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Safekeeping
Radley just wants to get home to her parents in Vermont. While she was volunteering abroad, the American People's Party took power; the new president was assassinated; and the government cracked down on citizens. Travel restrictions are worse than ever, and when her plane finally lands in New Hampshire, Radley’s parents aren’t there.
Exhausted; her phone dead; her credit cards worthless: Radley starts walking.
Exhausted; her phone dead; her credit cards worthless: Radley starts walking.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2012
About the author
Karen Hesse
59 books457 followersKaren Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. Her novel Out of the Dust was the winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. In 2002, Hesse was a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship.
For more information, please see http://us.macmillan.com/author/karenh...
For more information, please see http://us.macmillan.com/author/karenh...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
October 1, 2012
I watch eagerly for the next dumpster.
I can honestly say that I never figured there'd ever be a time to start a review with a comment about dumpster diving. But here we are. This is what I took away from Safekeeping - where there's a will, there's a dumpster.
Let's get this straight...I'm not knocking the will to survive. We'd probably all do whatever it took to keep going, were we faced with similar circumstances. In the case of this book, however, I was a bit fuzzy on the circumstances. All I knew was that shit had hit the fan, our main character had come back to the states from a trip to Haiti, and she was in trouble and headed for Canada.
Then a whole lotta random stuff happened. She traveled, she stopped, she met a companion.
OOOHHH but WAIT! There were TONS of pictures!
Stuff like this!
At first, I was excited. The idea of having these beautiful black and white illustrations to show off the story intrigued me.
But then it started to look like pictures were being thrown in for the sake of having pictures. Just because there's a mention of blueberries doesn't mean you have to have a picture of blueberries on the page. I'm still unsure what a cow (is this even a cow? I might be way off on my farm animal knowledge) has to do with the words on this page...I guess the connection is rain.
I know that life is a journey, not a destination, but sometimes the journey needs to be more than just day-to-day survival. This story might have worked for me if I had been shown a substantial amount of the moments spent in the "inbetween" as notable moments in time. Instead, it felt like I was reading a lot of filler. At the end of this journey, it was as if I'd gone along for the ride and didn't really feel any sort of reward for my effort.
Maybe I was unimpressed because I have read a story before in which not much else happened outside of the characters' day-to-day survival, yet there was some sort of spark of life which compelled me to become fascinated with the process. (in case you were wondering, it was this book : Into the Forest - which was beautifully written). In the case of Safekeeping, I never found myself caring. I only felt melancholy.
When a person doesn't care much about the outcome, you lose the reader. This is what happened to me.
Are there people who would enjoy this book? Oh yes. Absolutely. The style of writing was not without merit. There will be a specific type of reader who will like this story. I'd recommend it for anyone who cares less about the big picture (the before, the after, the 'how did we get here') and more about what's happening in the here and now. If you can see yourself as the kind of person who would like to go on a journey with Radley as she searches for her parents and scavenges for food, then you might actually want to check this out.
This book was provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2013
This is an inbetween book for me. I picked it up on a whim from the library, and it was a super fast read. The story is compelling enough, and I've read enough AMERICA GONE ANARCHY to consider my self an expert.
So here are the problems I had with this book. First, when the heck is it happening? Not giving it a time, even a hint at a time, was a huge mistake. The book starts off with Radley (the main character) in Haiti, volunteering after a huge earthquake strikes. When does this sound like to you? 2010? Me too. So is this supposed to be an alternate universe? That was confusing and lame.
Who in their right mind would send a 17 year old girl alone to a 3rd world country that has been devastated by an earthquake? A very dumb person, that's who. That was totally unbelievable to me.
Part the Third was too patsy patsy. There's a sentence that goes something like "I opened a letter. Someone wanted to buy our house." What? In a world turned upside down, your house magically sells for cash despite not being on the market or located anywhere strategic or anything? Nooo.
Also, Radley was dumb. I guess you could argue that she was suffering from PTSD but she was just so boring as a character. I didn't really see any growth from her, just blah blah blah. She was very blah. Celia was also random and weird.
It's not a bad book, but it needed more thought. It needs more world-building. more story, less pictures. More information, less Dumpster diving.
Now I feel like Ariel. But who caaaares? No big deal! I WANT MOOOOOOOORE.
I want a book
that is not so lame
I wanna see
characters with brains
Authors focusing on - what's that word again?
Oh. Plot.
So here are the problems I had with this book. First, when the heck is it happening? Not giving it a time, even a hint at a time, was a huge mistake. The book starts off with Radley (the main character) in Haiti, volunteering after a huge earthquake strikes. When does this sound like to you? 2010? Me too. So is this supposed to be an alternate universe? That was confusing and lame.
Who in their right mind would send a 17 year old girl alone to a 3rd world country that has been devastated by an earthquake? A very dumb person, that's who. That was totally unbelievable to me.
Part the Third was too patsy patsy. There's a sentence that goes something like "I opened a letter. Someone wanted to buy our house." What? In a world turned upside down, your house magically sells for cash despite not being on the market or located anywhere strategic or anything? Nooo.
Also, Radley was dumb. I guess you could argue that she was suffering from PTSD but she was just so boring as a character. I didn't really see any growth from her, just blah blah blah. She was very blah. Celia was also random and weird.
It's not a bad book, but it needed more thought. It needs more world-building. more story, less pictures. More information, less Dumpster diving.
Now I feel like Ariel. But who caaaares? No big deal! I WANT MOOOOOOOORE.
I want a book
that is not so lame
I wanna see
characters with brains
Authors focusing on - what's that word again?
Oh. Plot.
