The Safekeep facts for kids
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| Author | Yael van der Wouden |
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| Country | Netherlands |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
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Publication date
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2024 |
| Pages | 272 |
| ISBN | 9781668034361 |
The Safekeep is the first novel by Dutch author Yael van der Wouden, released in 2024. The story is set in the Netherlands in 1961. It follows a young woman named Isabel, who lives a very quiet and lonely life. She spends her days taking care of her family's large house in the Overijssel province.
Isabel's solitary life is suddenly interrupted. Her brother, Louis, asks for a big favor. He wants his girlfriend, Eva, to come and live with Isabel for the summer. At first, Isabel is not happy about this. She feels like Eva is a stranger in her private space. But as they spend the summer together, a deep and unexpected friendship grows between them.
The novel was a huge success. It won the famous Women's Prize for Fiction and was also a finalist for the 2024 Booker Prize, another major award for books.
Contents
Story of The Safekeep
The novel's main character is Isabel, also called Isa. She lives by herself in her family's old home in the Dutch countryside in 1961. The house is very important to her, and she is lonely after her mother's death. Isa spends her time obsessively cleaning and protecting the house from any changes. She has a maid named Neelke who helps her, but Isa often worries about the house.
Her two brothers, Hendrick and Louis, have moved away. One day, Isa meets her brother Louis's new girlfriend, Eva. Isa is suspicious of Eva, who is much more social and outgoing.
An Unexpected Summer Guest
Soon after they meet, Louis asks Isa if Eva can stay at the house for a few months while he is away traveling. Isa is the caretaker of the house, which her uncle plans to give to Louis one day. Because of this, she feels she has to agree.
When Eva moves in, Isa is very uncomfortable. Eva moves things around, touches family objects, and asks a lot of questions. Isa feels like her quiet world has been turned upside down. Eva even stays in Isa's mother's old room and puts a picture of her own mother on the nightstand.
A New Friendship Forms
Things begin to change one day when Isa's other brother, Hendrick, visits with his friend. They all start dancing together, and for a moment, the house is filled with happiness. Eva encourages the quiet Isa to join them, and she does.
After this, Isa starts to see Eva differently. She begins to open up, and the two women start to form a very close bond. They share stories and secrets, and their friendship becomes the most important thing in Isa's life.
The House's Hidden History
As their friendship grows, a secret about the house is revealed. The story explains that Isa's family got the house during World War II. Before they lived there, it belonged to a Jewish family. This family had to leave their home during a terrible time in history known as the Holocaust in the Netherlands. This discovery adds a serious and thoughtful layer to the story, making the characters think about the past.
