Book Review: What We Keep

Ginny Young crosses the country for a reluctant reunion with the mother she has not seen in 35 years. During the long hours of her flight, she returns in memory to the summer when she turned 12 and her family turned inside out. . . .What We Keep is about ties that are buried but not broken, wounds that are dressed but never heal, and love that changes form but somehow survives.

I was interested in What We Keep, by Elizabeth Berg, after reading her novel Dream When You're Feeling Blue. Although What We Keep is good, I wasn't nearly as enthralled with it as DWYFB. The story is okay, if somewhat predictable. What I like most about the book is the insight she gives into the relationship between the two sisters, Sharla and Ginny. The author must be a sister herself to have so truthfully captured that dynamic on paper. Berg writes very descriptively and beautifully.

As with Berg's other novel, I did not at all care for the ending---I felt it sorely lacked the detail, depth, and relevance that the rest of the novel held, and the "revelation" about the father at the end rang untrue to his character as previously developed. That being said, this was a quick and interesting read, and definitely worth your time. It's short and only took me two evenings to finish, a nice little escape.

Coincidentally, one of my college roommates is named Ginny Young. Not a terribly uncommon name I suppose but it did make me smile.