The SafeKeep By  Yael Van Der Wouden Book Review

The SafeKeep By  Yael Van Der Wouden Book Review

Review By Sunaina Luthra | Rating-5/5

Step inside Isabel’s home in the Dutch province of Overijssel, and you’ll feel something awry. This isn’t just a house, it’s a carefully preserved relic of a time gone by, a living memory. Look closer; the curtains hang just as her mother arranged them when she was alive. Let’s walk towards the rooms; soimmaculate, every corner scrubbed and dusted with care. I cannot shy away from noticing the gleam of her mother’s beloved utensils, a worth polishing in anticipation of her return.

Step into the garden and one will smell the fresh blooms; each flower a testament to Isabel’s determination thriving under her vigilant touch. Yet, if one lingers long, one senses some flaccid apprehensions; the air feels heavy with silence, punctuated only by the creak of floorboards under your feet. Loneliness looms in abundance, and voices nowhere to be heard. Her brother Louis and cousin Hendrik are long gone to chase dreams from this quiet corner of the Netherlands. Their departure has left Isabel as the sole steward of this house, a guardian of its memories. I feel like I am there but I am not. I only feel Isabel’s untiring resilience to the awkward blemishes of life and you all must do too.

What would you do if you were in Isabel’s place?

Would you hold on to the past memories preserving it with unwavering devotion? Or would you take a step towards something new, carving out a future amidst the lingering echoes of what once was? So, what does Isabel do?

She chooses loneliness honoring her mother’s memory by diligently “safekeeping” the house.

Solitudeis often romanticized as a quiet sanctuary transforming one into a double-edged sword. On the flip side, it also breeds a relentless vigilance, compelling us to scrutinize every detail with obsessive precision, and worse, ensnaring us in the web of our own spiraling doubts. It became evident with Isabel’s personality when one fine day Louis brings Eva, his vivacious and free-spirited girlfriend, to stay in the house while he leaves abruptly for work.

Is Isabel truly tasked with safeguarding Eva for Louis, or is she unwittingly stepping into a web of intrigue with a hidden plan awaiting her?

Eva is an embodiment of freedom and modernity; a stark contrast to Isabel’s reserved and constrained nature. She gradually becomes an intrusion in Isabel’s way of living; her hands often gazing the countertops or the fingertips leaving faint smudges on the vases. Each gesture is a subtle trespass, an effrontery to the carefully maintained order by Isabel. Who is she, really, I mean Eva?

With every passing moment, Isabel’s mind grows more entangled in thorns of doubt about Eva”.What is she after all? This thought refuses to leave Isabel, circling endlessly in her mind. Eva’s presence does more than disrupt Isabel’s routine—it ignites something more dangerous. Her unrestrained energy awakens a storm of fascination, fear, and desire, pulling all this into an unspoken tension. What begins as a clash of temperaments now unravels their true identity leading both women on a path that would change their lives forever.

‘Safe Keep’ by Yael Van Der Wouden is a masterfully crafted work, richly layered narrative and evocative storytelling. Post Second World War-II, the environment has been well woven with the characters shaping the plot and their lives. While Isabel’s obsessive, introspective and emotionally guarded portrayal symbolizes her struggle to maintain stability in her life; Eva on the other hand is a transformative character. Her presence deeply impacts Isabel’s life. She enters as a catalyst for Isabel’s emotional and personal reckoning.

TAKEAWAY

A well -deserved book that has secured its place on the prestigious 2024 Booker Prize shortlist.

One Response

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