October 5, 2012
Beware...this book will cause you to examine your heart--your life--just a bit closer, and it may be uncomfortable. But, absolution..that is what Radley Parker-Hughes gave to me, and will give to you. Her trek became my personal journey also, through uncertainty, grief and guilt. You find in the end that the story may be over, but Radley & you are continuing your own journeys, where what has happened to you in life becomes your strength and the core you feed from. No need to atone for your shortcomings. As Madame Seville says, "Find a way to make right what was wrong, and then move on ...the way you live your life now, that is how you make amends to those you have lost, that is how you honor them." This is a documentary-type novel, where the author's own photos are interspersed with Radley's travelogue of her return from Haiti as the US is in chaos after a presidential assassination. Infrastructure is down -- no cell phone, no computer service...she ends up walking home to Bennington from Manchester, NH airport to find her parents missing. Hiding in the attic, moving around at night to avoid police detection, she eventually must face the fact they are not returning...and thus begins her walk to safety in Canada. Celia and her dog join her and the younger Radley becomes Celia's caretaker throughout their stay in Canada. A successful foray into young adult lit by Karen Hesse!
October 15, 2012
1.5 Stars for decent writing.
I was very excited when I first saw Safekeeping. I’d read Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust as a child and remember loving it, in fact, I could tell you exactly where it sits in the family bookcase back home because I never lose track of those books I truly enjoy. And so I was greatly disappointed to read through Karen Hesse’s latest and find that, while it may be beautifully written, it portrayed a world beyond the realm of possibility or belief and focused heavily on style over substance.
Honestly, Safekeeping made me angry. And not the type of angry that a book is supposed to make you feel when it’s well researched and makes you think about something you might not have wanted to think about, or talks about a sore subject. It made me angry because I feel like it was a political commentary book written by someone who had no understanding of how the United States government functions. I actually had to go look up Karen Hesse and see if she was, in fact, from the United States (she is).
The premise of Safekeeping is that the American People’s Party has been voted into power by an under-educated populace (yes, it is actually said that we made poor voting choices as a poorly educated nation), and apparently, this party has the ability to entirely change everything about the way our government functions Of course, I can only say apparently because nothing in this book is ever actually explained. Chaos descends when the president is assassinated, which from my understanding was the APP president that had been voted in, and then the party has to wrestle for control of the government among a wildly protesting population. Apparently, quite suddenly, this is the only party with any power in Washington D.C. They can rush through all sorts of laws without any checks or balances, and it seems as if they’ve declared it a military state, though again, this is never explained. One of my favorite parts was where everyone who dissents from the government gets thrown in jail. You know, political agitators, popular bloggers, because apparently all of a sudden the First Amendment (and I’m assuming the Constitution and Bill of Rights) mean absolutely nothing. I couldn’t help but thinking that giving Safekeeping to any kid would be providing that poor education Safekeeping seems so afraid of.
I like that Hesse tried to make a dystopian-esque future that was close to home, but it didn’t work. The methods were so underdeveloped (seriously–you will have no idea what is really going on with the political situation ever in this book) and unrealistic that I remain baffled that this even made it to print. Pile on top of that the complete naivety about the United States’ relationship with Canada and Safekeeping starts to feel like anti-U.S. propaganda.
In the story, Radley escapes the turmoil currently underway in the United States by walking to Canada. Along the way she is joined by Celia, and Jerry Lee–a girl and her dog. Now, pretty much right across the border they’re safe. They’re safe because Canada feels essentially zero effect from what is going on south of their borders. You’d think that Canada wasn’t our biggest trading partner, or that we didn’t have strong defense arrangements that might be affected by the United States becoming a police state with a collapsed government. No, of course not–everything’s fine! Not only that, but Canada’s totally cool with illegal aliens. They really don’t mind letting in whoever wants to come from the United States and not asking any questions–even after the U.S. government is stabilized and refugees could safely return home. Canada’s just that nice. I honestly do love Canada, but completely ignoring our political relationship for this book is a wee bit ridiculous.
As far as the characters go, I liked Radley okay, and I really did love the way this was written and how she developed, I just wish there had been any sort of world developed around them. Radley is so accustomed to having her parents fix everything, but for the first time finds herself as someone others depend on. She takes care of Celia, a girl she meets on the road to Canada. Again the confusion though. The way Celia is spoken of, I could have sworn she was a twelve year old girl until we find out that she is, in fact, nineteen–a year older than Radley herself. Radley is a very naive character, but she is also willing to struggle and learn. Naive, not stupid, but also inexplicably fearful. When Radley initially returns to her home she is so certain that the police are after her to throw her in jail (even though there is no reason but paranoia for this fear) that she doesn’t talk to anyone. Had she bothered to speak with her neighbors, or the police who visit her house daily, she (and we) could have learned a great deal.
Finally, I’m afraid I cannot finish this review without acknowledging the photo illustrations included therein. Karen Hesse includes her own photographs in the book, and I’m sad to add insult to injury and say that they are not good. They are beginning photography class not good. On top of which, they are shoved into the story with no context and do little if anything to add to the tale. I was very confused. Radley’s mother is a professional photographer, and when Radley leaves her home she takes with her a stack of her mother’s photographs. It is at this point that they begin appearing in the book. Sometimes the pictures go with the text, but more often they do not. For example she’ll be talking about daisies, and there will be a picture of flowers, but they aren’t daisies. Okay fine if they’re her mother’s photographs, but then why when she talks about specific photographs are they never there? And frankly, as I said, it’s hard to believe that a professional photographer would have taken any of these.
Safekeeping may be beautifully written, but I’m sorry to say that’s the only good part about it. I often enjoy being thrown into books when I have no idea what’s going on, and love having things fall into place as I go, but with Safekeeping they never do. There is no world building, no explanation. To me it largely seemed like a promotion for Canada and volunteering in Haiti. I can hardly say those are bad messages, but I don’t like the vessel one bit.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
I was very excited when I first saw Safekeeping. I’d read Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust as a child and remember loving it, in fact, I could tell you exactly where it sits in the family bookcase back home because I never lose track of those books I truly enjoy. And so I was greatly disappointed to read through Karen Hesse’s latest and find that, while it may be beautifully written, it portrayed a world beyond the realm of possibility or belief and focused heavily on style over substance.
