The “novel in letters” is regarded as the epitome of sentimentality, yet its forms of expression are actually more nuanced than the typical verdict of literary historians would suggest. Based upon a consideration of the epistemological and media-historical contexts of the epistolary novel, this volume presents illustrative interpretations that reveal the multifaceted richness of this genre. The contours of the history of the epistolary novel are thus traced, allowing us to reassess the relationship between individual texts and the genre as a whole.