One of 2025's Biggest Books Came Out of Nowhere. After Reading It, I Think I Understand Why.

"One of the biggest literary hits of 2025 seemingly came out of nowhere. The Correspondent, the debut book of Virginia Evans, an unpublished author who had previously written seven unsold novels, was published in April, but it wasn't until December that it made it to the top of the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction. (After 13 weeks on the list, it now sits at No. 3.)"

"But what is it about The Correspondent that has given it such selling power? "Even to its biggest boosters, the book's ongoing success is something of a mystery," the Times wrote in December. "There wasn't one thing that has propelled this," said Amy Einhorn, who acquired the novel for Crown, to the Times reporters asking how The Correspondent broke through. One of the many contributing factors could be Ann Patchett, the beloved author best known for Bel Canto and other acclaimed fiction titles."

"In that PBS appearance, Patchett said she initially doubted the book's staying power because epistolary novels-novels written in the form of letters or other kinds of correspondence-"usually don't work." And yet something about The Correspondent did work, enough to turn it into a quiet sensation with surprising staying power. After reading the book, I get it now. The Correspondent is an epistolary novel par excellence, a tale told in letters that is staunchly, defiantly old-school, in form and message."

The Correspondent was published in April and reached No. 1 on the New York Times hardcover fiction list in December, later settling at No. 3 after 13 weeks. The novel’s rise was gradual and unexpected, driven by word-of-mouth momentum, high-profile endorsements, and a devoted readership. The book is an epistolary novel told entirely through letters, embracing a deliberately old‑school form and voice. The narrative centers on Sybil Van Antwerp, a septuagenarian divorcée and mother of two. A prominent novelist provided a blurb and promoted the book on national television, helping amplify interest and sales.

Read at Slate Magazine