The Things We Keep

The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth
Published by St. Martin's Press on January 19th 2016
Genres: Fiction, General Fiction
Pages: 352
Format: eBook, Kindle Book
Source: NetGalley & St. Martin's Press

Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease at only thirty-eight years old, knows that her family is doing what they believe to be best when they take her to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. She also knows there's just one other resident her age, Luke. What she does not expect is the love that blossoms between her and Luke even as she resists her new life at Rosalind House. As her disease steals more and more of her memory, Anna fights to hold on to what she knows, including her relationship with Luke.
When Eve Bennett is suddenly thrust into the role of single mother she finds herself putting her culinary training to use at Rosalind house. When she meets Anna and Luke she is moved by the bond the pair has forged. But when a tragic incident leads Anna's and Luke's families to separate them, Eve finds herself questioning what she is willing to risk to help them.

**Special thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

I came to this book “The Things We Keep” while going through the list of books to be released. The cover was the first thing to catch my interest. It matched the title so much. Aren’t the things we keep always wrapped up carefully and nicely? Well I read the blurb and I was intrigued to read the novel. The novel was about Alzheimer patients. I watched some movies before about Alzheimer patients but none of them tackled the issue the same way this novel did. They only showed them as people who couldn’t remember even the slightest details in their daily lives. This novel was different. It delved into their souls and showed the buried feelings they still had.

To start with, The Things We Keep is more than one story whose paths has combined together in this one great novel. Anna Forster is a young 38 years old woman in her early stages of Alzheimer. Her mother has also passed away suffering same disease. She still remembers how her mother has deteriorated. Being the strong and determined person she is, Anna doesn’t want to suffer like her mother. Above all, she doesn’t want to be a burden. She confronts her husband with her disease and decides to leave. She feels it’s better if she takes the decision to leave instead of being abandoned. She talks her brother Jack into getting her into a caring facility. Upon her insist, Jack takes her to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. Though it’s her own decision, everybody seems to be relieved with it. Anna is very aware of her condition. Yet her memory’s condition deteriorated no matter how she tries to hold to it. She can have her old memories, yet not the recent ones. She meets Luke at Rosalind House. Luke is the only other young patient in Rosalind House. They might have feelings between them, yet will their condition allow it? Moreover, will their families allow it putting in mind their condition?

Meanwhile, Eve Bennet is a widow with an 8 years old daughter. Her husband has committed suicide to escape the tragic expected jail. Eve now has to provide for her daughter and protect her. She applies to work at Rosalind House as a cook. She is a very passionate person who is willing to do her best to help others. She likes the people at Rosalind House especially Anna & Luke. So, as the path of Eve’s story intersects with the paths of Anna and Luke’s story, Eve is willing to take maximum risks to help them. This is not only the story of only Anna and Luke. It is Eve’s and her daughter’s too. It’s about the other elderly couple in Rosalind House and other patients too. It’s a very rich novel with many lines coming together to form this interesting novel.

This work highlights a very important point. Does the heart have a memory of its own? What shapes one’s emotions even if he loses his memory? Can Alzheimer patients still have feelings for their beloved ones even if they don’t recognize them anymore? Obviously, The Things We Keep is about all those things we choose to keep and cherish in our lives. It’s not only about Alzheimer lost memories. It’s about all of us and what we choose to keep in our memories about the one we love. We can have both good memories and bad ones. It’s the things we choose to keep that shapes our vision and how we feel about the people around us.

I loved this book for so many reasons. First of all, this was the first book I read about Alzheimer patients that delved into their emotions and minds. It gave me more insight about their struggle to cling to life. Sally Hepworth has tackled the issue knowledgeably. I also loved the alternating narration of the story. I got to see things from multiple perspectives. It always amazes me how things can look different from multiple perspectives. Another thing I liked about the book was the characters. The characters are so vivid. You can feel them. I loved Anna so much and felt sorry for her.

Finally, this is a mind provoking book. You can always relate to it. Alter all, who doesn’t have things to keep and things to giveaway in his life? It’s a book about love, pain, sorrow, hate, hope, deception and greed.