52 pages • 1 hour read
The Keeper of Stories
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Background
Genre Context: Upmarket Fiction
The term “upmarket” refers to a fiction genre or category often described as a blend of commercial and literary. The writing includes literary devices and techniques and presents deep, often introspective character viewpoints; however, it generally uses plain English and thus is more accessible than literary fiction.
Upmarket literature typically includes universal themes and a satisfying plot with genre elements (e.g., romance, suspense, mystery), as well as neatly capped endings. It is often more character driven than plot driven. An upmarket novel may lean more literary or more commercial depending on its language and story elements. Upmarket novels are not always for women readers or by women writers, though many are. Similarly, not all upmarket works are book club contenders, but this genre is popular among book clubs. Recent examples of upmarket novels include Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry (2022), Glendy Vanderah’s Where the Forest Meets the Stars (2019), and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library (2020).
The Keeper of Stories fits this genre well. Janice is quiet and introspective but experiences a transformative character arc that changes her for the better, becoming outspoken when necessary and arriving at a happy yet realistic ending. The book includes suspense with the mystery of Janice’s backstory, which is foreshadowed but not revealed until late in the novel. The writing includes consistent use of metaphor and imagery, but the focus remains on the characters, not the language. The book’s themes are universal, especially the idea of Storytelling as a Means of Connection between people.
Geographical Context: The Story of Cambridge
The Keeper of Stories is set in present-day Cambridge, England. Cambridge has a long and storied history: It was an Iron Age settlement, a trading post during the Roman occupation and Anglo-Saxon and Viking ages, and home to one of William the Conqueror’s castles after the Norman conquest. Its significance continued to develop throughout the wars and conflicts of the Medieval and Early Modern eras.
The University of Cambridge was first established in 1209 and is today composed of 31 separate colleges. Cambridge is also the home to Anglia Ruskin University, which began in the Cambridge School of Art. A variety of novels have been set in Cambridge, from adult mysteries like The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (2021) and Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (2004) to historical thrillers like Phillip DePoy’s The King James Conspiracy (2009).
The Keeper of Stories contains many setting details that reflect this meaningful and symbolic backdrop. Mrs. B’s house, for example, represents wisdom and knowledge, both because it is filled with books and a lifetime’s worth of mementos and because it “appears to be built into the wall of one of Cambridge’s oldest colleges” (42). The time that Janice spends in this symbolic micro-setting parallels her growth in self-discovery and perception.
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