Sipsworth

(Paperback)

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Description

'A love story about a woman and a mouse. I found myself pulling for this unlikely duo on every page. Loaded with charm, resilience, and the deep desire for connection that all mammals share. I loved it.' -Ann Patchett

Over the course of a single week, a woman who is ready to die finds an unexpected reason to live

Following the deaths of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns from sixty years in Australia to the English village of her childhood. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss.

Helen retreats into her home on Westminster Crescent, becoming a creature of routine and habit. Then, one cold autumn night, a chance encounter with an abandoned pet mouse on the street outside her house sets Helen on a surprising journey of friendship, and a way back into life itself.

Reviews

'Sipsworth is a love story about a woman and a mouse. Reason suggests that such a relationship couldnt possibly work, and yet I found myself pulling for this unlikely duo on every page. Simon Van Booys characters are loaded with charm, resilience, and the deep desire for connection that all mammals share. I loved it.'

* Ann Patchett *

'Beautifully detailed, and filled with heart, Sipsworth is a slim, sparkling jewel of a novel.'

* Christina Baker Kline *

'Through tears, laughter, joy, and pain, I just couldnt stop reading this novel about friendship and second chances. Sipsworth is a marvel storytelling at its absolute finest'

-- Marc Levy

'Enchanting... Material that could easily feel saccharine or twee is fresh and often funny, thanks to the author's artful prose... Van Booy takes the familiar trope of an ageing person's unexpected renewal and makes it feel new'

* Publishers Weekly starred review *

'Charming... The prose is simple yet lovely; the story sneaks up on the reader's affections, as deft as Sipsworth himself... Generous, vibrant and quiet novel' Foreword Reviews

'Its an utterly charming and heartwarming modern fairytale about finding connections and friendships in the most unlikely places. Simon Van Bodys characters are beautifully drawn and completely irresistible. I was spellbound from the first page to the last!'

-- Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

'Simon Van Booy has performed another small literary miracle....trenchant and beautiful....countless passages beguile and move us'

* Washington Post *

'Van Booy's gift for language is immersive... A memorable story about serendipityand what can happen when we keep our hearts open to surprise.'

* Christian Science Monitor *

'Utterly charming and beautifully written, Sipsworth is a tender tale about loss, loneliness and the healing power of connection that you won't want to put down'

-- Mike Gayle

Author Bio

Simon Van Booy is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen books for adults and children. He is the editor of three volumes of philosophy and has written for The New York Times, the Financial Times, the Washington Post, and the BBC. His books have been translated into many languages and optioned for film. Raised in rural North Wales, he currently lives in New York where he is also a book editor and a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician.