Printable Book Club Questions for The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Why did Sybil choose letter writing as a hobby? What drew her to it, and what kept her in the routine of writing letters?
Sybil writes to family, friends, and even famous people and authors. What were some of the memorable letters she wrote and the responses she received?
Let’s talk about the differences between handwriting a letter and sending an email. Do you feel handwriting is more of a personal experience? How do letters help instill a personal connection?
Do you like to write and receive letters? Or did this novel inspire you to start?
The story is a love letter to literature. Have you read any of the novels mentioned?
What was your overall impression of Sybil when you first started the book? How did it evolve as the story went on?
Sybil is quite set in her ways. She’s stubborn, quick to judge, and isn’t easily swayed or influenced. When did she start to show cracks in her facade?
We learn that Sybil is slowly going blind. Why did she wait so long to tell her loved ones?
She receives a letter from the past that is unsettling. It’s from the son of a man (Dezi) that she helped send to jail, and it completely changed everything for his family. Why did this letter affect Sybil so much?
Sybil develops a bond with Henry, the son of a former colleague. Why do you feel the two shared a bond? How did they both help each other?
We find out that Sybil had three children, but that her son Gilbert died when he was nine. And that grief impacted every single action Sybil took moving forward. Let’s discuss our thoughts about this.
Her ex-husband Daan writes her a very heartfelt letter before he passed away from cancer, absolving her of any blame for Gilbert’s death. But Sybil couldn’t bring herself to respond, which infuriates her daughter. Why didn’t Sybil send the letter she was working on to Daan?
Sybil was adopted, and she finds out about her birth family and connects with her sister. In what ways were she and Hattie similar?
When did Sybil finally realize she had feelings for Theodore?
Eventually, Sybil answers Dezi and admits that she was in the wrong, but at the time, she was overwhelmed with grief about losing Gilbert. How did telling the truth to Dezi finally help Sybil move forward with her life?
Throughout the novel, Sybil writes her most personal letters to an unknown recipient, and they are never sent. It’s revealed that she’s been writing to Gilbert this entire time. How did this help her process her grief? When did she finally feel at peace to stop writing letters to Gilbert?
What helped her repair her relationship with Fiona?
Sybil passes away, and the truth comes out about Sybil’s guilt for what happened to Gilbert. Let’s discuss this reveal and also the ending.