Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy

 

I do not recall where I first learned about Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy. All I do recall is that this novel sounded like a good read. I'm glad that I decided to listen to the unabridged version of Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy, which is well narrated by Christine Rendel.

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy is a work of domestic fiction and explores the topics of aging, loneliness, and grief. Sipsworth is a very heartwarming tale and was well paced. The protagonist is Helen Cartwright. She's a widowed octogenarian who has lost her husband and son. Helen Cartwright is a noted (now retired, of course) cardiologist who lived most of her adult life in Australia. She moves back to her hometown in the UK to spend the last years of her life alone and to die. 

However, life has other plans for Helen Cartwright! She discovers a mouse inside a broken aquarium and thus begins the journey into caring for this mouse. Along the way, Helen Cartwright also makes new human friends as well. The grief and loneliness begin to subside as Helen Cartwright finds a reason to live.

Below is the publisher's summary for Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy from the Goodreads website:

Over the course of a single week, a widowed octogenarian (who has spent the last years of her life alone and ready to die) discovers an unexpected reason to live.

Following the deaths of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns to the English village of her childhood after living abroad for six decades. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss.

But years of monotony and loneliness tick by on Westminster Crescent. Helen retreats into her home, 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.

The Cure for Loneliness is a gentle reminder that no matter what we have planned for ourselves, sometimes the world has its own plans for us. Simon Van Booy’s lucid, lyrical storytelling brims with a rare kindness and a reminder that not only is no one is exactly who we expect them to be, we can even surprise ourselves sometimes.

I am giving Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy a rating of 4

stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!