Honestly, Safekeeping made me angry. And not the type of angry that a book is supposed to make you feel when it’s well researched and makes you think about something you might not have wanted to think about, or talks about a sore subject. It made me angry because I feel like it was a political commentary book written by someone who had no understanding of how the United States government functions. I actually had to go look up Karen Hesse and see if she was, in fact, from the United States (she is).
The premise of Safekeeping is that the American People’s Party has been voted into power by an under-educated populace (yes, it is actually said that we made poor voting choices as a poorly educated nation), and apparently, this party has the ability to entirely change everything about the way our government functions Of course, I can only say apparently because nothing in this book is ever actually explained. Chaos descends when the president is assassinated, which from my understanding was the APP president that had been voted in, and then the party has to wrestle for control of the government among a wildly protesting population. Apparently, quite suddenly, this is the only party with any power in Washington D.C. They can rush through all sorts of laws without any checks or balances, and it seems as if they’ve declared it a military state, though again, this is never explained. One of my favorite parts was where everyone who dissents from the government gets thrown in jail. You know, political agitators, popular bloggers, because apparently all of a sudden the First Amendment (and I’m assuming the Constitution and Bill of Rights) mean absolutely nothing. I couldn’t help but thinking that giving Safekeeping to any kid would be providing that poor education Safekeeping seems so afraid of.
I like that Hesse tried to make a dystopian-esque future that was close to home, but it didn’t work. The methods were so underdeveloped (seriously–you will have no idea what is really going on with the political situation ever in this book) and unrealistic that I remain baffled that this even made it to print. Pile on top of that the complete naivety about the United States’ relationship with Canada and Safekeeping starts to feel like anti-U.S. propaganda.
In the story, Radley escapes the turmoil currently underway in the United States by walking to Canada. Along the way she is joined by Celia, and Jerry Lee–a girl and her dog. Now, pretty much right across the border they’re safe. They’re safe because Canada feels essentially zero effect from what is going on south of their borders. You’d think that Canada wasn’t our biggest trading partner, or that we didn’t have strong defense arrangements that might be affected by the United States becoming a police state with a collapsed government. No, of course not–everything’s fine! Not only that, but Canada’s totally cool with illegal aliens. They really don’t mind letting in whoever wants to come from the United States and not asking any questions–even after the U.S. government is stabilized and refugees could safely return home. Canada’s just that nice. I honestly do love Canada, but completely ignoring our political relationship for this book is a wee bit ridiculous.
As far as the characters go, I liked Radley okay, and I really did love the way this was written and how she developed, I just wish there had been any sort of world developed around them. Radley is so accustomed to having her parents fix everything, but for the first time finds herself as someone others depend on. She takes care of Celia, a girl she meets on the road to Canada. Again the confusion though. The way Celia is spoken of, I could have sworn she was a twelve year old girl until we find out that she is, in fact, nineteen–a year older than Radley herself. Radley is a very naive character, but she is also willing to struggle and learn. Naive, not stupid, but also inexplicably fearful. When Radley initially returns to her home she is so certain that the police are after her to throw her in jail (even though there is no reason but paranoia for this fear) that she doesn’t talk to anyone. Had she bothered to speak with her neighbors, or the police who visit her house daily, she (and we) could have learned a great deal.
Finally, I’m afraid I cannot finish this review without acknowledging the photo illustrations included therein. Karen Hesse includes her own photographs in the book, and I’m sad to add insult to injury and say that they are not good. They are beginning photography class not good. On top of which, they are shoved into the story with no context and do little if anything to add to the tale. I was very confused. Radley’s mother is a professional photographer, and when Radley leaves her home she takes with her a stack of her mother’s photographs. It is at this point that they begin appearing in the book. Sometimes the pictures go with the text, but more often they do not. For example she’ll be talking about daisies, and there will be a picture of flowers, but they aren’t daisies. Okay fine if they’re her mother’s photographs, but then why when she talks about specific photographs are they never there? And frankly, as I said, it’s hard to believe that a professional photographer would have taken any of these.
Safekeeping may be beautifully written, but I’m sorry to say that’s the only good part about it. I often enjoy being thrown into books when I have no idea what’s going on, and love having things fall into place as I go, but with Safekeeping they never do. There is no world building, no explanation. To me it largely seemed like a promotion for Canada and volunteering in Haiti. I can hardly say those are bad messages, but I don’t like the vessel one bit.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
September 15, 2012
Knocked my socks off. Obviously someone in the publishing world saved this for a fall 2012 election season, but even so, the characters grabbed me and I just couldn't put it down. Had me in tears more than once, but that's where my life and the words of the story collide in ways you can't predict.
"I try to see the quiet beauty of Vermont... to reclaim it as my birthright. But I know now that there is no such thing as a birthright. Anything can be taken from you."
It's September, and this is the time of year I am most manic -- part of me is dissolving in melancholy between the anniversary of my sister's death and her birthday four weeks later, and part of me is revving up for the start of school and the launch of all new things (and every year the new things are different and oh-so-important). It's a very Sybil time of year for me. And this book triggered so much for me, between the descriptions Radley's experiences volunteering as a 17 year old at the orphanage in Haiti to her utter disbelief in how fast American society unraveled after a presidential assassination. I found it a little amusing that Radley didn't think anything of referring to the new president as a "she". The controlling political party quickly turned America into a police state, requiring papers from everyone everywhere, arresting lots of people publicly, and frightening everyone into silence. Radley's journey and survival tactics made me wonder if my students would be capable of doing the same things -- would they be able to think clearly enough to recognize the dangers as Radley does, especially after she meets Celia and her dog Jerry Lee. Whom do you trust, and when? It is such an important question in this book, since some of the people who initially appear untrustworthy actually are, and some who come off trustworthy at the start are actually awful... and when your only clue is a dog, do you go with your gut? Not exactly post-apocalyptic, but definitely what-if kind of realistic fiction, this is amazing writing that will challenge strong 7th and 8th graders to think.
