Bella Sexton

and look at two new releases – a delicious tale about a little mouse and a compelling story of a family unravelling.

Using all the bravery of Despereaux and storytelling talents of Scheherazade, Brie captures Gorgonzola’s attention by weaving a fantastical tale that saves his own life and those of his fellow mice. Brie’s stories of Camembert Castle, Princess Mimolette and Silk the magic cat, keep Gorgonzola so enraptured that many evenings pass and eventually an unlikely friendship grows and forges a tender bond between the two.

Exquisitely illustrated, this book is a gem that will keep you coming back again and again. –

By Michael Cunningham, Fourth Estate, trade paperback ($38)

Day is a stunning depiction of a family unravelling.

It takes place on the same date in April over three consecutive years; a morning in 2019, afternoon in 2020, and finally an evening in 2021.

Cunningham uses this structure to delve into the inner lives of each character and unveil the core of the family dynamic.

The sense of isolation in each of the characters’ lives is heightened against the context of the pandemic.

While physically they are often together, they draw further apart from each other as the novel progresses.

It’s hard not to feel sympathy towards the family members as we learn more about their motivations, fears, and desires.

There is a tone of unresolved yearning which makes the novel feel particularly poignant.

Though slow-paced, Day never loses momentum, compelling us to read until the last page.

Cunningham is brilliant at capturing tiny moments and thoughts which are frequently overlooked, but nonetheless make up the fabric of day-to-day experience.

In Day, it is these moments which captivate us and make the novel a thoroughly enthralling read. –