Sipsworth

by Simon Van Booy

In a span of seven days, an elderly widow, who had been living alone and eager for death, finds an unanticipated reason to continue living. After her husband and son's passing, Helen Cartwright returns to her English childhood village, hoping for a swift, quiet end. Yet, years of solitude and routine pass uneventfully on Westminster Crescent. One chilly autumn evening, a chance meeting with a stray pet mouse outside her home sets Helen on an unexpected journey of friendship. 'The Cure for Loneliness' is a tender reminder that our plans may not always align with life's surprises. Simon Van Booy's clear, poetic narrative is filled with uncommon kindness and the notion that we can often astonish even ourselves.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Book Club, Contemporary, Animals, Literary Fiction, Adult

250 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2024

About the author

Simon Van Booy is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen books for adults and children, including The Illusion of Separateness and The Presence of Absence. Simon 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 E.M.T. crew chief.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The only consolation of being the last to go is knowing the people you loved the most won't suffer the way you do in their absence.”

Helen Cartwright knows she's alone - and sometimes she's even okay with it. She has her routines, her shows, her...life. But it is awfully lonely, to live so long without the ones you love.

“Each day was an impersonation of the one before with only a slight shuffle⁠—as though even for death there is a queue.”

But on a whim, she takes in a little aquarium filled with boxes...and inside one of those boxes was a tiny, bedraggled mouse.

And upon a second examination, she determines that he's actually a rather distinguished, proper mouse.

A little creature deserving of a home, a family, a name. Sipsworth.

“Helen notices her hand trembling⁠—not because she’s holding a live mouse, but because it’s the first time she’s been touched by another living thing for over twenty years.”

Ahhh, I heard about this one through chatter in my local library and I'm so glad I picked it up. This was a warm hug.

I really liked how the author slowly unveiled Helen's backstory - little tidbits here and there that both intrigued me and made me want to wrap her in a hug.

And then all the scenes with the glorious little Sipsworth in it - he was so charming and the exact sort of person that Helen needed in her life. So. Stinking. Cute.

Sometimes you really need a story that highlights the importance of human connection and community and whew. This one was a balm to ease a torn soul.

This is the kind of book that really makes you want to check in with your neighbors and call your distant family members to let them know how much you care.

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

“Memory has never come to her like this in the physical world. It has always been something weightless⁠—strong enough to blow the day off course, but not something she can reach for and hold on to.”

Widowed and having lost her adult son to a tragic accident years ago, eighty-three-year-old Helen Cartwright, had moved back to Westminster Crescent, after sixty years in Australia, to quietly live out the rest of her life. Helen is content in her solitude, surrounded by her memories and her daily life built around a set routine with minimal social interaction. Despite having lived in Westminster Crescent before her marriage, she has no friends or acquaintances with whom she could spend time even if she were so inclined and isn’t motivated to forge new connections.

“It wasn’t easy coming back after so long. Everything had been going on without her as if she’d never existed.”

Helen’s life changes when she encounters a mouse in a discarded heap of trash – a mouse she begins to care about and names Sipsworth. We follow Helen over the course of a little over a week as she is inspired to effect positive changes in her life in her efforts to take care of her new friend.

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy is a charming story about friendship, community, second chances and how life can surprise you when you least expect it. Helen is an interesting protagonist and is portrayed as an intelligent, inquisitive and compassionate person. I liked that we did not have to rely solely on Helen’s memories to know her backstory but some interesting facts about her life are also shared with a few surprising revelations as the narrative progresses in the present timeline. The author addresses sensitive themes such as aging, loneliness and grief with wisdom and compassion. The narrative is relatively slow-paced, which suits the nature of the story and I thought the supporting characters were well thought out. While I can’t say I’m personally fond of mice (unless the mouse in question is an animated character named Mickey), there is no doubt about the profound positive impact that our furry friends have on our lives and the author captures this sentiment beautifully in this story.

I paired my reading with the audiobook, which made for an engaging immersion reading experience. Christine Rendel’s heartfelt audio narration breathes life into this beautiful story and the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and didn’t want it to end. A short yet impactful read, this heartwarming story left me with a lump in my throat and a smile on my face. This is my first time reading Simon Van Booy and it surely won’t be my last.

Many thanks to David R. Godine for the digital review copy via Edelweiss+ and HighBridge Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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[Lisa of Troy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful Writing, Unoriginal, Ridiculous (and not in a good way)

From the first page, this book was a festering wound on my literary soul. The book is written in the present tense and contains extremely awkward, childish sentence fragments.