"I try to see the quiet beauty of Vermont... to reclaim it as my birthright. But I know now that there is no such thing as a birthright. Anything can be taken from you."
It's September, and this is the time of year I am most manic -- part of me is dissolving in melancholy between the anniversary of my sister's death and her birthday four weeks later, and part of me is revving up for the start of school and the launch of all new things (and every year the new things are different and oh-so-important). It's a very Sybil time of year for me. And this book triggered so much for me, between the descriptions Radley's experiences volunteering as a 17 year old at the orphanage in Haiti to her utter disbelief in how fast American society unraveled after a presidential assassination. I found it a little amusing that Radley didn't think anything of referring to the new president as a "she". The controlling political party quickly turned America into a police state, requiring papers from everyone everywhere, arresting lots of people publicly, and frightening everyone into silence. Radley's journey and survival tactics made me wonder if my students would be capable of doing the same things -- would they be able to think clearly enough to recognize the dangers as Radley does, especially after she meets Celia and her dog Jerry Lee. Whom do you trust, and when? It is such an important question in this book, since some of the people who initially appear untrustworthy actually are, and some who come off trustworthy at the start are actually awful... and when your only clue is a dog, do you go with your gut? Not exactly post-apocalyptic, but definitely what-if kind of realistic fiction, this is amazing writing that will challenge strong 7th and 8th graders to think.
June 10, 2012
Radley's heading home from volunteering in Haiti because the political turmoil in the US is so bad, she's worried about her family. The APP is in charge and they've set up all kinds of strict rules of governance, conduct, and travel. When Radley finally gets to the airport, her parents aren't there to pick her up. So she starts walking home. It's grueling but she knows seeing them will be worth the trouble. Knowing they're safe matters.
Of course, they're not safe. Things are bad. So now Radley's decided to strike out on her own and walk to Canada. Even though it is illegal and dangerous to cross the border, Canada will be a safe haven for her.
Along the way, she meets Celia and her dog Jerry Lee. Celia doesn't talk much but soon they're travel companions and opening up to one another. Of course, Celia has a dark secret. The girls find a safe haven in Canada, find someone who takes care of them, and then when suddenly everything in the US is better, Radley decides to head home. This is where I stop talking about the plot.
Hesse's writing is lovely and poetic, and it's written more in a vignette style than traditional narrative. These are snapshots from the road and travel and experience. Illustrating the story are actual photos. I found them to be pretty distracting. I get that their purpose was to ground readers into the notion that this world exists today all around us (rather than in some far away, fictional future), but they didn't add anything to the story.
What started out as an excellent story about the trials of travel and government avoidance turned into convenience after convenience. When Radley and Celia get to Canada, almost all of their problems vanish. We find out their back stories here, but nothing bad happens to them on their new turf. They have someone taking care of them. They're gifted with two chickens (which, I kid you not, are named Wynonna and Ashley and this is probably one of those details I will always associate with this book in the future because the chickens "entertained" the girls. It's a reference that'll be entirely lost on teen readers, though).
The biggest problem I had with the story was that there was absolutely no world building. And on one level that makes sense: you have a story about our world and our world doesn't need to be built for us (and arguably it is through the images). The problem is that this corrupt government and extremism is never, ever explained. It is just assumed we'll accept it. It seemed to me the book was to be a big series of Lessons: Americans suck at foreign and domestic relationships, Canada is a safe haven full of people who'll take poor and downtrodden Americans in, and you should volunteer abroad in order to become a better, more thoughtful and caring person. Because that's what Radley learned and then what she shares with us readers in the final vignette, complete with an image of a child from Haiti (which could have been poignant but instead felt like a cheap shot).
I think Hesse did something interesting how she wrote her dystopia, but it needed more development. I never found myself attached to the characters, and in fact, I found myself not caring a bit about them near the end. I do not think the Lessons here were intentional; I fault the lack of world building and explanation.
This book feels like award material, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's looked at and considered by the Printz committee. I think style outdid substance, even though I found the style itself to be distracting.
Longer review to come.
Of course, they're not safe. Things are bad. So now Radley's decided to strike out on her own and walk to Canada. Even though it is illegal and dangerous to cross the border, Canada will be a safe haven for her.
Along the way, she meets Celia and her dog Jerry Lee. Celia doesn't talk much but soon they're travel companions and opening up to one another. Of course, Celia has a dark secret. The girls find a safe haven in Canada, find someone who takes care of them, and then when suddenly everything in the US is better, Radley decides to head home. This is where I stop talking about the plot.
Hesse's writing is lovely and poetic, and it's written more in a vignette style than traditional narrative. These are snapshots from the road and travel and experience. Illustrating the story are actual photos. I found them to be pretty distracting. I get that their purpose was to ground readers into the notion that this world exists today all around us (rather than in some far away, fictional future), but they didn't add anything to the story.
What started out as an excellent story about the trials of travel and government avoidance turned into convenience after convenience. When Radley and Celia get to Canada, almost all of their problems vanish. We find out their back stories here, but nothing bad happens to them on their new turf. They have someone taking care of them. They're gifted with two chickens (which, I kid you not, are named Wynonna and Ashley and this is probably one of those details I will always associate with this book in the future because the chickens "entertained" the girls. It's a reference that'll be entirely lost on teen readers, though).
The biggest problem I had with the story was that there was absolutely no world building. And on one level that makes sense: you have a story about our world and our world doesn't need to be built for us (and arguably it is through the images). The problem is that this corrupt government and extremism is never, ever explained. It is just assumed we'll accept it. It seemed to me the book was to be a big series of Lessons: Americans suck at foreign and domestic relationships, Canada is a safe haven full of people who'll take poor and downtrodden Americans in, and you should volunteer abroad in order to become a better, more thoughtful and caring person. Because that's what Radley learned and then what she shares with us readers in the final vignette, complete with an image of a child from Haiti (which could have been poignant but instead felt like a cheap shot).
