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libellules's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Vintage lesbians, I will always love you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
Minor: War
sqow's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Genocide, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
mayab56's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Stalking, Death of parent, War, and Deportation
Moderate: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Pedophilia and Gaslighting
molekilby's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a well written novel. The language used is exquisite, the characters are well defined, and the plot is interesting.
I would almost add the word ‘sultry’ to this review. The relationship is difficult, but then becomes intense. It only begins to make sense once the final part is finished. The intricacies of the relationships with all characters are explored in the light of the time, and it’s a book I would thoroughly recommend.
I would almost add the word ‘sultry’ to this review. The relationship is difficult, but then becomes intense. It only begins to make sense once the final part is finished. The intricacies of the relationships with all characters are explored in the light of the time, and it’s a book I would thoroughly recommend.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism and War
ally_reads_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book dragged in the middle. It had a strong finish and I liked the twist. I wish I had skipped ahead to part 3 when I started to get bored of the romance in part 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Minor: Genocide, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and War
anna_lizzy8's review
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and War
deedireads's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
All my reviews live at https://deedireads.com/.
I’d owned a copy of The Safekeep since before it was published (thanks, Avid Reader Press!), but for whatever reason it just never bubbled up to the top of my TBR — until it was nominated (and then shortlisted) for the Booker Prize. And WOW, am I glad for it. I loved this one.
The Safekeep is a fever dream of a novel about a woman named Isabel in the Netherlands in the early 1960s. She lives a life of curmudgeonly solitude in the house her family moved into during WWII — until her brother’s latest girlfriend comes to stay, and her belongings start to disappear one by one (or do they?).
I don’t want to say too much more about the plot, except that the tone and trajectory does a 180 about halfway through, and there’s a decent twist that you can see coming if you look carefully (although I did not). Also, fair warning, this book is extremely horny.
What an incredible debut novel. What a look at desire and loneliness and what home means and the obsessive pursuit of the thing you want. But above all, what a look at complicity and what it means to have been complicit.
I’m still rooting for James, but I definitely wouldn’t be mad if this won the Booker.
I’d owned a copy of The Safekeep since before it was published (thanks, Avid Reader Press!), but for whatever reason it just never bubbled up to the top of my TBR — until it was nominated (and then shortlisted) for the Booker Prize. And WOW, am I glad for it. I loved this one.
The Safekeep is a fever dream of a novel about a woman named Isabel in the Netherlands in the early 1960s. She lives a life of curmudgeonly solitude in the house her family moved into during WWII — until her brother’s latest girlfriend comes to stay, and her belongings start to disappear one by one (or do they?).
I don’t want to say too much more about the plot, except that the tone and trajectory does a 180 about halfway through, and there’s a decent twist that you can see coming if you look carefully (although I did not). Also, fair warning, this book is extremely horny.
What an incredible debut novel. What a look at desire and loneliness and what home means and the obsessive pursuit of the thing you want. But above all, what a look at complicity and what it means to have been complicit.
I’m still rooting for James, but I definitely wouldn’t be mad if this won the Booker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Genocide, Death of parent, and War
reb_knits's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Let’s absolutely go lesbians
Somehow didn’t know this book was gay before I started it so this top-tier sapphic yearning was a treat
Definitely not the book for you if you hate the “oh no we are gay and oh no it is the olden days what shall we do” genre but I was pleasantly surprised by the way this book explored and flipped that trope
Somehow didn’t know this book was gay before I started it so this top-tier sapphic yearning was a treat
Definitely not the book for you if you hate the “oh no we are gay and oh no it is the olden days what shall we do” genre but I was pleasantly surprised by the way this book explored and flipped that trope
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse
char_a_lot_te's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Im starting to think this book isnt about pears yall. i suppose its about things. possessions.
in the first part of this book i thought it was shaping out to just another decent book, but then the entire thing just unravels before you and its honestly amazing. its such an intricately crafted story. no detail goes to waste.
often i feel like books sort of, rush their happy endings, but this book didnt feel that way. at least, it was more natural the way it happened.
also van der Wouden is just a good writer, specifically very good at controlling the pace and urgency of her writing such that you read certain paragraphs really fast and it comes to a tipping point, and then everything just stops.
i was surprised by how good this was! booker prize shortlist fully deserved
i was surprised by how good this was! booker prize shortlist fully deserved
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, and War
my_a's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Antisemitism
Moderate: War