The plot could have been summarized as follows: Old woman needs cat.

As if this train wreck could get any worse, incredibly, it does. It really does.

Spare yourself.

The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Hardcover Text – $26.58 on eBay
Audiobook – Free through Libby

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[Rosh (on a medical break) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A beautiful contemporary fiction about an old lady and a mouse. Covers several dark as well as light themes. Loved this unusual story that isn't like the other golden-years fiction novels thronging the book market. Recommended!

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Plot Preview:

After sixty years in Australia, eighty-three-year-old Helen Cartwright has returned to Westminster to spend her final years in her childhood hometown. She knows she doesn't have much time left and she has made her peace with it. After all, she's alone in the world, and has no one and nothing to live for. However, one day, due to her own error, a mouse enters her house. And suddenly, her life has a new purpose.
The story comes to us in Helen's close third-person perspective.

At its simplest, this is just the story of a lonely old lady and a lonely not-so-old mouse. But can a simple premise turn into a memorable reading experience with good storytelling? Indeed, it can!


Bookish Yays:
🐭 There are so many books these days with geriatric characters in the lead, all focusing on the beauty of these so-called golden years, with the characters still spry and enjoying life to the fullest. They join various clubs, enter new romantic relationships, come out from the closet, and even solve murders. As such, this new genre has become too formulaic too soon. This book breaks the pattern in a refreshing way.

🐭 Helen is such a lovely character. A typical old lady and yet not so typical. You can feel her loneliness and grief even when she denies it. I especially enjoyed her random mildly-crotchety observations on today's world.

🐭 Sipsworth. The titular character. Also the name of Helen’s murine housemate. Most of us love books with dogs and cats, but this book will make you look at mice differently. (But not *so* differently that you would begin to welcome mice in your home! 😉)

🐭 The various secondary characters who become a part of Helen’s life, whether she likes it or not. I won't reveal their details as it takes a while for them to pop up in the story, but they are all nice and loveable. Perhaps a bit too good to be true, but who cares!? This is feelgood fiction!

🐭 The easy storytelling with many heartwarming moments and even a few tense ones. There is also enough humour, with the comic elements being more subtle than slapstick. Loved all of this!

🐭 Short chapters that are put to great use without making us feel like the story is rushing.

🐭 Just because this is a straightforward narrative, don't think that there's no twist. There's one surprising reveal that truly impressed me!


Bookish Mixed Bags:
🐁 The ending is a bit too abrupt. Don’t get me wrong: it's complete and even quite satisfying. But I wanted much more! Especially keeping in mind that this is feelgood fiction, I would have loved a Bollywoodish happy-hugs-galore kind of ending, though without the final group song. 😆


🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 5 hours 10 minutes, is narrated by Christine Rendel. She is EXCELLENT! Her voice brings Helen's personality to life. It was so refreshing to hear a voice for an older character actually sound older. Her tempo was too slow for my liking, but this was a non-issue as an increase in the speed worked wonders. I'd definitely recommend the audio version. The straightforward timeline and the fabulous narration, combined with the shorter listening length, would make this a great option even for audiobook newbies.


All in all, I'm glad I read this book when I was in the mood for something slow and sweet. The characters and the storyline both work excellently in unison. It's nice to have feelgood fiction that's light without being comic or romantic.

Much recommended when you want something heartwarming and mellow and somewhat quirky.

4.5 stars, delighted to round up!


My thanks to HighBridge Audio for providing the ALC of “Sipsworth” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.


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[Tina Panik · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Ratatouille and A Man Called Ove had a baby, it would be this book.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sipsworth was the first book that I have had the opportunity to read by Simon Van Booy. I was drawn to the cover immediately but I wasn’t sure how I felt about reading about a relationship between an older woman and a mouse. How silly of me! I soon discovered that this heartfelt story was so much more. It was written so beautifully and allowed me to feel the feelings of loss, discovery, sadness and hope. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated so well by Christine Rendel. I was so invested in the characters, the acts of love, and the changes in heart that I didn’t want Sipsworth to end.

Helen Cartwright was an eighty something year old woman. She had moved from England to Australia as a young bride and never looked back. When Helen’s beloved husband died, though, and when her son died a senseless and premature death, Helen left Australia and returned to the home she had grew up in. It was located in England. Helen Cartwright had lost her will to live. She had returned home to England to wait for death to find her as well. She had lost all the reasons that were important to her to want to continue to live. All Helen Cartwright wanted was “to die quickly and without fuss”.

