Set in Holland in 1961 this is at its heart the story of a house and the families that lived in it. Initially a very slow burn I found the writing a little disjointed for me. However as the novel moved on and secrets began to be revealed the narrative became more gripping. That having been said there were times when the writing was beautiful. I certainly learnt about a time in Dutch history of which I wasn’t aware. I think that for me it was unfortunately the right book but at the wrong time and I will possibly return to it in the future..Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for a honest review.

I became interested in reading this book when I heard Yael van der Wouden's writing compared to Sarah Waters, who I adore. I'm glad to say I can see the similarity in the way that this book is written, in its sexiness, elegance and how the effects of forbidden love are mirrored darkly in society. Where it differed to Waters was its tautness, which added to the slightly eerie tension that comes alongside the love story. Overall, this book is unlike anything I've read, and is told so perfectly succinctly it left me in awe.

Is it true that the sins of the father visit the daughter? This is a story about live, desire, and revenge, and what home really means....Read it!

What a quietly gripping read. The Safekeep drew me in from the start with its understated tension and beautifully developed characters. I was hooked as the layers of each protagonist were peeled back, their secrets and motivations slowly coming to light in a way that kept me glued to the pages.

This book was beautifully written, there were several times where I went back to re-read parts.
I loved the setting of the house, it is very isolating and magnifies feelings and thoughts.
I felt this book offered a truly fresh and different perspective on the war and the consequences afterwards.

The Safe Keep by Yael van der Wouden

Just finished the August @tiredmammybookclub from the booker longlist.
This was a beautifully written book which really transported me back in town.
It's 1961 and in the countryside in The Netherlands, Isabel lives a solitary, predictable life in her family home. Her brother, Louis, insists that his new girlfriend, Eva, stay with Isabel while he is travelling. Used to her own company everything changes when Eva moves in.
This is definitely worth a read, and in my opinion is deserving of a place on the shortlist.
Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

#readthebooker #tiredmammybookclub #irishbookstagram #scottishreader

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was difficult for me to get into but as we learned more about Isabel and Eva, I found myself not wanting to put it down. The plot did meander at times and it’s not what I expected at all but I really enjoyed this. The author was great at depicting the character’s longing and tension.

What a brilliant book. I loved it from the get go and I know it's a proof but WHAT a cover. So happy it's made the Booker shortlist.

This is an intriguing tale of desire and intimacy, secrets and obsession in the Dutch countryside. Set in the summer of 1961, this book is definitely a transporting one. The main character, Isabel, is living on her own in her late mother’s country home, and everything seems in order before the arrival of her brother Louis’ girlfriend, Eva, who seems to break the routine and order Isabel has established. Louis himself is briefly mentioned as he lives in the city and Isabel’s other brother, Hendrik, is living with his boyfriend, Sebastian.

Everything Eva does seems to trigger Isabel. One thing leads to another and Isabel’s desire for Eva is slowly revealed. Then, things start to disappear and when Isabel discovers that Eva has been taking from the house, she asks her to leave. More secrets are then slowly revealed. The book really describes desire, awakening and longing very well, not only romantically, but also in the case of belonging. It also describes the atmosphere of a post-war life well.

“…No one ever knows anything in this country. No one knows where they live, who did what, who went where. Everything is a mystery. Knowledge is elusive.”

Poignant in so many ways. I thought it was a breathtaking read.

My fourth read from the Booker Prize longlist this year and I think this might be my favourite so far. I wasn’t sure about it to start with - the first two parts were OK, where you are introduced to the characters and learn about their relationships but around the 65% mark I was debating whether to DNF it. I kept going and I am so glad I did - the third part changes your view of the whole story and all of the characters! It was brilliantly done and made me want to go back to the start to read it all over again.

Definitely worthy of being on the Booker Longlist. I didn’t get around to reading it before it was published but I’m so glad I’ve read it now - a great story and very worthy of being on the longlist!

I can appreciate this is a well written book, but I didn't particularly enjoy it. It was not what I was expecting at all.
I did not like the character of Isabel. I only started to like the book once we got to Eva's diary (about 70% in) and then the book started to make more sense and was much more interesting. But it took too much to get there. Not really for me unfortunately.

