Bookseller Reviews
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Simmering tension and dark secrets
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this novel up with little knowledge of the premise but I loved this.
The sense of place in this novel underpi... READ MORE
A surprising and sensual novel
A surprising and sensual novel that ripples with intrigue and paranoia. Slow-going to begin with, but picks up towards the middle when a POV shift makes a ... READ MORE
The Book Hangover To Beat All Book Hangovers
I have not stopped yelling about Yael Van der Wouden’s gorgeously rich debut novel The Safekeep. Set in the Netherlands in the 1960s, we follow Isabel who ... READ MORE
Sensually and Painfully Haunting
This novel took me entirely by surprise. A masterful debut, it deftly balances stunningly real characterisation, sensual and lyrical language, and a genuin... READ MORE
Beautifully haunting!
Before I knew it this book had me hooked.
Set in post-war Netherlands, the story follows Isabel living in her inherited family home as her brother's new ... READ MORE
A work of art
“The heat drew into the evening. Frogs from the low canals tottered onto land, onto the estate. The dinner scratched by in increments, each of them painful... READ MORE
Would make a worthy Booker Prize winner
In my vain attempt to read the entire Booker Prize shortlist before the announcement of the winner (not going to happen), this is the one that’s impressed ... READ MORE
Stunning and subtle, with a twist
Such a beautiful, tender and poignant book. We are in the Netherlands in the early 1960s with Isabel, who is living in her mother’s house in the country. H... READ MORE
Tumultuous
Started this book around 10am and finished it at 2am the same day. I have not torn through a book like that in years. Tense, inflamed, engrossing. The turn... READ MORE
Revenge, Romance and a dark history brought to light
From the first page of this novel I was drawn fully into Isabel's world. Van der Wouden's precise and subtle characterisation instantly stood out as someth... READ MORE
An impressive, intimate debut
Post-war Netherlands sees Isabel living alone in her childhood home after the death of her mother, while the lives of her two older brothers take them else... READ MORE
Phenomenal literary debut
This book came highly recommended to me by a friend so I was excited to read it, and it certainly lived up to expectations. I wasn’t sure what to think and... READ MORE
A stunning coming-of-age story and sapphic romance
It is difficult to believe this is a debut; Yael van der Wouden's writing is so refreshing and enthralling. I adored our very flawed but sympathetic protag... READ MORE
A stunning debut
I didn’t know what to expect going into The Safekeep, but I couldn’t be more grateful that I decided to give it a try. This is a mesmerising, tense, stagge... READ MORE
Sexy, spicy and harrowing
WOW!
This book made me think about the long-lasting effects of the Second World War and how the displacement of families didn’t end in 1945.
Set in... READ MORE
A beautiful book confronting difficult histories
Angry and alone, Isabel lives in the house she moved to as a scared wartime child. Over time her siblings have moved on and her mother has died. If she can... READ MORE
An intriguing play of passion, power and will
It is only after finishing The Safekeep that I realised quite how far I had been drawn in. Even if the relationships in the book are a little staid, the po... READ MORE
A sensual and captivating read.
The author pulls you in immediately and you slip into these characters lives so effortlessly you forget where you are.
