Review of THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans

 4.5 Stars

I kept coming across this title but didn’t pay too much attention until I learned it won the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction. As suggested by the title, it’s an epistolary novel in the vein of 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, a book I loved which is even recommended to the protagonist.

Sybil Van Antwerp is a septuagenarian who retired from her job as a chief clerk to a judge in 1999. She is an inveterate letter writer; the novel includes letters written between June 2, 2012, and February 8, 2020. She writes to, among others, Felix, her brother; Rosalie, her best friend and sister-in-law; Fiona and Bruce, her adult children; Harry, the teenaged son of a former colleague; Theodore, her neighbour; and authors of books she’s read. Occasionally replies are included. There’s also a series of unsent letters to an unidentified recipient; these serve almost like Sybil’s diary. Sybil states that “the letters amount to who I am,” but advancing vision problems threaten her well-constructed life.

The novel is a character study because the reader gets to know Sybil’s personality. She’s fiercely intelligent and inordinately stubborn. She’s prickly. She’s speaks her mind, though always politely. And she’s capable of great love and generosity; what she did for Felix and does for Harry show these traits in abundance. Some of her epistles had me laughing out loud and others left me heart-broken.

Sybil’s letters are well-written. She admits, “It takes patience to say exactly what one means, to think of the right word. Sometimes I write a draft and mark it up, then write a clean copy to send.” (The last letter, more of an attempt than a draft, reveals so much about Sybil and her struggles.) It is also clear that the letters serve as a way of avoiding personal contact; she herself admits, “by conducting the most intimate relationships of my life in correspondence, I have kept, since I was a child, a distance between myself and others. I think it’s true the letters have insulated me, have been a force field.” Given her experiences, her need for distance is understandable.

Sybil freely offers opinions and advice to others but is not always given to self-reflection or accepting advice. When her best friend writes to her on August 20, 2017, to give her some advice about repairing a relationship, Sybil does not respond until September 18, 2018, over a year later. Her personal growth, though slow, does become obvious as evidenced in her reaching out to people like Fiona, Hattie, and Theodore. She acknowledges her failures and tries to make amends for past mistakes.

The novel is not plotless. Through the letters, we learn about Sybil’s life, including the great tragedy which shaped her life, her legal career, an unexpected family history, and the possibility of late-life romance. The letters also reveal her secrets, regrets, and overwhelming guilt.

I loved the book. Perhaps some of my enjoyment derives from reading about a woman who, like me, is “caught in the wretched web of aging.” Though I tend to rely on digital communication like everyone else these days, I love receiving hand-written cards. And I liked the many literary references: several of the letter writers exchange titles of books they’re currently reading. I highly recommend this novel.

Review of LOVE, AFTER ALL by Ewald Arenz

 4 Stars

I’m not a fan of romance novels, but this poignant love story won me over.

Clara Wagenbach, in her late forties, is a photographer who has just lost her job. Elias Kornfeld, in his thirties, is an actor. The two meet by chance when Elias’s girlfriend Vera arranges for them to view the cottage Clara is selling. The attraction between them is immediate and mutual and love blossoms as they spend time together. Fate, however, intervenes. Clara is offered a job in another part of the country and then Elias falls ill. Elias mentions that “Love was like a soft metal. It had to be honed in everyday life until it was both supple and firm.” Will their love survive?

Both characters are well-developed so feel authentic. Clara is independent, strong-willed and uncompromising; because she has been hurt in the past, she has built a protective wall: “She’d never wanted to open the door to herself to anyone.” Elias is charismatic but seems to use his acting skills in his personal life: he pretends to be happy though he feels he is in the wrong life. He seems afraid to totally commit to a relationship.

The perspectives of both Clara and Elias are presented so the reader gets to know them intimately. We may not agree with their decisions and choices, but we understand them. For example, Clara’s husband died of cancer and so her reluctance to open up is understandable. Considering the state of her marriage when Paul died, she vows, “If I ever love again, it will be completely and forever. No more compromises. Not with myself and not with the other person. And if that can’t be done, then it can’t be done.”

This is a book about mature love, not a young love. There is an age gap which particularly concerns Clara. They are not Romeo and Juliet and so cannot be rash since they both have adult responsibilities: Elias has a daughter, and Clara’s mother has dementia and her father suffers from paranoia. They have careers which are important to them.

Clara and Elias meet in the spring and every chapter includes some description of springtime which mirrors their developing relationship. Just as new buds form and flowers blossom, so does their love. And when there are problems between them, Clara notices “the trees were just plain green. That was how she felt. Yes. Alive. But not blooming.”

