The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is a fascinating weaving together of the many people and events that impact the life of the inimitable protagonist, Sybil Van Antwerp. The details and complexities of Sybil’s many and varied relationships, as learned through her correspondence with each, are poignant, heart-wrenching, and often humorous. Each and every character is believable – often conjuring our own versions – and, as we learn, play important roles in the compelling story of Sybil’s lite.
Having first read, then listened to the book, I was so impressed by the numerous readers and their portrayal of the characters, Their distinct voices helped me to better picture the characters as distinctly unique individuals, each with their own stories to imagine.
Finally, this dual perspective of taking in the story (reading then listening) reinforced my belief that Ms Evans is a brilliant conjuror of people and of their complex and formative impacts on one another. I very much look forward to future books by this author and more of her rich depictions of her characters and their stories.