Review Time

(Note - any regular readers of my reviews may have noticed I rarely give a plot summary. That can be read via the link. I prefer simply giving my impressions, my “take” on each book.)

The Keep - Jennifer Egan

The Keep is eerie, spooky and continued to haunt me once I’d finished it. That’s a sign of a good book.

(Check out the link for a detailed and compelling summary of the plot.)

It is a strange and fascinating tale of characters struggling to make sense of the past and the present. We are all steeped in our own histories — as is the world itself. History reaches out and touches all of us. We either learn from it or choose to ignore it at our own peril.

We should also learn to recognize the perils of modern day life. For those of us who spend time communicating with others via technological means (cell phones, the Internet) here are some excerpts I found disturbing. Awfully close to the truth?


“I’m the opposite of all alone. I know people all over the fucking world.”

“What are they giving you, the machines? Shadows, disembodied voices. Typed words and pictures if you’re online... If you think you’re surrounded by people, you’re making them up.”

“What’s real, Danny? Is reality TV real? Are confessions you read on the Internet real? The words are real, someone wrote them, but beyond that the question doesn’t even make sense. Who are you talking to on your cell phone? In the end you have no fucking idea. We’re living in a supernatural world, Danny. We’re surrounded by ghosts.”


Gives one pause. Makes one think.

The castle and its keep are not simply metaphors for the past. Each contain labyrinths — with passages, tunnels and paths. The characters must literally find their way through these labyrinths. They must also explore and confront the complicated passages and tunnels within their own minds.

The opening, closing and locking of doors – both literally and figuratively — are used as a literary device to demonstrate the human condition. We are both prisoners and “keepers” of our thoughts, our addictions, our beliefs and our secrets. Opening or closing these doors can be acts of freedom or ones containing great risk.

I was particularly impressed by the fact that Egan used what is referred to as author intrusion. This is something that pulls the reader out of the story — usually a no-no in fiction. Egan makes it work. She introduces a character who, in essence, tells the tale of the tale. Confused? Sorry. You won’t be if and when you read the book.

What an amazing author. She has managed to write a book that is both realistic, other-worldly and have it all ring true.