The Correspondent is an epistolary novel comprising letters written by and to the main character, Sybil Van Antwerp, a strong-willed septuagenarian. Most mornings, Sybil sits down to write letters to a variety of correspondents - her brother, best friend, various authors, president of a university, the son of a former colleague, and to an unidentified person to whom she never sends her letters. We learn she worked as a clerk for a judge for many years, has few close friends, is estranged from her daughter, and has experienced a tragedy.
Sybil has led a full life, but the letters indicate a specific episode has left her with long-lasting guilt and regrets. It is a very well-structured book that provides pieces and parts of Sybil’s life. When taken together, these parts come together to reveal a fully realistic person and her life story. The letters gradually get more personal and introspective, leading her (eventually) to closely examine one of the most painful periods of her life.
This is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connecting to people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime. It explores aging, loss, remorse, and forgiveness. It is also a love letter to the enduring power of written correspondence.
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