Helen settled into a daily routine quickly. Her routine included taking her meals in front of the television where she watched the news in the morning and movies in the evening, venturing out to buy food and necessities, an occasional solitary walk and lots of naps. Helen was lonely and her existence was mundane. She often found herself reminiscing about memorable occasions in her past that included either her late husband or her son.

One night, as Helen stood by the window, she observed her neighbor placing certain items of trash at the curb. Amongst the things her neighbor was getting rid of was an old aquarium. Inside the aquarium, Helen discovered a box and several children’s toys. These things spurred old memories that involved her son. Helen knew that she couldn’t let those things be carted away. Helen knew that she needed to save those things from being taken away by the garbage collectors. That night, Helen learned that beside the aquarium, box and children’s toys, she also inherited a little mouse.

Over time, Helen and the mouse who became known as Sipsworth, learned to rely on one another in a way that I am quite certain Helen never imagined. Helen and Sipsworth found a way to wriggle themselves into each other’s hearts. One became dependent upon the other but in quite different ways. Ultimately, it became hard for both Helen and Sipsworth to imagine a life without the other.

Sipsworth was so profound on so many different levels. As a person ages and looses the people they love and care about, their outlook on life can and often changes as it did with Helen Cartwright. Sipsworth came into Helen’s life for a reason. For others like Helen Cartwright, dormant feelings need to be sparked to give them a reason to want to continue living. Everyone needs something or someone to inspire them to want to live. For Helen Cartwright, it was Sipsworth. I really enjoyed getting to know the character of Helen Cartwright. Her unique idiosyncrasies were welcomed, appreciated and enjoyed. Sipsworth packed a lot into its short length. It was most delightful, funny at times, sad at other times and quite relatable. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy and highly recommend it.

Thank you to HighBridge Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy through Netgalley in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I loved this sweet little novel so much!!!!!!! Very quirky, heart warming & real!! Highly recommend this charmer

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I just read? Let me just say that I wanted to love it. Well, first I wanted to like it. Because I really wasn’t sure what I read here. I just know my emotions were left between these pages here. This was a deep, moving, tale, and it got me…but…

Was it real? Whether or not it was, there is something to be said about this deeply moving story.

Helen, an 80-something widow has given up on herself. Her life. And she has left everything behind and moved to her old home. That she grew up in at one point in her life. But everything she knew once, has changed, so why did she do it?

We can tell that Helen’s spirit is gone. And, it certainly is at this point as a reader that we are feeling her aloneness and sadness and loss of self and hope for anything more from this life.

Does this make it a depressing saga? Not necessarily. But it definitely will touch readers with its heart-felt moments. There is something relatable here. And, we can’t help but pay attention.

Helen is alone. Very alone. And, we definitely can feel that intensity of aloneness that is felt through aging. The author highlights it so well. And, for this I give him credit for having readers feel it so deeply. And, as readers, experiencing this intensity of aloneness, we can’t help but feel Helen, as we inhabit her movements, when one night, late, she goes out, and picks up her neighbor’s trash. There is something surreal about this, especially as she finds memories of her son in one of the toys she finds in that trash.

And, as readers we can’t help but be caught up in her aloneness and routines. And, her fascination with this trash, when there is this moment, as she is exploring and cleaning, she finds a…mouse? That she names Sipsworth. (Hence: the name of the book!) And, she makes it her mission to bring this mouse back to health.

Or does she? Hence, my confusion.

And, eventually she starts to meet people. And, now she has a life, worth living? And, friends who are helping her, help Sipsworth live? Yes, these are question marks.

But when it is time to have other people come and get Sipsworth the help it needs…no spoilers. Because that would give away everything. And, perhaps my confusion, most of all.

Still, the closeness of the community connection, takes Helen out of her head and creates something she didn’t have, which gives Van Booy’s writing a softness, and a sensitivity even in my confusion about the story. Because, even if I struggled to like or love it, I recognize there was something deep here. A place we all know that could happen to any one of us.

Questions that we might even ask ourselves.

How do we overcome this loneliness as we age? When people we loved in partnership are no longer with us? And, it is just us navigating this life on our own?

This was a very quick, one sitting read. But even as eloquent as the prose was, it was still a confusing read. Of a lonely lady who didn’t want to live, who found something (a mouse?) that gave her a reason to live. And, maybe that was the point? Definitely a compelling one. Maybe we all need something to give us a reason for living.

Side note: I know, even this one was an unusual one for me to pick as my last book for the year. But I have come to recognize that even around the holidays, not all people are in celebration mode. Look around you. Be sensitive. Be open to the private and hidden stories others might be harboring. Some might be in shadow or challenged by grief. I know that the holidays aren’t always filled with presents and joy for everyone. Wherever you are on your journey, please know you are not alone. Sending love and hugs and hearts and prayers and light to all who need and want it today and always. And, a radiance of blessings in 2025. ❤️‍🩹

[Anne Bogel]

This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club January 2026 selection. The author will join us for a live discussion!

Eighty-three-year-old Helen Cartwright moves back to her English village hometown after sixty years in Australia. Her husband and adult son have both died and she doesn’t feel the need to seek out new friends. The quiet solitude is enough as she lives out the remainder of her life. When she finds and rescues an abandoned pet mouse whom she names Sipsworth, she has no idea just how much her life is about to change. A moving exploration of grief, loneliness, community, and second chances.

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Eighty three year old Helen has lost her loved ones and all she has left are her memories and her grief. But then her outlook on life suddenly changes as she rifles through a neighbor’s discarded items, looking for what - she isn’t sure. She does connect to a memory of her son when she finds a toy like one he had as a child and that was touching . But, it’s a mouse, who she names Sipsworth that makes all the difference in her life. The turning point, a poignant moment when she says that nothing can happen to her , otherwise Sipsworth will be alone. At that point, while I thought this would be a sweet, feel good story which I was hoping for, it felt predictable and a bit cliche.

But then I was hooked in the second half when Helen’s story is revealed and we learn things about her life before moving back to England from Australia . I loved how she connected with the other characters because of Sipsworth and how her loneliness and grief are replaced with purpose and hope when there seemed to be none, with people who care, with friendship, with people coming together for a common cause.

I’m a fan of Simon Van Booy’s beautiful writing and moving story telling and am making my way through his fiction. Glad I read this sweet story . I needed this feel good one !

I read with my book buddy, Diane .

I received a copy of this book from David R .Godine Publishers through Edelweiss.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about an elderly woman named Helen Cartwright who is alone, having lost her husband and son.. moves back to her native English village after having lived in Australia for many years.
She is ready to go to… she’s so lonely.. one day she picks up a neighbors old aquarium filled with other things…that’s been put out for the trash.. drags it into her house.. becomes aware of a mouse living in the bottom of all the junk.
This mouse gives her something to care for and helps her with getting on with life.

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve previously established that I am a complete and utter sap. But this beautiful little book got me all choked up while on a plane, and the woman sitting next to me asked if I was okay. (That’s always an embarrassing conversation.)

After 60 years living abroad, Helen returns to the English village where she grew up. She’s at a point in her life where she “was old with her life broken in ways she could not have foreseen.” She’s just ready to die, and hopes to do so quickly.

Each day of her life is much like the one before. She enjoys watching old movies and listening to opera, but more often than not she finds herself sleeping longer and longer during the day. But then one night, her quiet existence is disrupted when she discovers a mouse has gotten into her cottage.

At first, all she wants to do is get the mouse out. But then she starts to worry that it might get eaten by the neighbor’s cat, or even freeze to death, so she decides to bring it back into the house. Little by little she finds herself caring for the mouse, feeding it treats and even talking to it as if it were a companion. She even gives him a name, Sipsworth, and he proves to be much more personable and smarter than your average mouse.

For the first time in years, Helen doesn’t feel entirely alone. And when a crisis occurs she realizes that there are people to whom she matters, people who notice her and want to help her. This woman who was prepared to live her final days alone has found her with numerous companions, especially Sipsworth.

This was such a beautiful, sweet story of second chances, realizing you’re more important than you think, and, of course, the power of hope. It definitely requires a little suspension of disbelief, but this felt like a gigantic hug.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.

Check out my best reads of 2023 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2023.html.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I apparently have a cold, dead heart because I didn't care about this book until there were other humans introduced to the story (at approximately 96% into the book).

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all need something or someone to care for, as an 82 year old woman soon finds out. Having lost all those dear to her, she thinks the only thing left for her to do, is to die. She never expected to find, rummaging in a neighbors trash, an aquarium. An aquarium with a little mouse in it, a muse she calls Sipsworth. A mouse that will soon become her reason to live, but that also the impetus to bring her back into the world of finding new friends.

A very unusual book for this author but a quiet, mostly sweet read. It reminded me of a parable, a lesson to never give up hope regardless of age. There is always more to experience in life.

I liked this but it was a bit too twee for me. This is my monthly read with Angela and as always it s a joy to have her as my reading buddy.

Listened to this on audio and it was well done.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the last day of my vacation in Nevis and this was such a perfect book to read! It is so sweet and heartwarming and just made me feel good! 😊 it follows Helen who is in her 80s and lives alone after having both a career and family. She has returned to England after living abroad for 60 years and expects to end her days by herself with only her favorite tv shows and radio programs to keep her company. Little did she know Sipsworth would enter her life and bring new purpose to her days, and new friends into her dreary little world! Please read this! You won’t be sorry!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Jude Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Cartwright and Sipsworth are best friends. And roommates. And they do what bestie roomies do. They watch movies. They eat snacks. They like slippers. They just get each other. Which is something you don’t always see in cross species friendships. Opps, did I forget to mention Sipsworth is a mouse and Helen is a human?

Yes, these two don’t get bogged down in who’s human and who’s not, who has the time?! And speaking of time, Helen is running out of it. She’s eighty-three and convinced her days are numbered, as the sole surviving member of her family she’s made her peace with that. And all that was well and good until Sipsworth pawed his way into her life and heart, giving her something to live for rather than die for. Who knew hope would have whiskers and a tail?

This book was a real charmer. Helen was drinking tea. And more tea. And then yes, more tea. She was eating tarts and taking naps. And popping into the loo not the bathroom (charming!). And getting knackered instead of tired (charmed again!).

And between these mellow, sweet moments there was depth as Helen grappled with grief and loss in its many forms. Memories swirled in and out of her days. Recollections of herself as a girl at the bottom of a well, waiting in the darkness for parents who would not forsake her. And herself as a young mother holding her little boy's hand. And cutting up strawberries for a boy lost in his schoolbooks. Moments that make a life and a family, beautiful moments that hurt because they’ve past.

Did this heartwarming book get me any closer to giving in to buying that hamster my children keep insisting on asking for? No. F@#$ NO. But Sipsworth certainly was sweet, but I’ll still be keeping my rodent friends fictional.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sadly sweet story about a very unlikely friendship. That last line 🥹 RTC

He has me, I'm alone, too.

[JanB · Rating 5 out of 5]

83 year old Helen returns to her hometown after many decades away. She’s had happier times but now she is alone and lonely and is simply waiting to die.

But, unexpectedly, she encounters a mouse she names Sipsworth and her entire world changes.

This is everything I love in a book. It’s quiet, poignant and tender. There is more to Helen than we know and as her backstory is revealed, I loved her even more. Helen’s desire to live blossoms and she finds connection to others through her beloved pet, opening her heart to living again.

A sweet tender tale that will be among my favorites of all time.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simply lovely story sharing the life of an older woman, a woman who was a well known doctor in her time, who returns to the home she once lived in as a child after all these many years.

Memories of her life before float through her mind, memories of dancing with the man who would become her husband on the night he proposed.

The memory was so intact, Helen could have looked down and fingered a button on his shirt.’

Simple things around her stir old memories, ones she can no longer share with those who were part of those memories, all of them gone. And yet, there are still those things she finds that pull her back to a moment from another time.

’A hundred times as a girl, she must have run, skipped, or ridden her clanking bike past this house. A hundred times as a girl, without ever thinking it a place she would return one day, to close her life in a perfect circle.
On her eightieth birthday, Helen spent the day moving things in the kitchen cupboard. Siping down shelves. Vacuuming the stairs. Turning from any face that appeared in the dust or the darkness between cans.

Three years with nothing to fill their pockets.

Then early one morning, something happens.’

I’ve read several of this author’s books, and have never been disappointed, and this one is no exception, but I have to say that it is my new favourite of his books. It is a quietly lovely love story in its own way, but not your conventional love story, although it is a story of love, of compassion, and so much more.


Pub Date: 07 May 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by David R. Godine

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made a long car ride pass quickly. The story of an old woman and a mouse. Loss, loneliness and old age isolation. A heartwarming story that was unique and a most easy read. Saw this a few times as a favorite book of 2024 so I was drawn to see what makes it so special.

Helen has moved back to England from Australia to live out the rest of her days. She is in her 80's and feels that the people and things that gave her life value are now gone. She lives day to day and seems to be mostly waiting for the days to pass until she does. Then she finds a mouse. Along the way we learn more about Helen, not in great detail but enough to understand her losses and why there is still time for her to live

It shows how the smallest things can be a doorway to life. It is a lovely story. And has a great ending.

Narration by Christine Rendel and she does an excellent job. The writing is excellent. If you like stories about older characters I would encourage you to try this audio. Sad at first and then it finds life.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

83-yr-old Helen Cartwright has recently become curious about what other people throw away. Very early one morning—long before dawn—she is awakened by the noise of a neighbour taking things to the curb. Once he’s gone back inside, she quickly dresses, and sneaks outside to find a small glass aquarium with some tiny toys and damp boxes inside. She brings them home and while looking through the items, notices a cone-shaped face with whiskers, a pink nose, and tiny dark eyes looking up at her.🐭

This is the beginning of a lovely tale of an elderly woman and the tiny mouse she’ll call Sipsworth. It’s one of the funniest, most endearing books I’ve read. I found myself giggling over and over again. Helen’s reasons for “temporarily” holding onto Sipsworth are very amusing, and her call to a Rescue Centre that takes in unwanted animals is one of the most hilarious phone calls I’ve read in a long time!

It’s not until almost 2/3rds into the book that we discover some rather interesting things about Helen. For now, though, all we know is that she was born in this same small town in Britain. She’s returned to her hometown after living in Australia for the past 30 years, where she recently lost her husband and then her son. Now, in the twilight of her own life, she’s come home to die.

Well… that’s all I’m going to say because it’s a rather short book that I hope many of you will read for yourself. This enchanting, terribly charming little book is, in my opinion, a must-read.

5 “Families-come-in-all-shapes-and-sizes” stars 👵🐁 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've liked both Van Booy's books read in the past, so signed up for his newest one at the library. He has a gentle way with words and characters but gets to the deeper truth buried in us all as the story progresses.

A lonely, bitter 83 year woman who has lost both her husband and her son, slowly makes friends with a mouse she finds underneath a box of trash. In the course of which she must reach out to people in her community. Not easy, because she's spent the last few years avoiding people in general. A sweet read, but not sappy, as there are a few surprises along the way for the reader.

This was a nice "in-between other reads" type of novel. The cover art is wonderful as well.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little feel-good story. If I had read on a Kindle, I would have highlighted these two brief passages. If you are an older person or are a caregiver for an older person, perhaps these may resonate with you as well.

“And herein lies the cruel paradox of human existence -not that you die, but that all happiness eventually turns against you.”

‘The only real proof of her advanced age are a chronic, persistent feeling of defeat, aching limbs, and the power of invisibility to anyone between the ages of ten and fifty.”

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Cartwright lived and worked in Australia for decades. Now in her 80s, and following the deaths of her husband and son, she has returned to the village where she grew up and is waiting to die. One day she drags home a discarded fish tank and discovers that a mouse is living inside. Helen apparently does not realize that, when it comes to stray animals, if you feed it it’s yours.

This book had its touching moments. Important details of Helen’s past were nicely withheld until the surprising reveal. I liked the way that the presence of the mouse named Sipsworth brought Helen into contact with villagers who eased her loneliness and enriched her life. I definitely related to the example of how caring for an animal can relieve other pressures in your life. I did not buy the premise that an intelligent adult would ever entertain the notion that an animal shelter would accept mice. I also thought that the story was a little too twee. However, I liked Helen and the book held my interest.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

[Terrie R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Octogenarian Helen Cartwright lived in Australia for six decades with her husband and son. After their deaths, she returned to the English village of Westminster Cresent, where she grew up.

Living alone, doing the same things day after day, Helen is simply waiting for death to take her, too. Then, on a cool autumn evening, she sees an abandoned pet mouse outside, sparking her immediate interest...

Sipsworth is my first Simon Van Booy book. It is about aging, loneliness, unexpected kindness, and friendship. It shows how we make assumptions about others based on their appearance and how life provides surprises if we look beyond what awaits us.

Christine Rendel narrates the 5H 10M audiobook, bringing the story and characters to life. I adored Helen and her little buddy, Sipsworth!

Sipsworth was the perfect respite between the heavier, longer reads and one I enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from this bestselling author. 3.75⭐

[Wendy with a book · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

🚩 red flag warning on the GR book summary. It gives too much away while also being inaccurate. I can’t fix it without dropping a spoiler, so either go in blind or read reviews rather than the summary.

The book itself nibbled at being in the same league as A Man Called Ove and How the Penguins Saved Veronica, but fell a few crumbs short for me. The first half reads more like a daily log of Helen’s activities. Maybe that’s intentional to emphasize her humdrum and isolated existence? But I couldn’t easily get endeared to a character through their eating, bathing and tv viewing habits.

Am I bad person alert??? I 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 to 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 to be the kind of person who would become a mouse’s guardian angel 😇. But in reality, if I find a mouse in my house, I scream my head off 😱 then call the exterminator ☠️.

Everyone but me is calling this book “heartwarming” so maybe my heart warms differently. I found it a sad glimpse into the frequently lonely and oft-dismissed lives of the elderly.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't a book that you don't want to end deserve 5-stars? If this book is any indication, I'm going to be reading a lot of this author who had not been on my radar until he was announced as a Booktopia author.
This is a lovely story about a woman who moves back "home" to England after 30 years in Australia. Who she is and what she is about is revealed at the pace of a canoe traveling down a shallow river. You don't get anywhere very quickly, but oh, the scenery is breathtaking.
There are so many little twists. The farther I got into the book the warmer I felt about the world I was experiencing in this slim volume.
Don't rush through it. Savor it, like a very fine wine.
Thank you to Edelweiss and David R. Godine, Publisher for the advance reader's copy.

[Panic!_at_the_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very taken with this book about a woman and a mouse. As the story moves on, we get to see that this is not some old woman waiting to die — she’s a full person, still capable of life and activity. She makes friends with a mouse, and their relationship, and the relationships the woman forms with other people, are truly touching. Sipsworth is a truly enjoyable and lovely book. I definitely recommend reading this novel.

4.5 stars

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. I mean, I knew the basic outline of the story: an elderly protagonist named Helen returns to her hometown from 60 years abroad after losing the two most important people in her life (her husband and son), wishing only to be alone and, when the time comes, to go quietly. But everything changes when Helen befriends a mouse that she unexpectedly encounters one night outside her house. She names the mouse Sipsworth and it is through Helen’s interactions with him that we not only come to learn her backstory, but we also see her start to open up and make connections with others.

The story, overall, is a simple one – not much fanfare, not much action, and perhaps a bit too mundane in some sections that I couldn’t help wondering whether I would be able to stay engaged as the story slowly unfolded. But the author, Simon Van Booy, did a good job of keeping my attention through the small revelations about Helen’s background, especially in the second half of the story, as well as with the endearing characters, all of whom I loved. I must say that I am definitely not a rodent person and with the exception of a certain animated version, just the mere mention of mice and rodents would usually make my skin crawl – but with this story, I didn’t feel any aversion to the mouse protagonist at all. In fact, I actually found Sipsworth kind of charming (though with that said, this does not change my overall “run the other way” mentality if I encounter a rodent in real life).

One of the things I appreciate most about this story is the way it was able to balance being quietly moving, yet also subtly humorous – there were moments of sadness but also moments of levity that put a smile on my face (and sometimes made me laugh out loud).

I definitely enjoyed this delightful little story that was just the right amount of lighthearted warmth and humor while also being thoughtful and profound. A lovely read and also a welcome departure from the heavy stuff I’ve been reading as of late.

[suus⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this one is... kinda weird, but in a sweet, slow, cozy way. I didn’t totally know what I was getting into, but it’s basically about a quiet woman and this tiny, almost invisible life she’s built. And then she makes this weird, heartwarming connection with a mouse.

At first I wasn’t sure how to feel. The writing is beautiful, like, truly stunning in parts. But it’s very slow and soft and you kinda have to be in the right mindset for it. Some chapters felt like reading a poem.

There were parts that stuck with me though. Like: “The small things we save are often the things that saved us first.” That line hit me hard for some reason. The story does this subtle thing where you start to realize how lonely she is, and then how a tiny bit of kindness or connection can shift everything.

That being said, it wasn’t something I devoured or felt totally invested in. I appreciated it, and I liked the quiet message it carried, but it didn’t completely grab me. Still, I’m glad I read it!