I think Hesse did something interesting how she wrote her dystopia, but it needed more development. I never found myself attached to the characters, and in fact, I found myself not caring a bit about them near the end. I do not think the Lessons here were intentional; I fault the lack of world building and explanation.
This book feels like award material, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's looked at and considered by the Printz committee. I think style outdid substance, even though I found the style itself to be distracting.
Longer review to come.
September 2, 2012
Love, love, love this book. It's a very different sort of dystopia. Familiar in some sense, because you have the all too scary rise of a political elite that would strip people of their rights. And yet different in it's tone and quality of the writing. Instead of being yet another action-driven story about teens rising up to do something about the oppression –barf, been there, done that multiple times– Hesse takes a more realistic approach which deals with surviving on a small scale. Surviving what would seem to be unsurvivable.
I wouldn't recommend SAFEKEEPING for someone who's looking for another DIVERGENT or BLOOD RED ROAD. It's exciting as heck in the beginning but it's not an action-adventure. SK is a more thoughtful book than that. One about people and relationships. If you liked or sort-of liked Peter Heller's DOG STARS (which I should add is NOT a YA novel but a recent dystopia none-the-less) you might investigate this one. It's beautifully written, has engaging characters, and I found it to be a satisfying read.
Pam T~
I wouldn't recommend SAFEKEEPING for someone who's looking for another DIVERGENT or BLOOD RED ROAD. It's exciting as heck in the beginning but it's not an action-adventure. SK is a more thoughtful book than that. One about people and relationships. If you liked or sort-of liked Peter Heller's DOG STARS (which I should add is NOT a YA novel but a recent dystopia none-the-less) you might investigate this one. It's beautifully written, has engaging characters, and I found it to be a satisfying read.
Pam T~
September 30, 2016
This was a quick read, but it ended up taking me a lot longer than expected. I was confused for a large portion of the book about what was happening and why, then once it was more clear I thought it was very unlikely to happen in the way it was described - but that's just me. Radley wasn't a likable, or even relatable, character at all to me. All in all, this was just not my kind of book.
November 24, 2017
3.5 stars.
I REALLY enjoyed this! I haven't heard of this book before I saw it on Hoopla and decided to give it a try. Pretty quick read (was only about 4.5 hours long), and I really enjoyed all of the characters.
Not a 5 though because I just wish it would have been a bit developed, but I understand the decision because it was such a short book, which I prefer.
ALSO I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS SO MUCH AGH!!
I REALLY enjoyed this! I haven't heard of this book before I saw it on Hoopla and decided to give it a try. Pretty quick read (was only about 4.5 hours long), and I really enjoyed all of the characters.
Not a 5 though because I just wish it would have been a bit developed, but I understand the decision because it was such a short book, which I prefer.
ALSO I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS SO MUCH AGH!!
August 28, 2012
Safekeeping was a very quick read but very difficult to review. The writing is beautiful at times, the descriptions of New England and Canada draw peaceful calming pictures filled with the solitude and rest that both characters are driven to need. That unfortunately is the best I can say about the book. The plot was shallow, with no reason and very little direction, it felt contrived and pointless. The caracters are not any better. There is no depth, no feeling, no strong true emotion or connection. They are driven by the author not themselves.
As for the photographs, while sometimes beautiful and even haunting, they add nothing to the story and are often distracting in that the reader is pulled out of the story in an effort to find the reason behind them.
When finished I was left with the feeling that someone or something pushed Ms Hesse to take advantage of the dystopian phenomenon rather than being true to her art. The idea of following someone through the distruction of their world can lead to a great story if done well, this was not.
As for the photographs, while sometimes beautiful and even haunting, they add nothing to the story and are often distracting in that the reader is pulled out of the story in an effort to find the reason behind them.
When finished I was left with the feeling that someone or something pushed Ms Hesse to take advantage of the dystopian phenomenon rather than being true to her art. The idea of following someone through the distruction of their world can lead to a great story if done well, this was not.
Read
August 14, 2012One of the best YA novels I have read, probably ever. The main character, Radley, goes to Haiti to do relief work, but when she comes back to America, she is welcomed with the news that the president has been assassinated and a fringe political party has taken over. Confronted with harsh government crack down, Radley must travel on foot to make it back home in Vermont. An eerie image of what could be, this novel is complex, exciting and an interesting examination of how radicalism and unrest can change a country. If you love dystopian fiction, thrillers, or just great writing, you will love it. Plus, the prose is accompanied by Hesse’s beautiful photography which adds another layer of depth.
September 11, 2012
A teenage girl returns to the United States from a humanitarian trip in Haiti to find the country in a state of chaos and in the grip of an oppressive government ruled by something called the American People's Party. It's a story of a bleak, possible near-future that centers on maintaining meaningful, compassionate human connection. An interesting, frequently engrossing tale illustrated with some striking photographs by Hesse but readers may find the many unresolved loose ends frustrating and unsatisfying.
February 27, 2016
(4.5 STARS)
I absolutely loved this way more than I thought I would. Radley was a great character, and I adored Celia. Definitely had me tearing up at one point. I love survival stories, and this did not disappoint.
I absolutely loved this way more than I thought I would. Radley was a great character, and I adored Celia. Definitely had me tearing up at one point. I love survival stories, and this did not disappoint.
May 6, 2019
***SPOILERS***
1. I couldn’t put this book down even though it wasn’t the best writing. It was definitely plot driven and not character driven. The things that kept me reading: why did Radley go to Haiti? Where are Radley’s parents? Will Radley and Celia be caught? What’s Celia’s deal? Who is giving them food and supplies? What’s going on with the US?
2. I wish there was more about the fall of the US and government issues. Also, it felt like propaganda.
3. I liked the addition of the photos that were supposed to be Radley’s mom’s photos. BUT some of them had nothing to do with the text and if she was a really famous photographer, wouldn’t they be better?
