The Correspondent

A Novel

De: Virginia Evans

Narrado por: Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Oppenheimer, Carly Robins, Jeff Ebner, David Pittu, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Mark Bramhall, Petrea Burchard, Robert Petkoff, Kimberly Farr, Cerris Morgan-Moyer, Peter Ganim, Jade Wheeler, various

“Subtly told and finely made, The Correspondent is a portrait of a small life expanding. Virginia Evans shows how one woman changes at a point when change had seemed impossible. That change, like this novel, turns out to be a cause for celebration.”—Ann Patchett

LIBRARYREADS APRIL PICK • NAMED A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING (UK) MOST ANTICIPATED DEBUT

“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle, or, a better metaphor, if dated, the links of a long chain, and even if those links are never put back together, which they will certainly never be, even if they remain for the rest of time dispersed across the earth like the fragile blown seeds of a dying dandelion, isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”

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.

Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime. Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever find.

©2025 Virginia Evans (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Subtly told and finely made, The Correspondent is a portrait of a small life expanding. Virginia Evans shows how one woman changes at a point when change had seemed impossible. That change, like this novel, turns out to be a cause for celebration.”—Ann Patchett

“The charming debut from Evans takes the form of letters and emails exchanged by a divorced and retired woman with her friends, family, foes, and literary idols. . . . As the years go on, Sybil’s relationships brim with tension waiting to be released, and the detailed connections between each character are brilliantly mapped through the correspondence. It adds up to an appealing family drama.”—Publishers Weekly

“The circus of beautifully drawn characters, who receive and respond to Sybil’s letters, is vibrant and rich. Sybil has survived trauma, grief, and lost love. She keeps her secrets close and edits her pain. The letters are so deliciously crafted, Sybil’s life itself becomes a work of art.”—Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone

Brilliant

I listened to the audio version, which is perfection. This book turned out to be a favorite, so I purchased a hard copy. I look forward to backtracking so I can make a list of all the books mentioned throughout. I can’t wait to watch this author’s career unfold. What a debut! 👏

A Lost Art

Letter writing! What a way to tell a tale, express oneself and live. Thoroughly enjoyed all the action and character development achieved through correspondence. Audio was amazing!

A Wonderful Journey

Wow. I loved every moment of this listen. Wonderfully drawn characters, many of whom brought a surprise. I will miss hearing from Sybil. I’m eager for Ms. Evans’ next book!

Wonderful cast and story

This is my favorite type of story written through correspondence. At times I did not care for the main character, Sybil, but I kept on because so many side characters were great. It was a good story for reflection on how we keep in touch with friends and relatives and the importance to live a full life, even as we get older. Thought provoking for sure. The cast of narrators really made this listen enjoyable. Great listen!

Perfect in every way.

This novel was exquisitely written, and the narration was one of the best I’ve ever heard.

Favorite book

This book will stick with you for a lifetime. Beautifully knitted together- with humor- intrigue and honesty.

Beautiful story and I LOVED Sybil

Loved it all but especially loved the narration and perspectives. Beautiful story that reminds us how important relationships are.

Loved this book

This book is written in letter format. You learn about each character through the letters that they write back and forth to one another. That may sound a bit off putting, but it worked so well in this novel! I was incredibly impressed with the author. Her ability to link the stories of each character together through letters was incredible. I felt as if I knew and understood each character and began to anticipate their responses to one another.

I found this book to be quite charming, witty, thought provoking and soul touching. I laughed, I cried and I was sad when it was over as I wanted to continue reading! My favorite part of this novel was the authors ability to express something that really matters but that we don’t always consider…. And that is that communication is hard. This book reminds us that our words matter and are powerful tools. It reminds us that there are many ways to communicate, some we are better at than others. Learning from these characters I found myself considering how I communicate, and if I could communicate more powerfully and effectively in a different way. Watching the characters struggle through this was thought provoking. I was profoundly struck with how powerful letter writing can be. It left a lasting impression on my heart. Thank you for this incredible new book!

The narration is breathtaking

At first I wasn’t sure- an entire story based on letters and emails? Then after about 45 minutes the storytelling became so captivating I was hooked. I’m a better person for having heard Sybil’s story. Do not think twice about listening to this one.

I loved this audio book so much I didn’t want it to end.

A beautiful story of a life (and lives of others) through letters. Each letter writer develops a personality and their stories intertwine with Sybil’s all in very different ways. The people doing the voices of the letter writers are distinct and the inflections and emotions make it even better. While I sometimes feel like I’m cheating listening to books instead of reading them, I think this one may be a great exception because it’s so well done.