A beautiful read filled with tensio... READ MORE
Sharp and Sensual
Both sharply and sensually written, this is a book that twists as you read it, developing its distinctive characters and surprising you at each turn. With ... READ MORE
A total surprise in the best way
For the most part, The Safekeep is a tense and addictive literary romance, but one that by the end is transcendent and haunting. The style immediately puts... READ MORE
A surprising, compelling read
I loved this: great description of post war Holland and empty lives reflected in the empty yet claustrophobic house. Begins as family drama and then morphs... READ MORE
Becoming who we are
I absolutely adored getting to know the characters in this must read debut novel. The descriptions, the landscape, the dialogue - everything was executed s... READ MORE
An Unraveling
Within mere pages you can see why this book won the women's prize for fiction. The Safekeep is richly atmospheric, it's cloyingly claustrophobic and strang... READ MORE
Tense and atmospheric
The book starts slow and atmospheric - the disquiet between siblings dealing with meeting the eldest brother's new girlfriend; our central character Isabel... READ MORE
The tension is addictive
This exquisite novel surprised me in so many ways. The language is rich and luscious. The characters both charmed and annoyed me, and yet the ending bought... READ MORE
A beautiful and captivating story
This was wonderfully written, i could not put it down and finished it in one sitting. Definitely a well deserved winner for the womens fiction prize that i... READ MORE
a majestic and atmospheric tale
Out of our stores team of 9, 6 of us have read it, 6 of us have loved it! This was personally my favorite of the Booker 2024 list, so the win of the Women'... READ MORE
A heart-wrenching novel full of suffocating tension
What an absolutely gorgeous debut novel. I didn’t know what to expect jumping in, but I was hooked all the way through. Yael van der Wouden has created suc... READ MORE
Richly historical and romantic
The Safekeep is beautifully written, the way the author writes the dialogue between characters feels so true to life - the newly crowned queen of unspoken ... READ MORE
A Beautifully Poignant Novel
A fantastic debut that I can't recommend enough, this novel is truly something special.
I can't express my love for this book it's too great, it's actually... READ MORE
It’s own kind of incredible!
The Safekeep might not have been something I’d normally reach for, but after it won the Women’s Prize for Fiction and became our Fiction Book of the Month ... READ MORE
Wow
I was blown away by this! The writing is beautiful and this is so much more than a love story
Addictive and haunting
The novel was pretty slow to start with but it intrigued me enough to keep going and I'm so glad I did. This is a gem of a novel! It deals with a wide vari... READ MORE
Tense and addictive!
Gorgeously written and executed historical literary fiction. Tender, intimate and simmering with tension. Hard to believe this is a debut!
Brilliant
I absolutely devoured this in 2 days. Part beautiful, lit-fic sapphic yearning and part gripping plot twist with a devastating portrayal of the holocaust. ... READ MORE
Synopsis
Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2025
An exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes, and the unexpected shape of revenge - for readers of Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Waters and Ian McEwan's Atonement.
It is fifteen years after the Second World War, and Isabel has built herself a solitary life of discipline and strict routine in her late mother's country home, with not a fork or a word out of place. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep - as a guest, there to stay for the season…
In the sweltering heat of summer, Isabel's desperate need for control reaches boiling point. What happens between the two women leads to a revelation which threatens to unravel all she has ever known.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- ISBN: 9780241999776
- Number of pages: 272
- Dimensions: 196 x 129 x 19 mm
- Weight: 238g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allClever and Addictive
A tale of twisted family dynamics and the complexities of shame in histories both nationally and personally. This was a slow burner for me. I think I found... READ MORE
Booker Longlisted 2024
Very pleased to see this on the booker longlist as I had heard nothing but excellent comments regarding it.
It is set in 1961 Holland, post war vibes.
Tw... READ MORE
Claustrophobic and surprisingly addictive - I LOVED this book
I pottered through the first twenty pages or so and was then suddenly hooked by the introduction of a new character and then a series of plot twists that l... READ MORE
Broody, sexy, immersive read
Set in post-war Netherlands, this novel gives interesting glimpses of the history and attitudes of the time but also focuses on one main character, Isabel,... READ MORE
Post war Holland
I am giving this book five stars for its prose, its characterisation and the intriguing relationships that are slowly revealed. However, I do not want to w... READ MORE
Love as forest fire, earthquake, tsunami and even transformation
What an extraordinary and surprising read this is. Set in 1961, primarily in a house in the Dutch countryside, which has a background hinted at, and then s... READ MORE
"A fleeting and changeable thing", a ghost story and a love story at once
The Safe Keep is a marvellously slippery thing, janus-faced, protean, "a fleeting and changeable thing" as one of its characters says. As much a love story... READ MORE
Wait what!?