4. I felt like the dialogue wasn’t natural.
5. Radley kind of sucks as a person: she loses things, can’t remember numbers, spent cash too quickly, didn’t appreciate her parents’ gifts, she started walking towards some stranger even when Celia was telling her no.
6. “I lost my temper when I got too hungry.” RELATABLE.
7. Why was that sandwich lady just parked in the middle of the road?
8. Radley ate cat food. Barf. But if I was starving I’m pretty sure I would do the same.
9. I wonder why she didn’t try to loot closed businesses?
10. I like the namesake of the book: her putting stuff into the secret crawl space for safekeeping. To me, it’s a symbol of where her parents will live on.
11. I learned the word chuffed: to be very pleased.
12. I learned the proper name for a mound of rocks: cairn.
13. Loved this quote: “Celia, still on our makeshift bed, sits up and inhales the fresh air wafting through the open door. The schoolhouse, on this sunlit morning, has begun to take on the scent of girls with wind-blown hair, with seeds in their pockets, with road-hardened feet.”
14. There’s something fun about having to survive in the wild. I’ve always liked books like that and think about how I would survive if it was me. (The book Hatchet was another favorite)
15. Parts of this book reminded me of the Handmaid’s Tale book and show.
16. I learned the word dun is a dull gray-brown color.
17. Celia says the nurses, when she was born, still tease her about being born outside the hospital. Does she visit the hospital often?? wth.
18. “When I was young, I loved talking with my mother while she drove the car. Conversations in profile...I learned more about my mother on those drives, she about me, than we ever managed across the dining room table.” My mom and I used to take drives like this all the time. Getting lost on gravel roads with no phone service and trying to find our way home. It was the most fun and we had the best conversations.
19. Celia was lame too. She sounded like a small child, yet she was 19.
20. Random things: someone wanting to buy the house and Julian.
21. The US being restored was wayyyy too fast.
22. How are the state and US borders not more heavily manned if it’s such a big deal to cross borders?
1. I couldn’t put this book down even though it wasn’t the best writing. It was definitely plot driven and not character driven. The things that kept me reading: why did Radley go to Haiti? Where are Radley’s parents? Will Radley and Celia be caught? What’s Celia’s deal? Who is giving them food and supplies? What’s going on with the US?
2. I wish there was more about the fall of the US and government issues. Also, it felt like propaganda.
3. I liked the addition of the photos that were supposed to be Radley’s mom’s photos. BUT some of them had nothing to do with the text and if she was a really famous photographer, wouldn’t they be better?
4. I felt like the dialogue wasn’t natural.
5. Radley kind of sucks as a person: she loses things, can’t remember numbers, spent cash too quickly, didn’t appreciate her parents’ gifts, she started walking towards some stranger even when Celia was telling her no.
6. “I lost my temper when I got too hungry.” RELATABLE.
7. Why was that sandwich lady just parked in the middle of the road?
8. Radley ate cat food. Barf. But if I was starving I’m pretty sure I would do the same.
9. I wonder why she didn’t try to loot closed businesses?
10. I like the namesake of the book: her putting stuff into the secret crawl space for safekeeping. To me, it’s a symbol of where her parents will live on.
11. I learned the word chuffed: to be very pleased.
12. I learned the proper name for a mound of rocks: cairn.
13. Loved this quote: “Celia, still on our makeshift bed, sits up and inhales the fresh air wafting through the open door. The schoolhouse, on this sunlit morning, has begun to take on the scent of girls with wind-blown hair, with seeds in their pockets, with road-hardened feet.”
14. There’s something fun about having to survive in the wild. I’ve always liked books like that and think about how I would survive if it was me. (The book Hatchet was another favorite)
15. Parts of this book reminded me of the Handmaid’s Tale book and show.
16. I learned the word dun is a dull gray-brown color.
17. Celia says the nurses, when she was born, still tease her about being born outside the hospital. Does she visit the hospital often?? wth.
18. “When I was young, I loved talking with my mother while she drove the car. Conversations in profile...I learned more about my mother on those drives, she about me, than we ever managed across the dining room table.” My mom and I used to take drives like this all the time. Getting lost on gravel roads with no phone service and trying to find our way home. It was the most fun and we had the best conversations.
19. Celia was lame too. She sounded like a small child, yet she was 19.
20. Random things: someone wanting to buy the house and Julian.
21. The US being restored was wayyyy too fast.
22. How are the state and US borders not more heavily manned if it’s such a big deal to cross borders?
October 1, 2018
This book was really good with many things to pull you in as a reader. It starts off with Radley going back home from Haiti where she was helping the children in the orphanage. When she got home the United States was in a really bad place and they were buckling down on any crime and letting no law be broken. She was hoping to get home to find her parents, but they never picked her up from her flight. She was left wondering where they were and what had happened to them. She went on a journey to get home and when she did no one was home, so she stayed there for a few days and went out to make her way to Canada where thing would be better.
The thing that I liked was a lot of things happened that would make you want to keep reading but I found myself really wanting her to find her parents and be safe, but it was nearing the end and she still hadn't found her parents. More towards the end you find out some dark stuff and why the police were really looking for her, so in a way it pays off to keep reading it.
The thing that I liked was a lot of things happened that would make you want to keep reading but I found myself really wanting her to find her parents and be safe, but it was nearing the end and she still hadn't found her parents. More towards the end you find out some dark stuff and why the police were really looking for her, so in a way it pays off to keep reading it.
November 29, 2017
Miranda German
Mrs. Schemenauer
English 9A
5 November 2017
Safekeeping is a fictional story authored by Karen Hesse. This book is about this teenage girl named Radley. Radley was in a different country when the president of the United States got assassinated. When Radley came back to America, her parents were not waiting for her at the airport. Radley waited for a long time and decided to walk home, which was twenty miles away. When she got home, her parents were not there. She stayed at the house for couple of days to see if her parents would come back for her, but they did not. Radley knew that her parents were somewhere and probably looking for her too. Radley was on a mission to find her parents and things would get back to normal. The author used large amount of detail in this book. It grabbed my attention from the very start of the story.
