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Synopsis
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 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.
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 read.
“Grief shared, I think, can produce two outcomes. Either you bind yourselves together and hold on for dear life, or you let go and up goes a wall too high to be crossed.”
Favorites
I had put this book off for quite some time, certain that it just couldn't live up to the expectations I had set based off of others' raving reviews. It was evident early on that I was very wrong... Listening to the audio on Penguin Random House Audio, with a full cast of narrators, made for such an immersive experience! I felt this feature made it much easier to follow along with each correspondent.
This book is truly for those of any walk of life - full of humor, grief, love, and forgiveness. The writing style and tone is different for each writer, adding such a unique and impressive showcase of the author's talent! Sybil is introduced as a stubborn and outspoken woman in her late stages of life. From her first few letters, she appears to be extremely blunt (borderline rude) and absolutely livid about her impending blindness. Through her correspondents, she begins to reveal a softer and more open side of her stubborn personality. She never leaves a communication left unanswered, and there’s a sense of connection between her and each of those she writes to that becomes so inspiring. I’m left with a pen, paper, and words of my own to be shared.
“I wonder what I will do when I am no longer able to see. I am much too old a dog for the learning of a new trick, like Braille or dictation. I suppose, like a fish plucked from the pond and left on a sunbaked dock, I’ll probably die.”
Final Thoughts
My nana is a reader, though she tends to stick to the true crime and murder mysteries. Something about this book made me think of her; perhaps it was the age and outlook of Sybil as a character. Maybe it was her witty comments or reluctance to let anything go. Regardless of the reason, I gifted her a copy and she has now read it twice. We speak of it often and have found a new respect for written correspondents. We leave small notes on the fridge and write down the names of books or tv shows the other would like, rather than sending a quick text. This seemingly simple story of a woman who writes letters has become one of the most memorable stories I’ve ever read.
“How cruel life is only this long. Now that I see clearly, I’d like more time.”
