Today I’m sharing a book review that I’ve been really excited to sit with and talk through. I recently received The Correspondent in the mail from a good friend of mine—someone from what feels like another lifetime ago—and I’m genuinely glad she sent it. We tend to overlap in reading taste, but I’ll admit I was skeptical going in. This novel is written entirely in letters, and that’s a format I usually avoid.
✉️ A Format I Normally Don’t Reach For
I’ve read a few epistolary novels in the past, and ever since then I’ve intentionally steered away from them. So when I first saw The Correspondent making its rounds with glowing reviews, I decided to pass.
It just didn’t feel like “my kind of book,” and that was fine. But then it arrived in my mailbox—personally recommended by my dear friend Maria—and I couldn’t really say no. There’s something about a book physically arriving that changes the equation. So I read it. And I’m really glad I did.
🖋️ The Quiet Beauty of Letter Writing
What I loved most was the quiet, almost forgotten ritual of writing letters. There’s something about letter writing that feels like a lost art form. It’s slow. Intentional. Thoughtful. And this book really captures that atmosphere beautifully.
The letters themselves are simple and elegant, but incredibly engaging. I found myself appreciating not only the story, but the craft of how it was told. At times, it even made me think about how I could write more meaningful letters in my own life.
💔 A Story That’s Both Painful and Human
This isn’t an easy book. There were moments that were genuinely painful to sit with—heavy plot threads, emotional tension, and situations that felt intense in a very grounded way.
But at the same time, it was also sharp, funny, and surprisingly human. The book leans deeply into the complexity of relationships—how messy they are, how contradictory people can be, and how we often misunderstand one another even when we’re trying our best. There were a few moments that honestly felt like they “tore my heart open” a little.
🤍 What Didn’t Fully Land for Me
That said, I didn’t love everything. I struggled with many of the choices Sybil, our main character, made throughout her life. Through the letters, we piece together her history, and she wasn’t always a character I connected with.
There were also a few plot threads that didn’t fully land for me. And I’ll be honest—there were moments where I just wanted to push through to the end, get the resolution, and close the book.
📚 Why the Format Still Worked
Even so, the structure of the book makes it very easy to keep going. At around 300 pages, with each chapter written as a letter, you can read it in short bursts or sit down and finish it in one stretch. Some letters are short, others longer, which keeps the pacing dynamic and engaging. Despite my hesitations, I never felt stuck.
🌿 A Reminder About “Not for Me”
Overall, I’m really glad I stepped outside my usual preferences for this one. It reminded me of something I already know but sometimes forget: the books we assume aren’t “for us” can end up surprising us the most.
💌 The Lost Art of Receiving Mail
More than anything, this book reinforced something I already believe strongly—receiving mail is special. If you’ve been here for a while, you might remember podcast episode #176 where I talked about my birthday card project: sending handwritten cards to people I care about:
If you haven’t heard it, I’d really recommend going back to listen. But the heart of it is simple: in a busy, digital world, taking the time to write a handwritten note—even something as simple as “I’m thinking of you”—means more than we realize. I have friends who send postcards from their travels or quick little notes, and every single one feels like a gift when it arrives.
🗓️ Building a Small Rhythm of Connection
Maybe this is your sign to start small. Write one letter a week. Or even one a month. For me, I’ve built it into my rhythm. Wednesdays are my outgoing mail days. I check upcoming birthdays, write cards, address envelopes, stamp them, and set them out. I drop them in the mailbox on the way to baby gym class.
It’s simple, but it anchors me. And in a world where everything feels fast and digital, I keep coming back to this question: What holds more meaning—a quick text, or a handwritten letter? They both connect us. But they don’t feel the same.
⭐ Final Thoughts
For the record, The Correspondent currently holds a 4.49-star rating on Goodreads with over half a million reviews, so clearly it resonates with a lot of readers. My hairstylist also loves it—we had a full conversation about it. It seems to land well across all kinds of readers, from college age through retirement. So well done, Virginia Evans.
Thank you so much for reading, I’ll see you back here next week 🤍