The Things We Keep
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4.5 • 20 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A novel of love undaunted by obstacles, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister with new novel Darling Girls out now.
"You'll shed a few tears as the women try to forge a new life, despite the fact that they can't, or won't, remember the past. One for long afternoons." Sydney Morning Herald
Rosalind House might not be the first place you'd expect to find new love and renewal, but within the walls of this assisted living facility two women have their lives changed forever.
Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease at only thirty-eight years of age, knows that her twin, Jack, has chosen Rosalind House because another young resident, Luke, lives there. As if, Anna muses, a little companionship will soften the unfairness of her fate.
Eve Bennett also comes to Rosalind house reluctantly. Once a pampered, wealthy wife, she is now cooking and cleaning to make ends meet.
Both women are facing futures they didn't expect. With only unreliable memories to guide them, they have no choice but to lean on and trust something more powerful. Something closer to the heart.
PRAISE FOR THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES
"This is women's fiction at its finest ... a wonderfully satisfying story ... touching, tender, and meticulously researched" Liane Moriarty, author of Big Little Lies
"Enchanting ... Hepworth's skilful storytelling means past and present flow seamlessly ... it's easy to lose yourself in the lives of the three, strong female protagonists." Daily Telegraph
"Fans of Call the Midwife and One Born Every Minute will relish Hepworth's debut novel about three generations of midwives" Who Magazine
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hepworth's second novel (after The Secrets of Midwives) explores issues of self-determination and identity through an unconventional tearjerker of a love story. Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at 39, Anna has made the difficult decision to move into a residential care facility. Though she's mostly surrounded by senior citizens, there's one other self-described "young person, old mind": Luke, who suffers from frontotemporal dementia. The two immediately bond over their unlikely shared circumstance, and eventually their friendship moves into romance. But as Anna's condition worsens, the question of whether she is capable of relationships, or of falling in love, comes into question, and her family insists that she and Luke be kept apart. The home's new cook, Eve, is charmed by Luke and Anna's tale of star-crossed love, and she vows to help them at any cost but her understanding of the potential dangers is incomplete, and facilitating their romance could put more than just her job in jeopardy. The story's nonlinear structure, designed to mimic Anna's disorientation, cleverly obscures a few reveals that color the reader's perception of the dilemma at hand, and while none of these reveals are particularly surprising, they're no less heartbreaking. A supporting cast of quirky old folks and Eve's precocious daughter add levity to a poignant and nuanced story.