I did not see it coming but I also did. You know when you look at something and you are like “you are good” but still don’t feel yourself ready to commit t... READ MORE
A story full of twists and emotion
I loved this. Beautiful, atmospheric writing with a story full of twists. Exposes the devastating impact of the Holocaust in post war Europe and also has a... READ MORE
Very slow build up
Very slow build up and I was going to give up, but once it got interesting it got very very interesting indeed. I genuinely didn’t see the plot twist comi... READ MORE
Taut and twisty
This was an unusual choice for me, but as I enjoy reading books in translation - and haven’t ever read one by an author from the Netherlands - I wanted to ... READ MORE
An astonishing book
What an astonishing book. This will stay with me for a long time. Tension , in the writing, which retains a huge part of the original language in its restr... READ MORE
War and the damage done... an intriguing read!
This intriguing story is set in the Netherlands at the start of the 1960s, but its themes concern the ongoing repercussions of the Second World War, the oc... READ MORE
A really special book
The Safekeep takes place in a Dutch province in 1961 where its main character, Isabel, lives an orderly and quiet life, alone in her childhood home. But th... READ MORE
Tense, shocking, and sensual.
A stunning novel that effortlessly holds one attention. The writing is elegant, the plot a constant twist of subtle nuance and thunderous revelation, while... READ MORE
An expert blend of historical fiction & romance
The Safekeep follows Isabel, an obstinate woman who lives alone in her late mother’s country home, led by routine and discipline. But her life is upended w... READ MORE
A completely unexpected page turner.
What a remarkable book.
Parachuted straight into a scene that represents conventional, conservative Dutch family life in 1961, we meet adult siblings Is... READ MORE
Well written book but not enjoyable read.
The Safekeep was a very difficult read, despite being well written. The historical detail was good and atmospheric, as was some of the domestic detail, but... READ MORE
Good Read
It's 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is well and truly over. ... READ MORE
Powerful intense and thought provoking read - highly recommended
This is a brooding and powerful novel.
No spoilers !
Its energy and power creeps up slowly... the first part of the story introduces Isabel who has lived... READ MORE
Tense and Compelling
A terrific debut novel with the plot bearing swiftly - too swiftly? - in a most unexpected direction. For a large part of the novel, two unlikeable female ... READ MORE
interesting and intense
An interesting and intense book with an unusual take on WW2 and its aftermath in Holland. The characters were well drawn and believable and I was increasin... READ MORE
A very special read
This isn't your run of the mill historical novel, this is something extra special. The main characters Isabel and Eva are connected in so many ways, some w... READ MORE
Unbelievable!
This was an unbelievable debut! What a unique and interesting story. The protagonist was so annoying until suddenly, she wasn’t - I’ve never experienced su... READ MORE
A book I didn't see coming
I was recommended this book a thousand times over by a friend and eventually relinquished. When I originally read this it didn't knock my socks off because... READ MORE
Underwhelmed
The underlying historical story is relevant and interesting: an atrocity of war that has had little (for me) discussion and led to me looking further into ... READ MORE
Bear with it,you'll love it.
Heard a lot of good things about this book,but it was not for me.But i was wrong,I really enjoyed it,not perfect, but not far off.
Israel is living alone ... READ MORE
Unexpected Enjoyable Read
The Safekeep was an unexpected enjoyable read for me. I went into it tentatively, unsure what would happen or how the, now finished, World War 2 would rear... READ MORE
Beautiful, passionate, and fast paced
The Safe Keep is written from the point of view of Isabel, who appears to be obsessive compulsive and other than her two brothers, the house maid and a fri... READ MORE
Worth reading
I was sent a copy of The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden to read and review by NetGalley. I enjoyed reading this novel but I’m not sure it was what I was ... READ MORE
Novel set in OVERIJSELL
I was prompted on several occasions to read this novel, given that it is has made it on to all kinds of Longlists and Shortlists. I dithered because I real... READ MORE
Not my cup of tea
Well written but not for me. Only managed half of the book.
Verified Purchase
Lovely
For me the first 25% of this book was a total bore but I'm so glad I stuck with it because I really ended up liking it. It is sensual and thoughtful and wi... READ MORE
A wonderful literary sapphic read
A wonderful literary read centred around two very different women. Set in 1961 in Overijssel, a rural province of The Netherlands, Isabel lives alone in w... READ MORE
Great debut
Wow, this certainly wasn’t quite what I was expecting! The story of a house and its belongings, the people who live in it, love and relationships, being tr... READ MORE
Multilayered novel
This is a beautifully written novel that has a plot that drags you in. Very hard to not read in a single sitting.
