by Ann Napolitano (Amazon's #78 Best Book of 2022) ★★★★☆
When a 12-year-old boy is the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed 183, including both his parents and his older brother, what happens next? Edward is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and somehow try to piece his life back together. But how can he? He's forced to deal with more than anyone can -- survivor’s guilt, unwanted fame, and a need to rebuild (essentially) his entire identity. Napolitano immerses the reader in all of this, and you end up experiencing the challenges (and occasional small victories) as Edward tries to return to some type of “normal”.
While Edward is the focus, I thought Napolitano also deftly handled the challenges his aunt and uncle face as they try to walk a tightrope to raise Edward in an impossible situation, while also peppering in brief interactions he had with other people on the flight to round out the story. I tend to read books more focused on a physical journey or quest, and this one is purely emotional, but it worked well.
Previous Best of 2020: #12 - The Once and Future Witches
Next Best of 2020: #10 - Pretty Things