The Lost Letters of William Woolf

Apparently I have been on a bit of a roll with books that I need to persevere to complete.  This book by Helen Cullen is one I started about a month ago and couldn't get past the first few chapters.  It was coming due at the library and I needed to give it another try or just return it.  I'm glad I ended up trying to read The Lost Letters of William Wolfe again.

The very beginning seems to be a bit unnecessary other than providing background on William's childhood which really didn't seem to have any bearing on the book and in the end.  The book centers around the struggles William and his wife, Claire, are having in their marriage.  It really does seem to be a matter of perspective on much of what they struggle with but definitely relatable to anyone who has been married more than a few years.  The story goes back and forth between the 2 of them as the narrators so we see things from both of their perspectives and their individual struggles.

We are treated with the tales that come from William's work at the Dead Letter Depot in East London which provide some pleasant distractions from the drama within their household and the emotions and difficulties they struggle with in their lives.   The author does a great job at providing description to allow the reader to visualize the setting without being too descriptive.

This is an enjoyable read and is worth sticking through the first portion of the book until the story line gains momentum.

The Lost Letters of William Woolf by Helen Cullen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I ended up enjoying this book but it definitely took me a while to get into it. The beginning of the book just didn't capture my attention. This may have been due to the fact there was little going on in the beginning and it was more about setting the story up and the internal musings of William Wolfe. The story does a good job at highlighting how easily couples slip into complacency and slowly find themselves pulling apart. This book definitely highlights the soul searching William and his wife are faced with. The reader finds themselves following along as they struggle to find themselves, their dreams and their passions for things and relationships lost. All in all the book was good and I am glad I stuck it out when I was struggling at the beginning.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are: 

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #46
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #29 An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book
3. TBR Book #29  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon