I knew I’d like this one. I had already purchased it before it came up in my BookTube Prize quarterfinals reading list, so I was excited to read it. (Plus it helped that Sue had recommended it to me several times!) It’s a small book, but with one that tackles some big topics.
It’s a simple story on the surface. An elderly widow, Helen Cartwright, finds a small mouse in an abandoned aquarium, and not knowing what to do with it, starts taking care of it. But soon the mouse has become important to her, and she is invested in its care and survival in a way she never expected.
Not only that, but in caring for it, she has to venture forth into the world in a way she hasn’t in years – first to find out what mice need (for which she goes to the library), then to procure supplies (which takes her to the hardware store nearby), and finally to procure medical assistance (for which she ventures to the hospital).
In each of these outings she engages with people in her community, and this tiny little creature helps her to connect with them. It creates a little unexpected community centred around its wellbeing, and in doing so brings Helen back into the world. As we learn more about the people Helen meets, we also learn about her life and past, and begin to understand more about why and how she ended up where she is.
I loved this book. It’s so simple, so unassuming, and yet gently teases out so many important aspects of modern life, of loss, of aging and of our need to connect to other people. It shows that everyone has something to offer if only they are given a chance, and that every life, no matter how small, is worthy of care. I adored it, and it got the well-deserved top spot in my BookTube rankings!
Over the course of two weeks in a small English town, a reclusive widow discovers an unexpected reason to live.
Following the loss of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns to the village of her childhood after living abroad for six decades. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss. She retreats into her home on Westminster Crescent, becoming a creature of routine and “Each day was an impersonation of the one before with only a slight shuffle—as though even for death there is a queue.”
Then, one cold winter night, a chance encounter with a mouse sets Helen on a surprising journey.
Sipsworth is a reminder that there can be second chances. No matter what we have planned for ourselves, sometimes life has plans of its own. With profound compassion, Simon Van Booy illuminates not only a deep friendship forged between two lonely creatures, but the reverberations of goodness that ripple out from that unique bond. – Goodreads
Book Title: Sipsworth
Author: Simon van Booy
Series: No
Edition: Audiobook (Audible)
Published By: David R. Godine, Publisher
Released: May 7, 2024
Genre: Fiction, Community, Animals, Seniors
Pages: 198
Date Read: May 17-18, 2025
Rating: 8.5/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.15/5 (15,345 ratings)
BookTube Prize Quarterfinals Judging 2025 Rank: 1/6
I have this one on my TBR. It sounds like I need to move it up! I hope you are feeling better!
I enjoyed it, and it’s not very long! Thank you! I hope you are all doing well too.