The Correspondent: Letters, Connection, and the Stuff of Life

A tender, epistolary novel that deserves a spot on everyone's shelf

Hi book lovelies,

I picked up a book on a whim, and oh, what an absolute delight it was. I was reading through Kayla Kleinman’s Soft Launch, specifically the September recap, and in it, she featured a few books she’d read that month, one of which was The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. It was a combination of Kayla’s pitch and the beautiful cover that moved me to order the audiobook on Libro.fm. As soon as I had listened to the first few letters, I knew it was going to be a new favorite. Is there a better feeling than knowing you are in for 300 more pages of pure enjoyment? I don’t believe there is.

The Set Up

The entire book is told through letters and emails. The correspondent is Sybil Van Antwerp, a woman in her 70s, in the winter of her life. She loves to write letters and writes to all sorts of people: famous authors whose books she’s read, the dean of English at the local college, her childhood best friend, her children, her brother, and many more characters. And they are all just that - characters.

Why It Works

The main joy of this book is not just piecing together who Sybil is through her correspondence, but also getting to know the people in her life and how they shape her story. As readers, we gain a better understanding of Sybil as the book goes on, and, quite frankly, fall in love with her through her words.

While full of hard moments, regrets, loss, and guilt, this book is a comfort read. It’s sweet, heart-warming, and hopeful. We see Sybil navigate all of these things in her old age. It’s beautiful to see her reconcile and come to terms with what cannot be changed.

Themes That Stick

• The Written Word
  This book is a love letter to the art of letter writing. The art of choosing the most perfect words to compose a sentence that says exactly what one intends. It takes time, thought, and intention. And how beautiful it is to be either the writer or on the receiving end of those words.

• Life is Always Continuing
  While Sybil is in her later years, she surprises herself by expanding her life in ways she never thought she would. Life is always continuing, and just because you have more of it behind you than in front of you, doesn’t mean what’s left can’t be the greatest part yet.

• Connection
  Everyone has their own web of relationships; some threads are stronger than others, and some webs are more vast. Virginia Evans shows us through Sybil that no thread is too thin or too short. We make new connections every day, and each of those has the potential to become a stronger and longer-lasting thread.

My Reading Experience

Like I mentioned earlier, I listened to the audiobook. At first, I wasn’t sure if that was a mistake because there were so many characters, and you really had to pay attention to who the letters were to and from, whereas reading a physical copy would allow you to reference the letters at any moment. But a full cast narrates the audiobook, and it didn’t take me too long to recognize the voice of Sybil and her main correspondents. The audiobook injects so much emotion into the words, and I thought it was a beautiful way to consume the story. I listened to the book over the course of three days, truly never wanting to put it down, and only doing so for my job and my kids. My husband will be very happy to finally catch up on our shows tonight.

Who Should Read This

I believe this book has a wide appeal and will resonate with almost everyone. However, if you love books, which I assume you do, then this book feels like it’s written for you.

I’d recommend it to fans of 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Likewise, if you’ve read The Correspondent and haven’t read 84 Charing Cross Road, then I highly recommend you pick it up. It’s short and oh so very sweet.

Final Take

This book has made its way to the top of the list for my favorite book of the year. It’s up there with Broken Country, Go As A River, and Wild Dark Shore. It made me cry multiple times and laugh out loud, which seems to be an easier feat than it once was. I fell in love with Sybil. I will read anything Virginia Evans writes next.

Happy Reading!

Your smitten bookworm,

Emily

p.s. Share this post with a lovely, thoughtful, and intentional note to someone you love.