In 1995, with the publication of

, her fourth book and third novel, Barbara Gowdy confirmed her position among Canada's most talented living writers. From the

to the

, reviews of the novel praised the ingenuity and complexity of its humour, characters, and composition. A finalist for the Trillium Award, and named “Book of the Year” in the

by Margaret Atwood,

secured Barbara Gowdy the 1996 Marian Engel Award, a ten-thousand dollar prize given once a year to a Canadian woman author for outstanding prose in a body of work.

predicted that the novel would “catapult this rising literary star into a whole new orbit of fame and regard.” Within a year of its North American release,

957 words

Citation: Medoro, Dana. "Mister Sandman". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 December 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3571, accessed 21 November 2024.]