Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo)'s Reviews > The Correspondent

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed as Sybil, and fifteen others for a CAPTIVATING full cast narration.
8 hours 36 minutes at 1x -5 hours 44 minutes at 1.5x

It’s hard to believe that this epistolary novel is a DEBUT. Unfolding entirely through written letters and an occasional email, the story is masterfully crafted.

Meet Sybil Van Antwerp- a tenacious, not always easy to like, septuagenarian who began writing letters as a way to feel close to her birth mother after receiving a letter from her from her loving, adoptive parents.

Most mornings, she sits down to write letters on beautiful imported stationary viewing letters as not only one of the original forms of civility, but also as something to leave behind to those who have cared about her throughout her life.

But, perhaps she ALSO writes because it is a way to keep people at a distance so she won’t get hurt again. Unlike expressing herself verbally, she can take the time to think about what she is saying-instead of rushing to say things that cannot be taken back…

Sybil has been many things over the years-a sister, a friend, a wife, a mother, the distinguished chief clerk to Judge Guy Donnelly, a divorcee, and a grandmother.

And, she will write many letters over the course of this story-to her brother, her best friend, her daughter, letters to the editor, her garden club, and the new Dean of the University who won’t allow her to continue to audit classes. Almost all of the letters end with a query about what book the recipient is currently reading.

She also writes to authors as if they are friends-telling Ann Patchett, Joan Didion, Kazuo Ishiguro, Larry McMurtry, and Diana Gabaldon what their books have meant to her. (minor spoilers for the books mentioned.)

The replies from those who choose to respond each have their own narrator, with a distinctive voice so although I was glad to have a written copy of the book, I always chose to LISTEN simultaneously and highly recommend the Audiobook format.

There is one mysterious letter which she had started writing and added to over the years but it remains unmailed, and one Correspondent who sends unwanted letters to her, signed only as DM.

But, one letter in particular toward the end of the book really stood out. Sybil is RARELY AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, yet we can see that she is tongue tied and struggling to express herself in this one.

And, thus we are treated to the highs and lows of this one MEMORABLE character’s life.

Perfect for Book Clubs

The Publisher’s blurb states: “ The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person.”

Isn’t this something that we all gift each other here on Goodreads as well?

Available Now!