It's 1961 and Isabel lives in an isolated home by herself after her mother's death. However, when her brother's girlfriend arrives at the house for an extended stay

This novel was a slow burn that captured me from the first page and left me spellbound. The relationship between Isabel and Eva was so tense that at times I felt like I needed to look away. Isabel's relationship with the house and her mother and brothers as well as the house itself unfolded in a way which had me captivated. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it and that's always a sign of a beautiful and haunting read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

At first, I wasn't sure if this book was for me but I'm so glad I gave it a chance.

The story, divided into three perfectly-paced acts, centres around a house in post-war Netherlands. Reclusive Isabel's life is upended when her brother's girlfriend moves in and both her quiet solitude and version of history is challenged. The tension of the novel builds from painful loneliness, through repression and longing to an unsettling but beautiful ending.

It's a quick read but packs a punch, with some added spice! If you like historical fiction and complex characters, I'd recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC

I began The Safekeep some time ago and then halfway through found it no longer gripped me. When I read it had been long listed for the Booker prize I picked the book up again. I'm glad I did continue reading it although I did find some of the erotic scenes a bit to near the mark for me. By the time I realised what Eva was up to I was enthralled but it was quite late in the narrative by then.

Set in the Dutch countryside in 1961 Isabel lives alone in her late mother's house until the arrival of Eva, her brother Louis' girlfriend. Eva is an uncompromising guest who throws everything into disarray, turning Isabel's ordered life completely upside down. After a while Isabel notices things go missing: small things like a knife, a bowl - items that are of no real value but cause Isabel to develop a paranoia as well as an obsession with her unwelcome guest. But this is ultimately a story of revenge and Eva is not what she appears to be.

Although I felt the book was uneven in places, which contributed to my stopping reading it, I am glad I persevered as The Safekeep is a very clever story and immaculately plotted. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to read and review The Safekeep. It deserves to do well.

This book is deeply lyrical and clever, revelling in subtlety and poignancy. Isabel is a compelling character, and her stuffiness reveals much more in the other characters than first appears.

Although I found the book uneven in its pacing, with a tense start and a less focused middle, I think there is a lot to enjoy here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a masterfully crafted novel set against the backdrop of the 1961 Dutch countryside, delving into the shadows of WWII and the intricacies of family legacy.

The story centers around Isabel, who is deeply attached to her family's country house and its cherished contents, including the ornate dinner plates. While her brother Louis, who is to inherit the house, lives a transient city life with various girlfriends, Isabel’s connection to the house remains strong. When Louis leaves for a business trip, his current girlfriend, Eva, is left behind in the house with Isabel—an arrangement that Isabel initially dreads. Eva's vibrant and assertive nature, however, disrupts Isabel’s world in unexpected ways, leading to a complex and evolving relationship between the two women.

The novel's atmosphere is both taut and evocative, drawing readers into a story rich with emotional depth and historical resonance. The interactions between Isabel and Eva unfold with a languid intensity, making this book a standout read. It’s a compelling and poignant exploration of family, identity, and the lingering effects of the past.

Loved this - it‘s up there at the top of my own Booker shortlist with Stone Yard Devotional. I don‘t want to talk too much about the plot - you need to read it for yourself. I had a little inkling partway through but the denouement was still devastating.

Isabel lives a friendless, neurotic life alone in her family house in The Netherlands in the 1960s, until her brother‘s new girlfriend comes to stay while he is away, upending her life.

Beautiful. Heart breaking. Atmospheric. Hard to believe this is the authors first novel. I think I felt tense the whole way through reading it.

Very gothic tale with an unreliable narrator set after the war. Characters can be very unlikable until you realise why they are the way they are.

A beautiful yet powerful book where the author's storytelling is incredible. Another historical fiction that will ignite all kinds of emotions in your heart and will make you smile and will make you cry. The author has spent a great amount of effort in writing the characters of Isabella and Eva and has done great justice. Even thought WW2 has ended but has it truly when Eva spends the season at Isabella's house? The house holds secrets of its own and Eva's arrival will reveal them sooner rather than later. An emotional book that will tug at your heart and make you wonder how war never really ends and how it changes generations.