Plot Summary

The Keep

Jennifer Egan
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The Keep

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2006

Book Brief

Jennifer Egan

The Keep

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2006
Book Details
Pages

240

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Unnamed Village • Contemporary

Publication Year

2006

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Keep by Jennifer Egan is a gothic thriller about estranged cousins Danny and Howard who reunite to renovate a medieval castle in Eastern Europe. Isolated from the outside world, their unresolved past grievances resurface, leading to an atmosphere of increasing paranoia and psychological tension. The narrative shifts to reveal a prisoner named Ray crafting Danny’s story to impress his writing instructor Holly, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.

Mysterious

Dark

Unnerving

Suspenseful

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

3.7

17,834 ratings

53%

Loved it

33%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Jennifer Egan's The Keep offers an enthralling blend of Gothic mystery and psychological complexity, earning praise for its inventive narrative structure and rich, atmospheric descriptions. However, some readers find its intertwining plotlines confusing. Overall, the novel's originality and compelling character development make it a standout work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Keep?

The ideal reader for Jennifer Egan's The Keep appreciates suspenseful, genre-blending narratives with Gothic undertones. Fans of Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves or Donna Tartt's The Secret History will enjoy its intricate, layered storytelling and exploration of memory, guilt, and psychological complexity.

3.7

17,834 ratings

53%

Loved it

33%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

240

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Unnamed Village • Contemporary

Publication Year

2006

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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