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The Keep Audiobook
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(3.00) - 5,967 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Award-winning author Jennifer Egan brilliantly conjures a world from which escape is impossible and where the keep—the tower, the last stand—is both everything worth protecting and the very thing that must be surrendered in order to survive.
Two cousins, irreversibly damaged by a childhood prank, reunite twenty years later to renovate a medieval castle in eastern Europe. In an environment of extreme paranoia, cut off from the outside world, the men reenact the signal event of their youth, with even more catastrophic results. And as the full horror of their predicament unfolds, a prisoner, in jail for an unnamed crime, recounts an unforgettable story that seamlessly brings the crimes of the past and present into piercing relation.
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"I heard the author read from the book and was blown away by the fact that I was interested in a story that is partially set in a prison. The structure is really interesting, because there is a novel within the novel, because the prisoner is writing a story. One of the settings is a castle in Europe, which gets points in my point just for being an old decrepit castle. It's a quick read, beautiful, dark, sad. It made me cry. I was in public when I finished it, and I even cried a little. As far as I know, no one saw me in such an embarrassing moment."
— Norah (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This neo-gothic tale…luxuriates in Wilkie Collins-style atmospherics.”
— New Yorker -
“Prodigiously entertaining and profoundly moving.”
— New York Times -
“Irresistibly suspenseful.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“The Keep is a wonderfully weird read—a touch experimental in terms of narrative, with a hefty dose of gothic tension and mystery—balanced by an intimate and mesmerizing look at how the past haunts us in different ways.”
— Amazon.com -
“A deft mix of psychological suspense, unconventional romance, and eerie allegory…This spellbinding novel kept us glued to the page right up to its haunting, unforgettable conclusion.”
— Barnes & Noble -
“Jeff Gurner and Geneva Carr give flawless star turns. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“The Keep is a clever, quirky novel that ping-pongs the listener between a medieval castle that kept people out and a modern prison that fences people in until the two worlds collide.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Beautiful prose…the characters’ emotions are so real, the author’s insights so moving, that readers will be happy to be swept away. Intelligent, challenging and exciting.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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One of the 2006 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Fiction
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A Literary Hub Pick of Perfect Summer Reads
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
The Keep Listener Reviews
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" Not the story that I was expecting...but a good story nonetheless. "
— Cns, 2/8/2014 -
" I liked Jennifer Egan's first two books and looked forward to this one eagerly, but I found it a bit of a chore to get through the first 2/3. I didn't care about the whiny, selfish Danny (the narrator of one thread) and didn't care how his story connected to that of Ray, the convict in the prison writing class. There is a brief "scary adventure" chapter which made me turn pages faster, then everything wraps up very quickly at the end in a way that is supposed to make you look differently at everything you just read, but I was just glad to be finished. "
— Robin, 2/8/2014 -
" Interesting views on our technology-dependent society and digital identities. The plot was well constructed and kept me guessing. "
— Gregory, 2/5/2014 -
" Very poorly written. I could barely get through it. "
— Brooklyn, 2/1/2014 -
" An engaging neo-Gothic tale of a mysterious castle and past secrets. What works best in the novel is the subtle switches in narration and the flickering of reality as a result. "
— Steen, 1/30/2014 -
" Interesting, but a bit contrived. "
— Angela, 1/26/2014 -
" Hard to follow sometimes but I enjoyed all the dimensions "
— Gaye, 1/20/2014 -
" Very enjoyable. Nifty structure. "
— Zach, 1/18/2014 -
" Interesting & mysterious. Made me want to visit an ancient castle. Two cousins are renovating a castle, & one is haunted by an experience the two shared as children. Meanwhile, a prisoner is writing a story . . . their story. How is he connected to the cousins? Hmmm. "
— Edith, 1/13/2014 -
" Strange and haunting "
— Jill, 1/9/2014 -
" It was okay. I finished it! I'm going to re-read this book and see if I like it better a second time through. "
— mim, 1/4/2014 -
" picked it up out of desperation during a delay at the airport. "
— nidhi, 12/30/2013 -
