The Correspondent - Virginia Evans

I am usually hesitant to read best sellers...too formulaic, or manipulative, or simplistic...but The Correspondent, a word-of-mouth hit, was a lovely read. A masterful debut novel, Evan's story of Sybil's life told through letters is thoughtful, captivating and moving. Sybil is 73 and in decline. She is losing her sight, is estranged from her daughter, and is living with the grief and guilt of her son's death at the age of eight. How all these strands come together in an epistolary form is really quite the feat. In her letters to family, friends and celebrities (especially authors), and the letters she receives in return, the question of what is most important in our lives comes to the forefront. I was totally caught up and couldn't wait for the next letter to drop.