The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sybil Van Antwerp is a septuagenarian who writes letters every day. To the casual observer she has had a very fulfilling life -- a career in law working for a judge, two successful adult children, grandchildren, a wonderful home on the water in Maryland, her expansive garden, and friends and pen pals. However through the letters she writes and receives, we discover more about her -- missed opportunities, loneliness, medical issues, grief, regretted decisions, and much more.
This epistolary debut novel is told entirely through letters from 2012-2022, revealing Sybil's life to the reader little by little. It was a delight to read, one of the best fiction books I've read this year, plus one of the most unique in structure. I am anxiously looking forward to another book by this ingenious author!
July 2026 Update: I read this book again for a summer book club, and
enjoyed it even more the second time around! The six of us had such a
lively discussion, and this book give us so much to talk about. I have
been recommending this book to all my friends, and very highly
recommended for book clubs!
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
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