I confess I loathed the main character in this book in the beginning. She appeared to be a self-cetntered narcissistic curmudgeon with no redeeming qualities. I was ready to give up on this book. But as the story progressed and I learned more about the events that shaped her life, I understood what led to the kind of woman we meet at the beginning of the book. And gradually over the course of many letters and life experiences we meet a very different woman at the end. It’s a redemption story of sorts and a cautionary tale about not letting tragedy define you. The performances are outstanding, each letter writer is voiced by a different actor, and listening to this book is likely a much richer experience than reading it. This turned out to be one of my favorite books this year, glad I stuck with it despite my initial negative reaction.