At one point, Elias quotes, “’Nothing is more various in its forms than love.’” The novel examines different types of love besides the romantic passion between Clara and Elias. There’s the love between siblings (Clara and Jan), the love of a parent for a child (Elias and Jules), and the love of children for parents (Jan and Clara’s care for their mother).

I do have a couple of quibbles. I had difficulty accepting Jan’s interference in Elias’s treatment. He speaks to him about test results though Elias is not his patient and then proposes a course of treatment without first consulting Elias’s doctors. I understand his motivation, but his actions are so unprofessional. I also didn’t understand why Clara receives the call from the care home at the end since she’s not an appointed guardian.

I’ve read the other novels by Ewald Arenz which have been translated into English: Tasting Sunlight and One Grand Summer. Though Love, After All is not my favourite of his, I do recommend it because it, like the others, shows exceptional emotional depth.

Here are links to my reviews of these other novels.

Tasting Sunlight: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/06/review-of-tasting-sunlight-by-ewald.html

One Grand Summer: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/07/review-of-one-grand-summer-by-ewald.html

Review of THE BIRTHING TREE by Amanda Peters (New Release)

4 Stars 

This novel, by the author of The Berry Pickers, is rooted in Mi’kmaq culture, specifically birthing trees. Women gave birth outdoors beneath sacred trees which were believed to strengthen the bonds of both mother and newborn to nature, ancestors, and culture.

This is a dual timeline narrative. It opens in 1964 when Aliet Paul is nine years old. She lives with Kiju, her grandmother, because her mother died giving birth to her. We learn about her upbringing; Kiju is focused on teaching her granddaughter about her culture and traditions. In the late 1990s, Aliet, now in her early 40s, is working as a nurse. She receives word that Kiju has died so Aliet returns to her childhood home. She comes to regret not fully listening to and appreciating Kiju’s lessons and sets out to reclaim her past and traditions. In the process she uncovers some family secrets.

I enjoyed learning about Mi’kmaq culture. I had never heard about birthing trees which symbolize maternal strength, the embrace of ancestors, and connection to the land. I loved Aliet’s explanation that “There is no word for goodbye in our language because there is no such thing. You can’t give a name to something that doesn’t exist. For us, we are always walking among the ancestors. We will see each other again someday is always true.”

Highlighted as well are examples of the mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples. Aliet speaks of her grandfather being buried at the edge of a Catholic graveyard: “Catholic enough to be buried there but too Indian to take space from the white folk.” Kiju owns her land on the edge of a village: “We all lived on the edges, a testament to our place in the world. Never at the centre, always on the periphery, easily forgotten, easily ignored.” When there is an attempt to move all of the Indians onto centralized reserves, Aliet comments: “The cruel irony of men in suits and shiny shoes trying to take away the land that had been stolen from us, the same land we bought back from the thieves.” Indigenous people, even children, are treated with suspicion and their traditions are disrespected. Spiritual practices are considered nonsense and superstition, traditional midwifery is considered uncivilized, and garbage is regularly left at the birthing tree.

I do have some issues. Parts of the book are predictable: it is easy, very early on, to guess what Aliet will uncover about her past. What I wondered, however, is when Kenneth learns the truth. He cannot know when he calls her an “orphan half-breed” though later he speaks as if he knew for a long time and justifies his behaviour because he had this knowledge: “’You never had to deal with him, and I was there all the time. . . . And I hated that you escaped it all and I couldn’t.’” I also wondered about a case of sexual assault: people know about a rape, but they take no action against the rapist? William just disappears from the story after serving his purpose?

The most memorable character for me is Kiju. She is a traditional midwife who relies on traditional medicine, teas, and spiritual practices to support mothers and bring children into the world. She is full of wisdom. Her passion for traditional ways is palpable. When hospital births are pushed on women who are drugged during labour, Kiju argues, “’How can you tell your own child their birth story if you can’t remember it yourself? How will they know where they came from, who they came from? . . . And you sleep through the most beautiful . . . And the lights, and the noise, so harsh on the ears of a newborn. And they steal the cord, the birth sac.’” I cheered at Kiju’s reaction to Mrs. Brown at the town hall meeting.

People who enjoyed The Berry Pickers (which is referenced more than once in this novel) will like this one as well. It has much to recommend it.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of A QUESTION OF GUILT by Jørn Lier Horst

 3.5 Stars

This is the last book of the Cold Case Quartet featuring William Wisting.

