has tragedy at its core, it is a book about shared humanity, new beginnings and finding hope through even the most trying experience."[6]

The book made The New York Times Best Sellers list on January 26, 2020, debuting at #2 in the "Hardcover Fiction" category and #3 in the "Combined Print & E-Book Fiction" category.[7]

TV series adaptation

In February 2022, Apple TV+ ordered a television series adaptation of the novel. The series consists of 10 episodes, produced by Apple Studios with Jason Katims as showrunner. It stars Connie Britton, Taylor Schilling, and Colin O'Brien as Edward.[8][9] The cast also includes Amy Forsyth as Linda, Carter Hudson as John, Eva Ariel Binder as Shay, Maxwell Jenkins as Jordan, Jenna Qureshi as Mahira, Brittany S. Hall as Amanda, Audrey Corsa as Zoe, Anna Uzele as Adrianna, Ivan Shaw as Steve, Idris Debrand as Kojo, and Dario Ladani Sanchez as Sam.[10] Fisher Stevens directed the first episode.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kim, Angie (January 6, 2020). "A Plane Goes Down, Killing 191. Only a 12-Year-Old Survives". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  2. 1 2 McAlpin, Heller (January 16, 2020). "'Kingdomtide' And 'Dear Edward': 2 New Novels Take On A Singular Situation". National Public Radio. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ Dumond, Susie (January 2, 2020). "January 2020 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations". Book Riot. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Egan, Elisabeth (February 12, 2020). "For Ann Napolitano, the Third Time's the Charm". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Book Marks reviews of Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano". Book Marks. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  6. 1 2 Laratt, Stephanie (February 12, 2020). "5 books to read if you enjoyed 'Dear Edward' by Ann Napolitano". Today. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  7. ↑ "The New York Times Best Sellers". The New York Times. January 26, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  8. ↑ Chitwood, Adam (February 1, 2022). "Connie Britton Reunites With Friday Night Lights EP on Dear Edward". TheWrap. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Apple Studios to adapt bestselling novel "Dear Edward" as new series from Jason Katims". Apple.com. February 1, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ Petski, Denise (March 21, 2022). "Jason Katims' Apple Series 'Dear Edward' Adds 11 To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
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