This book was very entertaining. In my opinion, if there were more books like this, I would be a fan of reading. The plot really interested me. If someone likes thrillers and unexpected endings, then this book would be good to read.
Mrs. Schemenauer
English 9A
5 November 2017
Safekeeping is a fictional story authored by Karen Hesse. This book is about this teenage girl named Radley. Radley was in a different country when the president of the United States got assassinated. When Radley came back to America, her parents were not waiting for her at the airport. Radley waited for a long time and decided to walk home, which was twenty miles away. When she got home, her parents were not there. She stayed at the house for couple of days to see if her parents would come back for her, but they did not. Radley knew that her parents were somewhere and probably looking for her too. Radley was on a mission to find her parents and things would get back to normal. The author used large amount of detail in this book. It grabbed my attention from the very start of the story.
This book was very entertaining. In my opinion, if there were more books like this, I would be a fan of reading. The plot really interested me. If someone likes thrillers and unexpected endings, then this book would be good to read.
October 2, 2017
Great interpersonal journey, and also a good commentary on society's need to ensure balance and wisdom as part of our decision-making process.
March 24, 2024
i think if i was in a worse state mentally while reading this book it would’ve been more impactful… unfortunately for ms. hesse I am doing really well right now
May 1, 2020
This book is good, it held my interest, and had some very good parts. buuuut, it also had some problems; which I will not go into because of spoilers. I recommend it, as long as you are okay with serious character issues in places.
October 12, 2012
♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah
- - -
The book opens up to Radley (a teenager - I don't remember her specific age EVER being mentioned) making her way home from Haiti, where she was doing volunteer work. Things in the US government have gone downhill and Radley wants to be safe at home in Vermont, with her parents—but when her plane lands, they are not there to greet her. There are restrictions on traveling, a curfew for all citizens, and things are falling apart.
Radley decides to take matters into her own hands and begins the long walk toward her home. Upon arrival, she sees the last thing she wants to: nothing. Her parents are nowhere to be found and Radley believes the police are after her for crossing state lines without permission.
Radley decides to make her way toward Canada where the laws of the US won't effect her. It's on this journey that her life is changed forever.
- - -
**SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!**
I had very high hopes for this novel. I simply LOVE books like this. I was a bit disappointed by this one. I was expecting a book laden with survival tactics, suspense, and dystopian tendencies. No. There is a little bit of the survival part, but not quite in the way I was hoping. It made for a lackluster tale. It's a whole bunch of walking, dumpster diving, and looking for shelter.
Then we have the post-sneaking-into-Canada time. Radley shacks up with another girl she meets along the way. They make a home of sorts together and end up staying there for weeks together. I didn't really get the point of this part of the novel. I don't think it really needed to be there. I appreciate the effect it had on the plot in the end, but while reading, I was bored. I didn't know where things were going. I think this part should've been edited, taken out, or something. Instead, maybe a bit more back story on the goings on of the United States would have been nice.
I also completely hated the fact that random photos were thrown into the book. Around the last third of the story, the chapters were being opened with a corresponding photograph. A tree, an animal, a lake, a bike. Just any random thing that coincided with the chapter's opening paragraph. At first I liked the idea, but by the end it was a major irritation.
What did I actually enjoy? I'll tell you.
I enjoyed the fact that this was a survival story. Was it a great one? No. BUT it was still decent and I really appreciated a lot of the situations the author put the protagonist into.
I liked the ending. I won't give details, but it was a shocker. I was expecting something completely different. I think this made the entire book. I probably would've given the book like 1.5 stars had the ending not been so dramatic and surprising. I was a little disappointed with it at first, but the more I sat on it.. the more I realized I liked it. The author took the road less traveled, and this is something I always appreciate.
Overall:
This was a super quick read. I read it in just a couple hours. It was entertaining enough, but it did lag a bit and it was definitely missing some crucial points. The beginning was okay, the middle was less-than-okay, but the end was great. It's not super unique, but if you enjoy survival stories, you may like this one.
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Book source: NetGalley
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan
March 10, 2017
Love the author's photographs. Good post-apocalyptic novel; more realistic than Hunger Games, etc. Would pair well with THe Road.
December 29, 2012
While volunteering in an orphanage in Haiti, Radley Parker-Hughes grows worried about her parents and her country after things seem to be falling apart back home. She returns to find a strong military presence everywhere and restrictions on travel. The American People's Party seems unable to get a handle on things, and Radley faces a snarl of bureacratic paperwork just to travel from one state to another. She ends up walking from New Hampshire to Vermont, and when her parents are nowhere to be found, she heads north to Canada. Along the way she meets another traveler, Celia, and fashions a makeshift home in an abandoned school house. While some reviewers found this book too quiet and not filled with enough violence for their palates, I disagree. There is always the threat of violence and always the risk of being caught and jailed for Radley. What she learns about the state of her homeland comes through newspapers, mostly those printed in Canada, describing the riots and illnesses in the overcrowded prison systems. That seems right to me, and the fact that she is traveling through fairly sparsely inhabited areas also adds to her limited perspective on national events. There are so many versions of the truth and so many stories to be told around such panoramic events or even against the backdrop of a hurricane or flood. Everyone's story or perspective is necessarily unique, which the author seems to realize. I adored the inclusion of several black and white photographs alongside the text. For me, they evoked or oftentimes reflected Radley's mood while also representing her photographer mother's keen visual eye. I also liked the introspection in the book. Radley, after all, was a child of privilege, and she keeps reminding herself of how many times her parents have helped her out of messes she has made. In the end, though, the book's power and impact can be summed up through the words of Madame Seville, a kindly Canadian who has befriended Radley: "'As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets and sorrow. Find a way to make right what was wrong, and then move on'"(p. 277). What perfect words to follow!
