Peter Behrens, a Montreal native who now resides in Brooklin, has been awarded Canada’s top literary honor.

Behrens received the Governor General’s Award for Fiction for his novel “The Law of Dreams.” The book traverses the bleak story of famine in Irish history.

Robert Sirman, director of the Canada Council, and Laurent Lapierre, a member of the Canada Council’s board, announced the winners Nov. 21.

A listing and description of the work of Behrens and other winners can be found at the council’s Web site, http://canadacouncil.ca.