A story of family, love and optimism bu... READ MORE
Unforgettable … in a good way
I find it very difficult to put this novel into words as it was not what I expected but was so perfectly constructed that I couldn’t do anything other than... READ MORE
This book will make you want to discuss it with people...
Booker nominated and for creativity, prob should have won. Hard to describe, the writing draws you in and keeps you reading even though the main character ... READ MORE
The literary equivalent of an old master , door after door after reflection
Atmospheric and stays with you. Powerful exploration of ‘home’ and what that means culturally, psychologically and historically .
Just didn’t believe in t... READ MORE
Mediocre
I was really disappointed by this book. It was recommended by one of the salespeople in Waterstones as it had rave reviews and had won the Booker Prize. Su... READ MORE
Will read it again in 6 months.
Truly a beautiful book, quality, mystery and emotional. Will read it again in 6 months.
Brilliant book
I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend. Although it took me a while to 'like' the main character, by the end I felt like I really unders... READ MORE
Fell for the reviews
So many good reviews but found it dull, long winded and obvious. Nobody is likeable.
Verified Purchase
Amazing novel explores family dynamics, love, lust and the Holocaust
Similarly to many men, I guess, I don't tend to read many romantic novels. Which is silly really, as I count The French Lieutenant's Woman as my favourite ... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
Never eat a pear the same way again.
This is beautifully written, the author creates a summer haze in her very prose, but the dialogue is full of stammers and judders to the point that dialogu... READ MORE
Brilliant story with a fascinating twist
I've been sat with this book for a while, picking it up to read and then deciding it on another. It finally got to the top of the pile - and about time, wh... READ MORE
Well Crafted
This is a well written and crafted novel, although I guessed the twist the prose kept me reading. The book is the perfect length, and the ending completely... READ MORE
Perfect
A perfect queer romance without it seeming like forced 'wokeness'. My favourite book by far.
Absolutely not
I have been reading this book for about 3 weeks and it should take me a couple of days to read such a short book… it’s so boring… predictable, and it’s not... READ MORE
Noooo thank you
I really didn’t like this book from the second I started it. It has taken me three weeks to even get to half way and I should finish a book this long in a ... READ MORE
Delicately written
One of the best books I read this year. Written from a different perspective, one that is talked about enough. It was a beautiful read, covering all areas... READ MORE
Captivating
English isn’t my first language and i often struggle reading in it. This book was so nicely written, not too complexe but very visual, charming and so capt... READ MORE
Superb!
What a great book. So captivating from beginning to end. Excited to read more of Yael van der Wouden’s work.
Beautifully written
The book and the characters are engaging from the first page. I found it difficult to put down, even though I had guessed who Eva might be about half way t... READ MORE
Nice but not revelling
Nice read but nothing I would read again. The story itself didn’t take my breath away and it’s not a book I would recommend.
Will stay with me for a long time
This book creates very real human characters and transports you into their world. The chemistry is delicious, the romance beautiful, and the twist magnific... READ MORE
Legacy of occupation
I found the book very interesting and showing how during the second world war ordinary people took advantage of the plight of those deemed unacceptable and... READ MORE
Wonderful
Such a beautiful, clever book. I will always remember this.
Beautifully detailed
I read hundreds of reviews on this book before purchasing and I’m glad I didn’t listen to a single negative one. As someone who is part of the (L)GBT+ comm... READ MORE
Great descriptions, a really good read.
This book was recommended to be by one of the staff working in Waterstones. I must say, it did not disappoint. I found it a thoroughly good read, I was par... READ MORE
A ‘Believe the Hype’ book
I wasn’t sure where this book was going to begin with and then it turned into a love story (which is really lovely) alongside one about finding yourself. A... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
Thoroughly Unlikeable in every sense.
This book came highly recommended from a number of sources.
I found it impossible to like any of the characters and therefore didn't care about their fe... READ MORE
beautifully sapphic
might be my favourite love story. absolutely loved how the story panned out. absolutely gutted wrenching towards the end
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