Jakub Wałęga

The book is set decades ago, and yet the events that it portrays seem as if they could happen recently. What can be said, however, is that it has an extremely riveting storyline which makes a person want to read more of it. It shows how it is possible to have friends in completely different civilisations, with letters being the only way of communicating. What is also incredible is the trust and empathy the protagonists developed without any face-to-face interaction.

The story is set in two places: the US and Zimbabwe. Caitlin and Martin are pen pals. They are both assigned to write letters to someone and the fact that the two of them find each other is a sheer coincidence: due to all the popular countries being unavailable, Caitlin is left with very few options. She opts for Zimbabwe just because “it sounds mysterious” to her. They send each other photos, find out about each one’s struggles, and continue to write to each other even after their classmates completely lost contact with their pen-pals. Despite Martin struggling financially, he keeps writing to Caitlin (even though it is rather a big expense for him). After a letter written in a wrapper Caitlin starts sending money to him without informing her parents. I will not spoil the rest.

I Will Always Write Back is a worthwhile read for multiple reasons. It shows there is contrast between two completely different countries, yet the characters who come from them can still become great friends for life. Martin’s problems keep you in suspense, especially towards the end of the book. It also makes the reader thankful for what they have.

Most book reviews include a slight bit of criticism; however, there is not much room for improvement in this novel as it is based on a true story. Every moment, from the very beginning, is written well enough for a person to be interested in it. Overall, I consider I Will Always Write Back a decent book.

Source: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/22875069-i-will-always-write-back