The Keep

By: Jennifer Egan

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner, Geneva Carr

Two cousins, devastated by a childhood prank, reunite 20 years later to renovate a castle in Eastern Europe. The fortress has a bloody history that stretches back hundreds of years.

Amid extreme paranoia and eerie silence, the men reenact the signal event of their youth, with even more catastrophic results. And as the full horror of their predicament unfolds, a third party - a prisoner, jailed for an unnamed crime - recounts an unforgettable story that brings the crimes of the past and present into stunning alignment.

©2006 Jennifer Egan (P)2006 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"A clever, quirky novel." ( Publishers Weekly)

What a pleasant surprise

I really enjoyed this, and definitely recommend. This is one of the rare books that leaves me thinking about it, the characters, and the ideas presented after it's finished; almost like having a crush that you think about as you're going about your day, and feel warm. Granted, there are a couple of weird things about the audio rendition, in particular, but the story and writing are top notch. This is my first Egan novel, and I will look for more.

Egan is one of the few great writers I've found in recent years. Her writing was interesting to me from the first paragraphs. The story is unique, surprising and compelling. Inner dialogue can be sappy and boring, in the hands of some authors, but Egan makes it poignant, funny, observant and curious. Any time I missed a few seconds of the story, I wanted to rewind and make sure I caught every word - which is a rare thing anymore. With some books, I can just space out and miss minutes of the story, and don't feel any desire to go back.

My only frustrations were those that result from good storytelling: I wanted more from and for the characters. I cringed at their weaknesses and egos. I felt personally embarrassed, witnessing certain foibles. I hoped and anticipated redemption and connection, and for more of the story. In this case, these were all signs that Egan crafted a story and characters that drew me in completely. The story did feel a little truncated - but that's only because I wanted to know and experience more of it.

There were sort of three short interwoven stories included in this book, and I would have liked all of them to be longer. One of the strange things about this book is that it does switch between story lines with no explanation, and they seem to be totally unconnected at first. I think this is harder to follow in audio format than it would be reading it. The other weird thing is that the first narrator reads the text as if he's reading a play, announcing who is speaking before every spoken line, instead of trying to make one voice noticeably distinguishable from the next. I thought this would drive me bonkers, but I got used to it - probably only because I enjoyed the writing and story so much. The narration was good.

Definitely recommend.

The Keep

I found it very entertaining. Surprised at the end. Made me want more of Ray, Holley, Howie and Danny!

This was great!!

This is my first Jennifer Egan listen, although I have two others in my library. Almost didn’t listen because the Audible sample wasn’t very inviting, but so glad I did! So, so good. Jeff Gurner’s narration was terrific. Would certainly like to listen again….☺️

So imaginative! just the right amount of fantasy

Just the right amount of fantasy and entertainment. It kept the mystery going from beginning to end and all was plausible at the final page. An altogether satisfying book. The narration is very good. In this case two narrators are better than one.

I am stunned

I just finished The Keep by Jennifer Egan and I am stunned. A fan of her works A Visit From the Goon Squad and Manhattan Beach, I’m kicking myself for taking so long to read this one. The Keep stands shoulder to shoulder with them both.

I loved following the narrative as it unfolded, and was in constant awe of Egan’s prose. I was at various times moved, disturbed, and impressed and I was never not entertained. It sounds like I’m speaking in platitudes, and I am, because I don’t want to give anything away.

I have seen some complaints about the final section which puzzles me, as I thought it tied the whole story up well and was one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I’ve ever read.

The narrators were both outstanding. I cannot recommend The Keep enough.

OK read

Not great, but it has its moments. The story is a bit convoluted at times. The narrator is decent.

Weird little story, but I really liked it

I like a book that is a little unexpected. I couldn't tell where this story was going throughout it. It also has a strange way of description, like how it goes into the little explanations of how Danny feels. I enjoyed that. And I enjoyed the story within the story. I wish the end was a little more clarifying but that was ok too

Intense

Unforgettable story and breathtaking images. The relationships between flawed characters are complicated and life changing. Oh, and there’s also redemption all over the place.

It was great until

This story was really good. There were some great twist and exciting moments. More than once I was so surprised I literally gasped. I didn't love the ending. Part 3 was too short and felt almost more like an epilogue. No regrets in listening though. The style is very interesting with 2 stories happening kind of simultaneously.

Kept me guessing...

I really enjoyed this story. There were unseen twists and turns that kept me engaged, and I generally wasn’t sure where it was leading, but was satisfied with the outcome. Looking forward to more of the author’s works.