Bite-sized book reviews
Bite-sized book reviews
Library Challenge
Read For Fun
An epistolary novel that follows the correspondence of Sybil Van Antwerp through her mostly handwritten letters to friends, authors, and even a few people she’s never met. Despite being centered on letter writing, the novel is contemporary and set in our time, which I loved. It feels like a quiet nod to a romantic practice that’s slowly disappearing.
What really stayed with me is the idea that the people we have relationships with each hold small puzzle pieces of who we are. It’s only when those pieces come together that the full picture takes shape. That’s exactly what this novel does. Through Sybil’s letters, we slowly come to know her in a layered, intimate way.
I haven’t loved a character like I loved Sybil in a long time. More than once while reading, I caught myself wanting to write her a letter myself. She’s far from perfect, and it’s precisely her imperfections that make her feel so real and so lovable. This book is heartwarming, thoughtful, and deeply reflective. I absolutely devoured it and wholeheartedly recommend it.
A cover that has flora or fauna