The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

How hard is The Safekeep to read?

The Safekeep scores 72 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it very challenging. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 55 out of 100

The prose employs a refined, descriptive vocabulary that is generally accessible but occasionally introduces less common words like 'vitrine,' 'nonplussed,' or 'saccharine.' While avoiding archaic or invented language, the author's precise word choices elevate the text beyond simple contemporary fiction, requiring a slightly more engaged reader than a book like 'The Great Gatsby.'

Sentence structure: 68 out of 100

The text features a moderately high syntactic complexity, characterized by frequent use of compound-complex sentences and extensive subordination. Sentences often string together multiple clauses and descriptive phrases, creating a flowing, sometimes meandering rhythm that demands sustained reader attention. This complexity is more demanding than 'The Great Gatsby' but less extreme than the hypotaxis of a Jamesian novel.

Abstraction: 70 out of 100

While grounded in concrete narrative and sensory details, the novel consistently delves into profound psychological and emotional abstraction. It explores themes of identity, ownership, repressed desire, and the subjective nature of memory through Isabel's intricate internal world, often leaving motivations and symbolic meanings to the reader's interpretation. This level of internal probing is more pronounced than 'Remains of the Day' and approaches the thematic depth of '2666'.

Information density: 72 out of 100

The narrative is highly information-dense, layering Isabel's immediate perceptions with deep psychological subtext, unresolved trauma, and subtle emotional shifts. Each interaction and observation is imbued with significant meaning, requiring constant reader engagement to decipher unspoken motivations and the intricate interplay of past and present. This demands more attention than 'Austerlitz' and approaches the detailed layering of '2666'.

Narrative indirection: 75 out of 100

The narrative heavily relies on inference, particularly regarding Isabel's repressed emotions and Eva's ambiguous motives, forcing readers to piece together meaning from subtle cues and unspoken dynamics. Isabel's limited perspective and the fragmented family history demand constant reader interpretation beyond direct statements, similar to the inferential demands of 'Lolita' (72).

Symbolic density: 80 out of 100

The text is rich with recurring symbols like the house, the hare china, and stolen objects, which consistently carry layered meanings beyond their literal presence. These motifs, alongside the contrasting imagery of gardening and wildness, invite deep thematic interpretation of identity, ownership, and disruption, placing it above 'The Great Gatsby' (75) in its pervasive symbolism.

Ironic distance: 75 out of 100

A significant gap exists between Isabel's often naive or self-deceptive perceptions and the author's implied truths, especially concerning her relationships and desires. The narrative subtly critiques Isabel's judgments and reveals Eva's complex performance, requiring readers to discern the underlying reality, akin to the ironic layers in 'Lolita' (75).

Resolution withholding: 82 out of 100

The excerpt concludes with a dramatic turning point but leaves fundamental questions about Eva's true intentions, Isabel's emotional future, and the house's ultimate fate deeply ambiguous. The lack of clear emotional or narrative closure compels the reader to grapple with persistent uncertainty, exceeding the open meaning of 'The Great Gatsby' (60).

Structural complexity: 62 out of 100

The narrative employs frequent, emotionally charged flashbacks that interrupt the present timeline, requiring readers to actively connect past events to Isabel's current state. While the primary POV remains consistent, Isabel's subjective interpretations add a layer of psychological complexity to the otherwise linear progression, making it more intricate than 'The Great Gatsby' (55) but less fragmented than 'Midnight's Children' (68).

How The Safekeep is regarded

The Safekeep holds a literary regard score of 34 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

About the author

Yael van der Wouden