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There are currently 17 member reviews
for The Things We Keep
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Kimberly H. (Stamford, CT)
The challenges of dementia
"The Things We keep" I believe will be helpful for people who have family and loved ones with dementia related disease, and maybe don't know a lot about this terrible disease that affects millions of people in the US alone.
That the 2 main characters are in their '30's is highly unusual as most with Alzheimer's are over 65 (a small percentage are in their 40's and 50's). What is true however, is that love sustains. Family members need to be advocates as with any disease, and do their research. As in the book, aides, helpers, anyone working in the facilities that the patients are living need to be aware of how much love and tenderness the patient needs. In the case of Eva- the cook and housekeeper, untrained but with an innate sense, understood the need for the residents for friendship and love, as loneliness and trauma may affect the patient.
A quick read, with some good information and real life situations that happen in these facilities, I would recommend that families who need help with your loved ones contact the Alzheimer Association at their 800# , 24 hours a day, every day, for any questions you may have. They are a great resource for everything regarding this disease.
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Barbara L. (Novato, CA)
The Things We Keep
I looked forward to reading this book based on the premise of two young thirty-somethings who are both voluntary residents of an assisted living facility. It made me wonder how and why this came to be and what paths their lives there would take. I was disappointed in the results. Contrary to the ads, this was no STILL ALICE. While this book was pleasant to read, it lacked depth and was very predictable.
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Judi R. (Jericho, NY)
Not written for me
I am sure there is an audience for this book, but it is not me. I was excited to read this arc. Who could not love a love story, especially when the characters have everything stacked against them? Having just had a relative in an assisted living situation, I found the descriptions of the facility and the residents extremely accurate. Hepworth did an excellent job writing these scenes. What I found unbelievable, however, was the responsibilities Eve was assigned in her new job and the role she adopted in caring for the residents. I feel that the author tried to tackle too broad a scope by telling too many story lines. Each was necessary to pull the plot along but none were developed enough. I do like the message however. We could all learn from this novel to scrape away all the surface nonsense in our lives, and appreciate the one great love we can feel for another.
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