Litsy

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

so-so

#UnpopularOpinion

I appreciated what the author is trying to do here but for me she wasn‘t successful. I didn‘t buy the central relationship - there was too little to show how they came to care for one another. It‘s a trope I rarely enjoy or find convincing so maybe it‘s just me. The writing is good and the background story is really important. I‘m extra critical when I think a book could be truly great but misses the mark, so only a so-so.

Ruthiella Hot take! 🔥😂 I‘ve not yet read it. 3d

CarolynM 4th book for #14books14weeks @Liz_M 3d

BittersweetBooks I completely agree! Plus I found the MC to be insufferable. 3d

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CarolynM This was on my #AuldLangSpine list from @TheKidUpstairs it‘s just taken me a while to get to it😬 I‘m hoping to read one or two more before the year is out🤞 3d

CarolynM @Ruthiella I‘ll be interested to see what you think 🙂 3d

CarolynM @BittersweetBooks I had some sympathy for her, but I had to work at it😆 3d

LeahBergen I have this waiting on my shelves. Here‘s hoping I like it more than you! 😆 2d

CarolynM @LeahBergen I hope so too 2d

TheKidUpstairs I'm sorry it didn't work as well for you as it did for me! Hope your next read is better for you 😉 2d

Cathythoughts @CarolynM I loved the family story. Maybe a little bit too much intimate details for me. I did suggest it for our IRL Bookclub and we had a powerful discussion. 2d

CarolynM @Cathythoughts It would be a good one for a book club discussion. I might suggest it to mine🙂 1d

48 likes11 comments

RaeLovesToRead

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

Also, CONGRATULATIONS to The Safekeep for winning the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025!

This book is special.

Eerie, erotic, moving, unsettling... it was one of my absolute favourites of last year and I'm thrilled to bits that it won 🥰

AmyG Agree!!! 1w

JamieArc Same - and I loved the gorgeous endpapers. 1w

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bibliothecarivs

The Wandering Saints of the Early Middle Ages | Eleanor Shipley Duckett

Random book from our home library.

7 likes

Jari-chan

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

pick

(no, I did not have any pears around)

So. This book. I'm lacking the words to describe what it did with me. To me. It totally drenched me, it drowned me, it spit me out. It took my heart and ate it. How am I possibly going to describe this feeling? I simply can't. Impossible. And maybe that's okay. Because sometimes we don't need words, we just need to feel.

AmyG One of my favorites of this year. Loved it. 2w

Jari-chan @AmyG 💖💖💖 2w

Deblovestoread Great review! I loved it, too. 2w

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Jari-chan @Deblovestoread Thank you 💖💖 2w

Billypar Agreed - great review! It's in the running for my favorite of the year, and hands down my favorite reading experience of 2025 given how vividly the scenes were described...very intense! 2w

Jari-chan @Billypar Totally agree with you, very intense. 2w

37 likes6 comments

charl08

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

We took almost nothing when we left. Mum kept saying, Don't worry we'll come back we'll come back so soon, and it was a lie. I think now to how they found that house with everything still in it, Papa's book still left open on the page where he stopped, and I am sick I am sick to my stomach. Whose stuff did they think that was? They must have known I can't imagine they didn't know. Who doesn't know a thing like that? They must've known.

charl08 https://www.holocaustnamenmonument.nl/en/holocaust-memorial-of-names/concept/ 2w

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BittersweetBooks

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

A pretty deception 🍐

Isabel had never known loneliness like that, one that arrived without the promise of leaving. There was no one now, no one to walk through the door unannounced, no one to open and close a drawer in the other room 🚪🍽️

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JillR

The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden

The Women‘s Prize for Fiction 2025 winner is announced on Thursday; here‘s my thoughts on the short list:-

The Safekeep, Yael Van der Wouden ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All Fours, Miranda July ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tell Me Everything, Elizabeth Strout ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good Girl, Aria Aber ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fundamentally, Nussaibah Yunis ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Persians, Sanam Mahloudji ⭐️⭐️

Overall, as I‘ve seen so many others say, I‘m disappointed with the SL. I suspect All Fours will win!

BarbaraBB I feel more or less the same about the books on the shortlist as you do. I hope The Safekeep will win but All Fours would be my guess too. 2w

TrishB Only read 2 on the shortlist- you‘re top 2! My guess is the same as @BarbaraBB I hope The Safekeeping but probably All Fours 2w

Suet624 I‘m with you. I sure hope Safekeep wins. 2w

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Kitta I don‘t think I understood All Fours. I didn‘t enjoy it at all and don‘t understand why it‘s winning or nominated for so many prizes! Not for me I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w

Jess I also hope The Safekeep wins. That book blew me away. Fingers crossed. 2w

JillR @Kitta I kind of felt the same and nearly didn‘t read it, but when I did I was surprised to find myself kind of enjoying it. Was glad when it ended at the same time! I‘m not convinced any of the list are really prize winners, but guessing All Fours may win, just because of its sheer craziness! 2w

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