The Correspondent by debut author Virginia Evans is unputdownable and reflective literary fiction in epistolary format.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Epistolary, Friendship, Aging, Grief, Adoption, Maryland.

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My Summary:

Sybil Van Antwerp is retired from a brilliant career in law and has always considered herself a correspondent. She uses letter writing as a form of self-expression and a way to make sense of the world. She enjoys her daily letter-writing routine where she writes to her brother, her best friend, the troubled child of a colleague, authors of books she reads, her neighbor, other assorted individuals that come into her life, and to one unnamed person. Through this varied and often forthright correspondence, we become acquainted with Sybil and her opinions, feisty personality, deepest regrets, and the sources of her grief and regrets.

***I’ve created a FREE Book Club Kit for The Correspondent available here.***

My Thoughts:

Already on my best-of-year list!

Epistolary

One of my favorite formats is epistolary. The Correspondent is told entirely through letters and emails. I admire the author’s ability to reveal Sybil’s character and her life through correspondence, where we become acquainted with Sybil’s family, friends, and acquaintances. We’re also treated to letters she writes to authors, doctors, the Garden Club, the university, the child of a colleague, and the help desk at the Kindred Project (similar to Ancestry). Letters are Sybil’s preferred method of communication and confrontation. Through this correspondence, a multilayered story and a complex character is revealed.

Epistolary format often requires more effort from readers, which is true of The Correspondent. I learned to pay close attention to the headings and stretched my memory as I followed multiple conversational threads. Inference is heavily relied on as Sybil’s personality and character are revealed through the correspondence. We gain an understanding of Sybil from what she says and does and from how other characters respond to her.

“Epistolary comes from a Greek word, epistolē, which means “letter.” Epistolary is a literary genre pertaining to letters, in which writers use letters, journals, and diary entries in their works, or they tell their stories or deliver messages through a series of letters. Though the usual format of epistolary is letters, writers sometimes use other forms of document such as newspaper clippings and diary entries. Recently, writers also use electronic documents like emails, blogs, radio broadcast, and recordings.” ~Source

Character-driven

The Correspondent is a compelling, character-driven story. I found it unputdownable and read it in two days. I love complicated, complex, and unique characters, and Sybil has secured a spot on my list of favorites. Sybil is relatable to those of us who are retired. We are reflecting on our lives, living with regrets, shoring up what we might have neglected, and looking for meaning in the present circumstances. Sybil embraces the letter-writing life and thinks of herself affectionately as a correspondent. I’m hesitant to say more about her because I’ve already decided that she will be my Captivating Character of May. That post will publish on May 30, where you will find part two of this review!

Thoughtful Themes

Thoughtful and poignant themes include lifelong friendship, grief, regret, mother/daughter relationship, adoption, found family, differing abilities, writing, confrontation, betrayal, aging, forgiveness, divorce, siblings, reconciliation, making amends, compassion, generosity, and companionship.

Correspondence

You might as well order the pretty stationery and a few of your favorite pens, because you will be motivated to write a letter upon finishing this story! Are you a letter writer? Do you experience joy when receiving a letter in the mail? Do you have old letters that you treasure? Is letter writing an art? A lost art? Did you ever have a pen pal? Have you ever written to an author?

Reading Experience

The Correspondent can fall in the Literary Fiction category. It’s character-driven and is reflective. A focus on character development rather than plot. Much of the action is internal. Some readers think this sounds boring and enjoy page-turning, plot-driven action. For me, this is a perfect example of literary fiction that is unputdownable, page-turning, and engaging from the first page. I read it in two days and couldn’t wait to pick it up. Literary fiction enables readers to make strong connections with the character. Sybil is unique and relatable, and this story gave me a book “hangover.” I thought about it for days. I’m sure my next reads will suffer in comparison. *Reminder, no two persons read the same book. This was my unique reading experience. (Just don’t tell me if you didn’t love it! LOL)

You might enjoy my post about Plot-driven vs Character-driven.

Recommending The Correspondent:

I’m enthusiastically recommending The Correspondent for readers who enjoy the epistolary format, for those who appreciate thoughtful and reflective literary fiction, for fans of unique and memorable characters striving to live their best lives, and for book clubs. Lots to discuss in this one! I will be telling everyone about this “must read” book of the year! The Correspondent gave me a book hangover, and it has a guaranteed spot on my best-of-the-year list. Virginia Evans is a debut author, and I look forward to what she will write next.

I’ve heard that the audio format is well done with full cast narration.

Related: Some of my favorite epistolary novels are Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Meet Me at the Museum (even though I disliked the ending), Kate & Frida, 84 Charing Cross Road, and Last Christmas in Paris.

My Rating: 5 Stars

More Information Here

Meet the Author of The Correspondent, Virginia Evans

Virginia Evans is from the east coast of the United States. She attended James Madison University for her bachelor’s in English literature. After starting a family, she went back to school for her master’s of philosophy in creative writing at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, where she had the good fortune to study under Carlo Gébler, Eoin McNamee, Claire Keegan, Harry Clifton and Kevin Power. She now lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with her husband, Mark, two children, Jack and Mae, and her Red Labrador, Brigid.

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QOTD:

Do you love an epistolary format?

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