Wisting is on vacation but he receives anonymous notes that soon have him returning to work. The notes direct him to a 1999 case, the killing of a teenager, Tone Vaterland. Her ex-boyfriend Danny Momrak was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He has since been released. The notes imply that Danny is innocent and the real murderer escaped charges because of an incompetent police investigation. Wisting sets out to find out who sent the notes, and when he realizes that there were gaps in the original investigation, he tries to fill them in. Was Danny wrongfully convicted and is the real killer still free?

The calm and determined Wisting is very much at the centre of the investigation. His intelligence and his attention to detail make all the difference. When he finds lines of inquiry that were not followed up and unanswered questions in the initial investigation, he makes sure nothing is overlooked this time. Even when evidence seems irrefutable, he continues questioning. He is introduced to new forensic techniques and embraces them.

The plot is convoluted as Wisting leaves no stone unturned. There are lines of inquiry that prove to be dead ends, but following them guarantees that in the end there will be no question of the perpetrator’s guilt. There are flashbacks to 1999 and there are some scenes from subsequent years as well as the present; however, I found the plot easy to follow.

Characters from the previous books reappear. I enjoyed Maren Dokken for whom Wisting is a mentor, though she also teaches him some new investigative methods. Adrian Stiller shows up, but he’s less manipulative than in the past. Wisting’s daughter Line is present but not involved in the case; I like this because I found her involvement in previous cases intrusive and unrealistic. Actually there is a minor subplot involving Line and a boyfriend, but I wondered why it was included because it seems pointless.

I enjoyed the descriptions of a region of Norway which my husband and I plan to visit this fall. We will be taking the E18 between Kristiansand and Oslo and will stop at some of the towns along that route mentioned in the novel. I will definitely be thinking of Wisting and these novels as we tour Oslo and environs.

Review of THE TRUTH ABOUT RUBY COOPER by Liz Nugent (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

I really looked forward to reading this novel since I very much enjoyed previous books by the author such as Little Cruelties and Strange Sally Diamond. Unfortunately this one did not resonate with me as much as the others did.

Ruby and her older sister Erin live a comfortable life with their parents, Maureen and Doug, until 1999 when Ruby is sixteen and involved in an incident with Erin’s boyfriend Milo. The family is ripped apart: Ruby’s mother takes her to Dublin but Erin stays with her father in Boston. The novel follows their lives for the next 25 years. Erin struggles with trust issues for years whereas Ruby indulges in self-destructive behaviours. But then it seems that the truth about the incident has not been told. What will be the consequences if that truth is revealed?

The book is being marketed as a psychological suspense novel, but I found it more of a drama about a family fracturing because of choices made and secrets kept. Multiple points of view are presented but the focus is on Ruby and Erin’s perspectives.

Ruby is not a likeable character. Her insecurity and jealousy of her sister is obvious from the beginning: the last sentence of the prologue is “I blame my sister” and the first sentence of the first chapter is “If my sister hadn’t been beautiful, none of it would have happened.” This envy is her motivation throughout. Her behaviour at the beginning may be excusable; she is young and immature and so doesn’t know how to manage her emotions. However, she never matures, always remaining self-centred, as demonstrated by her behaviour towards Jack and her daughter Lucy, and never accepting responsibility, as demonstrated by her justifications for her choices. It’s interesting that Jack repeatedly calls Ruby a liar when he first meets her and that more than one person thinks there’s something wrong with her. What they don’t realize, but the reader knows, is how manipulative she really can be.

I had difficulty accepting the choices made by Ruby and Erin’s mother. I understand her motivation is protecting her child, but she could have prevented so much tragedy. It’s obvious that she feels a lot of guilt; I suspected early on that she was trying to make amends, even though anonymously. Her brief section towards the end does clarify her reasons somewhat and emphasizes the impact of choices made and secrets kept.

I found pacing problematic. Initially I was really interested, but once the truth is revealed a quarter of the way through, I found the book dragged. It felt repetitive and predictable, with no real surprises. The only suspense revolves around what Ruby will do next; it’s like waiting for an inevitable car crash. Then at the end, everything seems wrapped up very quickly. Because the novel spans over 25 years, there’s a lot of telling, rather than showing.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I didn’t find this as compelling as the other novels I’ve read by the author. It is, nonetheless, an interesting book which touches on a number of serious topics such as sexual assault, alcoholism, the damaging power of jealousy, and the lasting impact of secrets and lies.

Here are links to my reviews of other novels by Liz Nugent:

Little Cruelties: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2020/11/review-of-little-cruelties-by-liz.html

Strange Sally Diamond: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2023/07/review-of-strange-sally-diamond-by-liz.html

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of THE SUBSTITUTE by Nicole Lundrigan

3.5 Stars 

The psychological suspense novels of Canadian author Nicole Lundrigan have become my go-to books when I’m looking for an audiobook for my morning walks.

