The Safekeep

De: Yael van der Wouden

Narrado por: Stina Nielsen, Saskia Maarleveld

Longlisted for the Booker Prize | “Remarkable…Compelling…Fine and taut…Indelible” —The New York Times • “Mesmerizing and shockingly good…I was utterly blown away.” —Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace • “A brilliant debut, as multifaceted as a gem.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) • “Moving, unnerving, and deeply sexy.” —Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with the Pearl Earring • “Fans of Patricia Highsmith and Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen will find much to admire here.”—Vulture

An exhilarating, twisted tale of desire, suspicion, and obsession between two women staying in the same house in the Dutch countryside during the summer of 1961—a powerful exploration of the legacy of WWII and the darker parts of our collective past.

A house is a precious thing...

It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be—led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel’s doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season.

Eva is Isabel’s antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn’t. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house—a spoon, a knife, a bowl—Isabel’s suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel’s paranoia gives way to infatuation—leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva—nor the house in which they live—are what they seem.

Mysterious, sophisticated, sensual, and infused with intrigue, atmosphere, and sex, The Safekeep is a brilliantly plotted and provocative debut novel you won’t soon forget.

©2024 Yael van der Wouden (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Good Start, Good Pt 2, Tedious In Between

This started very promisingly and I thought it would bee sort of brooding-secret-sinister, in an Ian McEwan way. But then, interminable. Embarrassing, tedious “sexual awakening” scenes.
I set it aside for a bit but restarted , discovering an interesting second half,,, for a while, then back to tangled hands in shirts, bla bla bone and flesh…. zzzzzz

Compelling tale of loss and safe haven

Beautiful story. The brothers’ characters were not well developed and rather one dimensional. But the two women were complex and striking.

Riveting & so poignant

A beautiful, painful story. I hope the author continues writing novels. This was an excellent achievement.

love

loved it all, very tender, very honest. I just kept rooting for Isa and Eva.

The narration.

Excellent narration. Story was easy to follow. Beautiful writing. Story was sad but also joyful.

Beautiful story! I so hoped it would end good.

The names where a bad choice for a reading in English (for Dutch listeners) because Eva and Isabelle (Isa/Esa) were to much the same. It was an unnecessary effort to focus on who was talking.

Beautiful Story, Great Narration

Absolutely loved this book. It was refreshingly poetic and the narration had me hooked! Definitely recommend 10/10.

Storytelling

Slow reveal. Goosebumps. Something not quite right but What/Who is it and Why. Excellent.

It’s all about perspective….

.., history shapes current life whether we realize it, or have a way to know it, or not.

History I would have never known about.

What is mine is mine unless it is yours. Then what happens. Forgiveness or Fighting?