The Correspondent: A Novel by Virginia Evans

Book Review: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Some novels dazzle you with plot twists, but others, like Virginia Evans’ The Correspondent, stay with you because of the quiet depth of their characters. At the heart of this story is Sybil Van Antwerp, a woman who has spent her life making sense of the world through letters. Every morning at half past ten, she sits down to write—to her brother, her best friend, the university president who refuses to let her audit a class, even to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to share her thoughts on their books. And then there are the unsent letters, written to one person who still holds a space in her life, even in absence. Evans captures Sybil in a way that feels both intimate and universal. She’s been a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, and a distinguished lawyer—roles that would be enough to fill anyone’s story. Yet it’s her letters that reveal the raw core of who she is, especially when a series of unexpected letters from her past forces her to confront one of the most painful chapters of her life. This isn’t just a novel about correspondence—it’s about memory, forgiveness, and the way writing can keep us tethered to the people and moments we can’t quite let go of. Sybil’s reflections are sometimes sharp, sometimes tender, always human. The Correspondent is beautifully written and emotionally resonant, and Sybil Van Antwerp may be one of the most memorable characters you’ll ever encounter. This one is going straight onto my favorites shelf. https://www.amazon.com/Correspondent-Novel-Virginia-Evans-ebook/dp/B0CYXX3PX1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1XN216B6NDIGC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S6fXzTS_iP51lgMJSkZR9xuFcU3EERXCCHQ3zljEzd7mKnAjcpFhig5b_mGJX4dZ6jjm02TzB6po_LRygKS1MvoYrGWv0RfIv_JQtcDgdqIHCwFTX5PCGU4k-GFu0wsH7FvLg7EuqKWRkFd54UxbBrHyCEdRc4P4Zv-2HxvnP6T_oMVLwFufiHZ_EdoAhNUFmobjrPMWqrfWxO_sX-ff0f_FuGATz8CqqUMi1py11yo.AUHKKKBusdAbbVW_POKvHC3Dq9yFuqo-VMF8ZOSXddE&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+correspondent+virginia+evans&qid=1759245635&sprefix=The+corr%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1#:~:text=https%3A//amzn.to/4nr3Q3z