Another small literary miracle ... It is a deep, moving and vibrant saga. While compact in scope, it gets a lot done and (somehow) never comes near its most obvious risk — sentimentality ... Van Booy’s writing is trenchant and beautiful.
The motivations of the characters — Helen, in particular — are nuanced and only gradually revealed, but the writing is pure and unadorned ... In its quiet, loving way, Sipsworth feels as rare and special as a friend.
This novel, for all its suggestion of real life, sometimes seems to read like a fable. When a crisis puts Sipsworth in danger, the resolution strains credulity, but Van Booy’s yarn proves so appealing that readers will suspend disbelief ... This is a book to read as much for pleasure as for instruction, and Van Booy, a master stylist, gives us plenty to savor. There are beautiful sentences on every page.
The lure of Van Booy’s nuanced language lifts what might be maudlin to captivating heights ... On the one hand, Sipsworth is the touching story of the soul-satisfying bond between a lonely, elderly woman and a small animal. On the other hand, it is an existential treatise that looks over life’s shoulder with laser sharp perception from the vantage point of old age ... The poignant story is masterly crafted and beautifully rendered.
Charming ... While relatively contained in narrative scope, the novel rewards patient reading. Much is revealed through tiny moments that have much to say ... Generous, vibrant, and quiet.
Enchanting ... Material that could easily feel saccharine or twee is fresh and often funny, thanks to the author’s artful prose and unsparing characterization of the cantankerous Helen.
The book’s closing phase comes in a rush, as what began as the intriguing, sometimes philosophical story of an insular woman with "doors she keeps locked" dashes toward predictability and fairy tale.