" Intriguing from page one. And yet, the start of Keep definitely doesn't hint at the surprises held within. Egan manages to sustain several distinct voices as she weaves together a story of heightened realism that ultimately comes together in an unexpected, but satisfying way. "
— Noah, 12/22/2013 -
" dont bother.... "
— Nikki, 10/2/2013 -
" I love Jennifer Egan. I read "The Invisible Circus" some years ago and enjoyed it so I downloaded The Keep a last week. I could not put it down. I love her style and how she plays with time. "
— Malla, 3/18/2013 -
" I liked the parts a lot better than the sum. good read. "
— april., 2/11/2013 -
" It was okay through most of the book, but I wasn't crazy about the ending. "
— Katy, 12/29/2012 -
" The ending of the book ruined it for me. I was hoping for more, but it didn't deliver. "
— Sherrie, 9/23/2012 -
" Not a book I would have picked myself (a guy at borders recommended it) but entertaining enough. "
— Teri, 9/21/2012 -
" I'm all for speculative fiction that leaves you guessing but this left me pissed off. It felt like the writer finished, trilled "the end" and never re-read her story to look for plot holes. Boo-fucking-hiss. "
— S.A., 9/19/2012 -
" Waduuuuuh, salah pilih buku lg...*jedot2 kepala* "
— Adhe, 8/13/2012 -
" A completely interesting book, like nothing I've read before (which you all know I consider a major bonus). I liked the dual narrators and the supernatural element wasn't heavy-handed. "
— Colleen, 7/18/2012 -
" I listened to this one on audio. There were slow parts, but I love the way Jennifer Egan writes. I can't wait to read her new one. She's got something rare in bestselling books--a unique voice. "
— Jen, 5/25/2012 -
" Entertaining and intelligent, my favorite kind of book. "
— Martha, 2/14/2012 -
" A straight forward abstract horror tale which read very much like a Stephen King novel. The inner thoughts of Dan and Ray occasionally were insightfully current and snarky. Part III which chronicles Holly's connection to Ray, was I thought authentic and poignant. "
— Brian, 1/27/2012 -
" This was a great idea, but I wanted more! The book bounces around between a few different stories, and I wanted them more fleshed out, I feel I was left hanging in places. "
— Gretchen, 1/22/2012 -
" different story line. i liked the unusual progression. <br/> "
— Julie, 5/21/2011 -
" Great story. Excellent writing and uncoventional plot. "
— Katie, 5/19/2011 -
" Great book, loved most of it but confused as hell. Somebody read it so I have someone to talk to about it! "
— Jamie, 5/13/2011 -
" Audio Book. A story with two main storylines from two main characters Danny and Ray. Danny is a loser who is visiting his rich cousin's new castle in Europe. Ray is an inmate in prison taking a writing class. They seem to be very unrelated except Ray "
— Jake, 5/6/2011 -
" A beautiful story. A bit of a mindbender too. She is a great writer.<br/> "
— Joe, 4/25/2011 -
" I am in absolute awe of Jennifer Egan. Man... "
— Andy, 4/19/2011 -
" I liked the book, but it was a little too meta for me. At first I kind of appreciated where Egan was going with that, but then it just got to be a bit much. "
— Carla, 4/18/2011 -
" So far, my least favorite of her books. I enjoyed Goon Squad and Look At Me much more. "
— Samantha, 4/15/2011 -
" This was a great idea, but I wanted more! The book bounces around between a few different stories, and I wanted them more fleshed out, I feel I was left hanging in places. "
— Gretchen, 4/15/2011 -
" Liked this book. Was like 3 novels in one. Looking forward to reading more from her. "
— Vern, 3/31/2011
About Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan, the author of several books of fiction, is the recipient of the 2019 New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association’s 2019 Legacy Award for lifetime achievement. Her works including the New York Times bestseller Manhattan Beach, as well as A Visit from the Goon Squad, which won the Pulitzer Prize and National Books Critics Circle Award; The Keep, a national bestseller; the story collection Emerald City; Look at Me, a National Book Award finalist; and The Invisible Circus, which was adapted into a major motion picture. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Harper’s, Granta, McSweeney’s, the New York Times Magazine, and many others.
About the Narrators
Jeff Gurner created the title role in the American premiere of A Prayer for Owen Meany at Playmakers Rep. He has appeared in productions on and off Broadway such as The Lion King, Five Course Love, The London Cuckolds, and Harrigan & Hart. His film and television credits include Law & Order: SVU, Third Watch, and Hey Joel!, an animated series for VHI.
Geneva Carr is a stage, television, and film actress living in Manhattan. She has toured North America in Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, performed on stage with Mary Tyler Moore in Neil Simon’s Rose’s Dilemma, and played a laugh track in Christopher Durang’s Obie Award–winning play, Betty’s Summer Vacation. Her film and television credits include Sex and the City, Hope & Faith, Spin City, Third Watch, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Chappelle’s Show, and The Three Little Wolfs.