Reflective Fiction

I love to read books that cause you to reflect back on life. Is that a genre? I don’t think so but I’ve read two recently that kind of have similar themes and I wanted to share in case you like a good reflective fiction (Don’t Google that – I made it up) like I do!

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is a book that should be classified as the perfect example of reflective fiction! (I’m kind of proud of this new genre category and I may get it trademarked.) This is the story of Sybil Van Antwerp, an older woman, who is looking back at her life through letter writing. It is an epistolary novel – another format I just love – and so it is a story told all through letters. Sybil, in looking back at her life, finds relationships she needs to bring reconciliation to as well as relationships she needs closure to. It is a powerful, moving novel that will bring many things to discuss as well – so grab a friend and read and discuss this one! I will also let you in on the fact that the audio is AMAZING with a full cast of readers!! And then, when you are finished, go listen to this podcast – it’s wonderful and has insight from Ms. Evans and where the ideas for the book came from.

Ready for another read that is an absolute delight?? Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy is right up there at the top of the delightful list. Again, this books is about an older woman, Helen Cartwright. But it focuses on her life of solitude in the English village where she grew up. Helen is alone after her husband and son die and her life is all routine and habit….including her trips to the dumpster to see what has been left as trash. When she finds an antique toy, she takes it back to her apartment and also discovers a mouse in her box. But it’s what ensues after she finds the mouse that had me smiling through the entire story! She’s a good woman, that Helen, I’m not sure I’d have been as cordial to a mouse, but that mouse sure leads her on some adventures and takes her down paths she would never have expected. It’s another fabulous look at life from closer to the end than the beginning. And there is so much to glean looking back.