Now and then I will read a book that pulls me into its world so deeply that I am there, and the characters are no longer fictional, but are people that I know. Such a novel is The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
As a writer myself, I have a pretty high bar for books. This one knocked my socks off with its humor, pathos, and wisdom. Granted, the protagonist is an older woman, as am I, and she’s got strong opinions, as do I, but unlike me, she’s not averse to sharing them, in ways that could be construed as rude. Sybil Van Antwerp can be hard to love at times, and maybe that’s why I did love her. She’s smart, eloquent, and deep down, a deeply loving person, who lives with a devastating secret.
The other thing about this novel that I wasn’t quite sure about was the way it was told, entirely through letters (or email). A supposed “rule” of fiction writing is that a letter cannot carry your narrative and if you must use one, make sure that use is warranted. I have a feeling that Evans had heard that from someone, a teacher maybe, and said, “Oh really….” I’ll admit I wasn’t quite sure I’d like the book for that reason, but my initial doubts were soon erased.
Like Ms Van Antwerp, my eyes are easily strained, so these days I listen to audio books, and this one was a winner. Each letter writer is voiced by a different reader, which was, I think, one of the keys to my enjoyment, as it wasn’t just the story that connected me to these people, but also their voices. Each reader is quite excellent.
I have read (listened to) many good books this year, but this one–this one will never leave me. I could not recommend it more.