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May 8, 2013The plucky girl in a dystopian world seems to be the new cliche in Young Adult literature. The twist in Safekeeping is that it is set in current-day America, with the heroine encountering things anyone would if the U.S. government were suddenly to be overturned.
The novel begins somewhat predictably, as main character Radley discovers how sheltered and coddled she had been before everything changed. But her trek from New Hampshire to Vermont, which then becomes an escape to Canada, is hair-raising. And the novel's center, in the woods of southern Ontario, is nearly poetic in tone. The story's ending is unexpected, but satisfying nonetheless.
I "read" the recorded version of Safekeeping and was put off, at first,by the narrator's high-pitched voice. This, I fear, is an unfortunate feature of many YA novels, where publishers' wooing of a young audience seems to trump the quality of the listeners' experience. But the story of Safekeeping was compelling enough for me to keep with it; eventually I didn't even notice that shrill little voice.
The novel begins somewhat predictably, as main character Radley discovers how sheltered and coddled she had been before everything changed. But her trek from New Hampshire to Vermont, which then becomes an escape to Canada, is hair-raising. And the novel's center, in the woods of southern Ontario, is nearly poetic in tone. The story's ending is unexpected, but satisfying nonetheless.
I "read" the recorded version of Safekeeping and was put off, at first,by the narrator's high-pitched voice. This, I fear, is an unfortunate feature of many YA novels, where publishers' wooing of a young audience seems to trump the quality of the listeners' experience. But the story of Safekeeping was compelling enough for me to keep with it; eventually I didn't even notice that shrill little voice.
November 25, 2012
Radley is volunteering in an orphanage in Haiti when she realizes she needs to go home. She needs to get back to America. When she returns, she finds the America she left and the America she has returned to are completely opposite. As Radley travels home to find her parents, she finds a strength in herself she didn't know she had. Hesse shares that this book started as a "rant" as she watched the 2008 election unfold. Reading Radley's story, which is set in the present future, one realizes that this dystopian world is not something that might happen someday when we're all dead, but something that could happen in the near future. Because of that fact, this book scared me - a lot. At the same time the marriage of beautiful, poetic prose and photographs make this an unforgettable novel that is almost impossible to put down.
January 20, 2015
Safekeeping is a book that I very much enjoyed over the course of around a week. It had a very intriguing and realistic plot of chaotic America, and the characters were interesting enough for a person to somewhat get attached to. The theme of the book is not very well developed, and there is no dominant theme in the midst of the chaos. Character development is gradual but existent, as they grow at a slow pace (but if you get to the end, it gets real exciting).
This book is something that I would read once, but not feel obliged to read again. The plot is somewhat non-existent (but still very existent at the same time) and the characters get dry after a while (not until the end does it get more interesting). Some things are not explained at all, while I find Miss Seville to be a little too lucky for the main characters. 3.5/5
This book is something that I would read once, but not feel obliged to read again. The plot is somewhat non-existent (but still very existent at the same time) and the characters get dry after a while (not until the end does it get more interesting). Some things are not explained at all, while I find Miss Seville to be a little too lucky for the main characters. 3.5/5
September 28, 2012
So what would happen if your country went to crap while you weren't in it? If a radical political group took over, if dissenters were arrested, if the president were assassinated? If you finally made it home after walking across a good chunk of New England, only to find your parents gone without a trace? That's what happened to Radley. Getting to Canada is her safest option, and it's not an option that's all that safe.
A weirdly sort of political apocalypse that feels more realistic than any of the technological or environmental ones that are swirling around. A slow, eerie tone and a plot that will appeal to fans of other long-journey-on-foot books (Small as an Elephant, Homecoming, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon).
A weirdly sort of political apocalypse that feels more realistic than any of the technological or environmental ones that are swirling around. A slow, eerie tone and a plot that will appeal to fans of other long-journey-on-foot books (Small as an Elephant, Homecoming, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon).
October 7, 2013
I didn't think this would be dystopia when I bought it. Hesse doesn't usually write that, and it was recommended by Laurie Halse Anderson, someone else not known for that genre. That said, I loved it. It didn't focus on the government overthrow except as it impacted Radley, our heroine, as she fled to safety and tried to rebuild her life in Canada.
Instead Hesse showcases how important family, friendship and compassion are. She does so realistically and tenderly. Hesse also includes some of her own evocative photographs to immerse you even further into Radley and Celia's world. I read this last night on the thirteenth anniversary of my mother's passing. I'm sure she would approve of my choice.
Instead Hesse showcases how important family, friendship and compassion are. She does so realistically and tenderly. Hesse also includes some of her own evocative photographs to immerse you even further into Radley and Celia's world. I read this last night on the thirteenth anniversary of my mother's passing. I'm sure she would approve of my choice.
March 15, 2015
Safekeeping was, through most of the book, a two-star read. The premise was interesting, but the story itself was boring. Really boring, and repetitious, too. Black and white photographs are scattered every couple pages, which I thought was new and unique (until they became startlingly random and had nothing to do with the story...). The ending, though. The ending was sweet and melancholy and made me smile, so I bumped the rating up to three stars. Overall, Safekeeping was a quick and quiet story of survival and friendship.
November 4, 2016
At first I did not know what to think of this book. I thought it would be about a destroyed society and war. Instead it was about survival and moving forward. Radley is a tough, young woman, and I do not think that I would have been able to survive what she went through. I feel like this book was overall about discovering who you are and what it is you are best at. I do not know that this book is for everyone, but there is nothing to lose by giving it a chance.
January 2, 2017
Very moving story about a 17 year old girl trying to find her parents. Country in turmoil, president has been assassinated and Radley rushes home from Haiti to a different world from which she left. Story takes us on her journey to find her parents and staying safe in this new world. She makes her way to Canada picking up a fellow traveler, Celia and her dog Jerry Lee, along the way. They find a safe place in an abandoned school house in Canada and learn to survive.
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