Editorial note: I received a copy of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is a richly drawn story of one woman’s journey to self-reflection.
So I’ll be the first to say that I’m normally not a fan of novels told in the epistolary format. I typically find it hard to get into the story, and the world never feels as captivating as I’d like.
Well, The Correspondent changed my opinion on epistolary storytelling. I so enjoyed reading this story told in this way. From page one, I was immediately drawn into Sybil Van Antwerp’s world with all its messiness, but it’s also so vulnerable and human.
It’s such a beautiful story, and I found myself getting quite emotional as I read it. Sybil is one of the most vivid characters I’ve read in quite some time. And this is all without dialogue or any of it. What a masterful job done by Virginia Evans.
What’s the Story About
We get to know Sybil Van Antwerp, a retired lawyer, who is now 73 and spends most of her time writing letters to her family, friends, and even to famous people such as authors and the director George Lucas. However, her most personal letters are to one person, but they are never sent.
When she receives a letter from an individual from her past, it causes her to reexamine her entire life, both the good and the bad, and the mistakes she made along the way.
While she is forced to relive one of the most painful periods in her life, this self-reflection might also help her finally move forward.
Sybil’s Journey
So Sybil is not your sweet, meek grandmother. She’s quite grumpy and judgmental at times, which absolutely felt realistic. She has a strained relationship with her daughter, who now lives in London. Her brother is in France, and she doesn’t have a desire to ever leave the country to visit them.
Her most meaningful relationship is with the teenage son of a fellow judge with whom she exchanges letters as the two share a bond.
But when Sybil receives a letter that documents a painful time in her past, she is forced to face the decisions she made and also the secrets she kept. Sybil comes off as stubborn and even a bit cruel at times, but then, as more letters are revealed, we understand why Sybil is the way she is and why she has such walls built around her heart.
Both the letters and novels provide solace. It’s a wonderful thing to highlight the joy of writing a letter, as nothing beats a handwritten letter.
Heavy with the Light
This story is quite heavy at times and really dives into grief and the pain of losing a loved one. There are times it was almost hard to read. However, tragedies do happen, and grief is inevitable.
I found that Virginia Evans defined what grief can do to an individual and how one is changed forever. And that you never truly recover from it.
But just like in real life, there is plenty of lightness in this story. Sybil is not shy to write to anyone, and reading her correspondence with famous people or the customer service rep, at times, was quite entertaining and humorous.
Also, it’s a beautiful story about showing there’s still time. Such as it’s never too late to change the direction of your life, and it is okay to keep moving forward. I found it quite inspiring.
The Correspondent wasn’t an instant bestseller, but it slowly found its audience, and I’m so glad it did. It’s very well deserved of all the attention.
Verdict
What a truly gem of a novel, that makes you think of so much, and also learn from as well. It’s a quiet story about a normal and average woman, which I found so refreshing. The mixture of the serious with humor was a really great balance.
This is a great selection for book clubs, and you will have much to discuss and analyze. For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.
