The Correspondent

I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans for book club. The book description says, "Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter. Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness."

This was a great read, which didn't surprise me since it had a crazy long wait list at the library. I listened to the book on audiobook and was very engaged in the story. Sybil was just such a unique character that the reader can get to know so well through her many different letters. I loved all the side characters--the employee she meets through the ancestry company, the kid who lives with her for a time, the old man next door, etc.--and the side stories, like her trying to audit a class at the local college. The overarching storyline about her son who she lost was a powerful story, and I loved seeing how Sybil grew and changed even in her old age. I thought the book came together beautifully as well. I feel like this book is in between liked and loved, and I wish I had written this right after I finished so I could give a more accurate rating.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)