It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
This month we begin with Virginia Evans’s epistolary novel, The Correspondent.
The main character in the book writes to Joan Didion – she writes about various things but one thing Didion and the imaginary Sybil have in common is adoption. Sybil is adopted, as is Joan’s daughter, Quintanna. In her memoir, Notes to John, Didion writes memorably about the shared fear of both the adopted child and the adopted parents – that the other could be taken away at any moment.
I think my favourite story about a child that is adopted is The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne. The novel focuses on Cyril, a child growing up in unusual circumstances. I recently read Before the Leaves Fall by Clare O’Dea, about a man called Ruedi, who also had an unusual childhood, spent with a family that was not his biological family.
Before the Leaves Fall is set in Switzerland, yet the author is Irish. Coincidentally, the next book I picked up was also set in Switzerland… and not by a Swiss author – On Not Climbing Mountains by Australian author, Claire Thomas.
On Not Climbing Mountains is studded with literary references (this is absolutely a novel for readers), one of which is to Elizabeth von Arnim’s novel, Elizabeth and her German Garden. Von Arnim lived in Switzerland for many years and during that time, she employed a tutor for her children, Morgan Forster, who later published under the name, E. M. Forster.
So my final link is to my favourite of Forster’s novels, A Room with a View. There’s a nice extra link back to On Not Climbing Mountains – the main character in that book, Beatrice, explores Switzerland without modern technologies, relying instead on a very old Baedeker. A Baedeker plays an important part in Lucy Honeychurch’s visit to Florence in A Room with a View.
Next month (May 2, 2026), we’ll start with a book that is currently on two prize longlists (the Women’s Prize and the Stella) – Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy.
Well I love this, as I love Elizabeth von Arnim and EM Forster. I also like Joan Didion. (Last night we watched the Merchant Ivory documentary on SBS On Demand, and Room with a View features strongly.) My chain, you won’t be surprised to hear, went in a different direction: https://whisperinggums.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-correspondent-to/
I love the sound of The Heart’s Invisible Furies- and I’m in the mood for a long book! My chain is all caught up in current events, and rather depressing, I’m afraid. https://residentjudge.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-correspondent-to/
What great unexpected links in there! I doubt I’ll do as well.
Here is mine for April, looking forward to reading everyone elses: https://aidanvale.blogspot.com/2026/04/six-degrees-of-separation-apr-from.html
As ever, a clever series of links. And I’m quite ashamed only to have read Room with a View from your choices. Here’s mine: https://margaret21.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-correspondent-to-a-little-trickerie/
The Heart’s Invisible Furies is one of my favourite books! Fabulous chain.
Here’s mine for this month.
https://portobellobookblog.com/2026/04/04/6degrees-of-separation-for-april-2026-from-the-correspondent-to-the-house-of-hidden-letters-booksky-%f0%9f%92%99%f0%9f%93%9a/
The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a great book – I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by John Boyne. Here’s my chain: https://shereadsnovels.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-correspondent-to-the-queens-rival/
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Such an interesting chain! Great to see the O’Dea in there.
Here’s mine: https://alifeinbooks.co.uk/2026/04/six-degrees-of-separation-the-correspondent-to-if-i-knew-you-were-going-to-be-this-beautiful-i-never-would-have-let-you-go/ Too long for Mister Linky!
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Well, it’s quite rare that I’ve read Kate’s choices but I read The Correspondent in November with my book group (the waiting lists at all the local libraries were absurd) and also liked Wild Dark Shore. I’ve also read A Room with a View and Elizabeth and Her German Garden (but didn’t know the fun fact about Forster). I read The Elements by John Boyne which was very readable but also extremely disturbing – another book group selection.
Here is my April chain:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2026/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from.html
Happy Easter to those who observe!
Love the inclusion of Claire O’Dea – great chain.
I went with Didion as well. And Wild Dark Shore is my next book to read in print. Unfortunately, I won’t get home to read it until after May 6th. And The Heart’s Invisible Furies has been on my TBR shelf for oh, so long.
The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a fantastic novel. It’s one I’ll read again. You’ve piqued my interest with On Not Climbing Mountains. Off to see if I can get it from the library.
What a great chain, and I’ve actually read a couple! The Boyne is lovely you’re right and A Room With A View is an all time favourite. The Correspondent is firmly on my list and so too is On Not Climbing Mountains, thanks!
Good work! Mine is finally up. https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-the-correspondent-a-novel-by-virginia-evans/
Sorry this is a day late…I was busy with my review of The Best of Everything and ran out of time.
https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/04/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-correspondent/
very cool links all around this time!! I have only read the last one ( ages ago)… my chain is very straightforward this time actually – https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/d-is-for-delightful-words-verses-and-more/#Degrees_of_Separation_Six%E2%80%A6
I’ve read several of the books in your chain but am intrigued by Notes to John, after bringing up a child who wasn’t our own and who we couldn’t adopt. The fear on both sides that you’ve identified was real.
https://rosereadsnovels.wordpress.com/2026/04/04/six-degrees-of-separation-the-correspondent-by-virginia-evans/
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Interesting how you go a completely different way. But then, you read the book. I have not since it’s not available in pb, but it is on my wishlist, so I am looking forward to it.
I concentrated on letters and correspondence in my list:
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2026/04/six-degrees-of-separation-correspondent.html
Grrr, Marianne, I’m not being allowed to comment at all on your post this time! Which, as ever, I enjoyed. Interesting – I have sampled your authors this time, but not these particular books. Which encourages me to investigate further.
I’m so sorry for that. I don’t know what the problem is. Several of my WordPress friends seem to be able to do that now. If I knew a solution, I’d let you know.
Blogger and WordPress are laws unto themselves!
Yes, they both want you to join them but then you have the same problem with other bloggers.
The truth is, I hardly read any bloggers who aren’t with WP. It’s just too difficult to comment!
And I’m sure you’re not the only one. And it happens the other way around. Blogger and WP don’st know how much they lose with this nonsense.
*sigh*. They don’t listen to us ….
Sorry to be a day late with my post – it’s been a strange week for me with day surgery on Wednesday. I enjoyed your post – A Room with a View, is also one of my favourite’s of Forster’s novels.
Here’s mine https://jhohadli.com/2026/04/05/happy-easter-to-those-who-observe-reading-journal-and-round-up-050426
You convinced me. Adding all of these to my TBR.
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Love your Elizabeth von Arnim link, and that book too. I had no idea Foster was tutor to her children!
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