This one has chapters which alternate between two perspectives. There’s that of Warren Botts narrated in omniscient third person. He’s a PhD student taking a leave of absence and teaching science in a middle school. The other point of view, in first person, is that of an unnamed and ungendered teenager identified only as Kiddle. When Amanda Fuller, one of Warren’s students, is found dead by hanging in his backyard, suspicion falls on him though the reader may come to suspect Kiddle.

It is the character of Kiddle that I found most interesting. With a lack of empathy, lack of remorse, and antisocial behavior, s/he fits the definition of a psychopath. Cold, speaking of love as a meaningless emotion, and calculating, s/he carefully plans actions. What also stands out is Kiddle’s exceptional intelligence.

Kiddle and Warren share much in common. Both are solitary people. Kiddle often avoids interacting with people, having an attachment only to a sister named Button and a neighbour who treats Kiddle as an intellectual equal. Warren has only one close friend. Both Kiddle and Warren are socially inept. Kiddle blurts out inappropriate comments whereas Warren counts obsessively to calm his anxiety. Both have fractured families: a dead father, a younger sister to whom they are close, and emotionally distant mothers.

Suspense arises from trying to identify Kiddle and figure out whether s/he is connected to Amanda’s death. What is the motivation for her murder, if she was murdered? It is inevitable that the novel’s two plotlines will eventually intersect, but how? The similarities between Kiddle and Warren even suggest that they might be past and present versions of the same person. Of course Kiddle’s identity is revealed in the end, but there are clues throughout. The novel is well-crafted so the clues are subtle, but a discerning reader might accurately guess Kiddle’s identity.

The title is perfect. Warren is a substitute teacher, but there are other substitutions as well. Certainly, the book will leave readers thinking about the impact of childhood experiences and wondering whether there can ever be an adequate replacement for a lost or neglectful parent.

Though rather slow-paced, this is a chilling read appropriate for a hot summer day. Even at the end, there is a lingering unease which will send a chill down one’s spine.

Review of WHISTLER by Ann Patchett

 4 Stars

This is a gentle, comforting read.

During a museum visit, Daphne Fuller reconnects with her former stepfather, Eddie Triplett. They haven’t seen each other for 44 years since she was nine years old and the two of them were involved in a serious car accident. Their reunion has her looking back on her childhood and slowly coming to see people and events with new eyes.

The novel’s chapters focus on Daphne’s perspective but there are four interstitial sections which provide a third-person account of the accident in January of 1980.

The book will leave readers wishing they had Eddie as a stepfather. He is calm, capable, and charming. He is highly respected in his job and popular at social gatherings. He has a wonderful sense of humour. Eddie and Daphne have a strong bond because they both love reading and books and because of the traumatic experience they shared. It’s obvious that Eddie left an indelible mark on Daphne’s life.

One major theme is how children often misunderstand adult relationships. For instance, Daphne has always held herself responsible for the divorce between Eddie and her mother Abigail because they divorced immediately after the accident. Eddie, however, gives her information that makes her see what happened in an entirely different light. In the end, she reaches a conclusion: “I wondered what anyone ever knows about another person’s relationship. . . . I realized the answer was nothing.” And she comes to see how her mother was heroic in dire circumstances that Daphne does not think she herself could have survived.

There are other messages as well: the power of storytelling, how childhood never leaves us, and how even tragedies can have positive consequences. The latter is particularly clear: the illness of Daphne’s biological father brings the two of them together and brings the man who would become her husband into her life. Daphne has always thought of her and her sister Leda’s childhoods as difficult, especially because Abigail seemed largely indifferent to them, but Leda points out, “’We were loved, not passionately but enough, and we were largely ignored, which allowed for our healthy separation from the primary family. Necessity made us resourceful and brave. We were left to solve our own problems and so we did.’”

The picture of the horse on the cover and the book’s title suggest this is an equestrian-centric novel; in fact, I thought it might be like Horse by Geraldine Brooks. The reference is to a story told by Eddie to Daphne the night of the accident about a horse named Whistler who rescues his owner. In the end, the reader will probably think about how Daphne was Eddie’s Whistler in the past, but he is her Whistler in the present. Though in different ways, they do rescue each other.

I’ve liked Ann Patchett’s novels like The Dutch House (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2020/06/review-of-dutch-house-by-ann-patchett.html) and Tom Lake (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2023/11/review-of-tom-lake-by-ann-patchett.html). This one I also enjoyed.