The Safe Keep by Yael Van Der Wouden

I'm not really sure where to start with reviewing this book as it is complicated and disturbing and I think only a person who has suffered some kind of trauma themselves could have written it.

It begins in the early 1960 where we meet Isabel who lives alone in a house in the Netherlands that her family came to when she was young. Right from the start it is clear that Isabel has issues. She is obsessive and doesn't enjoy any kind of social interaction although she does occasionally meet up with her two brothers and their partners. Isabel is keeping the house exactly as her mother kept it and she has taken on some of her mother's mannerisms as a way of navigating through certain situations. She employs a young girl to come and cook and clean for her but she offers no friendship to the girl who has to deal with Isabel constantly checking on her.

It is very hard to like Isabel as she has a mean side to her and will deliberately say things to hurt other people. This is clearly a defence mechanism, but even so, it is hard to understand why one of the neighbours has begun courting her even though she offers him no encouragement at all.

Round about half way through the book I was getting seriously tired of Isabel, and just as I was wondering whether or not to finish the book, something is revealed that changes everything and the pace begins to gather. I found the second half more engaging than the first.

I can see why it got onto the Booker longlist, and it is a remarkable piece of writing for a debut novel, but not something I would say I really enjoyed.

Comments

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