Lugude hoidja

by Sally Page, Ivika Arumäe (Translator)

See võluv ja värskelt mõjuv debüütromaan on täis nii huumorit kui ka sügavaid mõttekäike. Igaühel meist on oma lugu. Janice’il aga ei ole julgust enda oma lahti harutada …

Cambridge’is igapäevaselt koristajana töötav Janice teab, et inimesi saab tõeliselt tundma õppida nende lugude kaudu. Nii on tema sisemises raamatukogus lood hiljaaegu leseks jäänud Fionast ja tema pojast Adamist, kuulsast ooperilauljast Geordiest, vaikse loomuga bussijuhist Euanist, pretensioonikast proua Jah-Jah-Jahist ning tema foksterjer Deciusest. Ja nii on Janice aja jooksul kokku pannud harukordse pildi teda ümbritsevast kogukonnast.

Kui Janice hakkab koristama proua B., üheksakümne kahe aastase terase taibuga naise juures, selgub, et see inimene tahab ka tema lugu kuulda. Esialgu jääb Janice endale kindlaks: tema on lugude hoidja ja tal endal ei peagi olema midagi jutustada. Või vähemalt ei pea ta seda jagama. Proua B. saab aga aru, et Janice’is on peidus rohkem, kui esmapilgul paistab. Raamatus rullub lahti ka ajaloosugemetega jutustus 20. sajandi alguses elanud kurtisaanist, mida proua B. räägib jupikaupa nagu Scheherazade “Tuhande ja ühe öö” muinasjutust. Kõlama jääb küsimus: kas igaühes on vaid üks lugu või võib neid olla ka mitu? Ja kas inimene saab ise oma lugu valida?

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Audiobook, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Adult

294 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2022

About the author

After studying history at university, Sally moved to London to work in advertising. In her spare time she studied floristry at night school and eventually opened her own flower shop. Sally came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and she began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, she continued her interest in writing when she founded her fountain pen company, Plooms.co.uk.

In her debut novel, The Keeper of Stories, Sally combines her love of history and writing with her abiding interest in the stories people have to tell. Sally now lives in Dorset. Her eldest daughter, Alex, is studying to be a doctor and her younger daughter is the author, Libby Page. Both are keen wild swimmers.

Reviews

[Margaret M - (having a challenging time and on GR as much as I can) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular review alert because I just did not like this and won’t be a ‘keeper’ of this book.

“Every story had a beginning, ….. every one has a story, if you don’t… just keep other people’s stories, and ”…. everyone should leave a story better than you found it” . All sounds rather charming and an interesting premise, but unfortunately all these stories lacked real substance.

Perhaps another time, perhaps on a beach, and perhaps if you could only read a few pages at a time because you won’t lose the thread!!!!

The main issue, apart from the lack of substance to the stories, was the disjointed storytelling, and the language style !!!

I remember being told the craft of simple writing begins with short sentences because you learn to get the message across in fewer words in a way that is succinct and direct. The problem with the book style is the sentences were all good practice, in theory, but they did not flow, felt disconnected and refrained from describing anything. So it was difficult to get in the mood of the book.

On a positive note, the book had some endearing simple messages, it was devoid of smut, death, and violence. If you don't read every day then you could rejoin this book with ease.

I did finish so will rate but unfortunately, it is a 2. I was unimpressed and a little bored with this little keeper of stories, which is not a keeper for me unfortunately. Please read other reviews because this has been rated highly by GR friends whose opinion I trust and who enjoy the same type of books as me.

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janice is a house cleaner, and a collector of stories.

She likes all the people she cleans for except for one married couple who work from home-“Mrs. Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “Mr. No, Not Now!” She does however, love the dog that she walks for them-Decius-a Fox terrier who walks on his toes like a ballerina, and has such an expressive face that she just KNOWS when he is saying to her-“Don’t say a word. Not a f***ing word.” or “WTF?”

So, she isn’t thrilled, when her favorite Mr. and Mrs. ask if she would be willing to clean for Mrs. B-a prickly woman in her nineties who will have to be moved to assisted care living, if she doesn’t get help. Not wanting to feel responsible for that-Janice reluctantly agrees to meet with her.

Mrs. B wants Janice answer a question before she agrees to the help-“If you could only take one novel with you to a Desert Island, what would it be?” and when Janice responds “Vanity Fair” -Mrs. B agrees to hire her.

“I have a wonderful story for you, about a woman just like Becky Sharp (a character from that novel)” Mrs. B, proclaims recognizing Janice as a collector of stories, AND one with a story to tell.

Of course, Janice cannot resist.

So begins a charming tale that shows us how literature (and dogs) can bring people together and enrich their lives-and that sometimes the people you are overlooking can have QUITE an interesting story to tell!

We all have a basic need to BE SEEN and BE HEARD.

So, why just 3 ⭐️?

I was not familiar with the novel Vanity Fair-William Makepeace Thackeray-a novel published in 1848, so PERHAPS I missed something that would have made the telling of “Becky’s story” more interesting? It didn’t really resonate with me-but you just might find it fascinating! I did find the relationships that were formed in the present day, to be heartwarming.

A buddy read with DeAnn. Please be sure to check out her wonderful review, and to read a sample of others as many other reviewers have loved this! AVAILABLE a on February 28th, 2022.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK-One more Chapter for my gifted copy. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Every man should leave a story better than he found it’ (Mary Augusta Ward)which is most certainly true of our storyteller Janice. Janice is an exceptional cleaner, and also a collector of stories which she gathers wherever she goes such as the bus, the Laundrette and inevitably the people she works for. There’s Geordie Bowman, landlord and opera singer, grieving Fiona and her son Adam, Mrs YeahYeahYeah and her husband Mr NoNoNotNow whose few qualities are redeemed by their fantastic fox terrier Dacius who is a character in his own right and how! He has me hooting with laughter! Through Mr NoNoNotNow (otherwise known as Tiberius, I kid you not) Janice meets, cleans and becomes way more to his mother Mrs B, who is quite simply utterly marvellous and who tells her own equally marvellous story of ‘Becky’.

I love this character driven book and I’d go so far as to suggest it will be in my top 10 reads of 2022. It’s a gem! I love the way it’s so beautifully written with warmth, compassion and humour. Janice is fantastic and you thoroughly enjoy being in her company through thick and thin. It’s a great blend of funny, sad and poignant with big dollops of kindness, some equally large servings of selfishness with examples of things that make you cross on Janice and Mrs B’s behalf. There are little hints of mystery, again Mrs B and Janice and the latter can startle you at times and she is worthy of the ‘never judge a book by its cover’ description. Their relationship which starts unpromisingly becomes strong and true and they help each other. Through several characters but especially Mrs B, Janice changes and she finds her in a lioness and how. Some of this makes you cheer from the sidelines. Go Janice! This is a novel that starts in one place and takes you somewhere else with several layers to the storytelling, going deeper than you expect at the beginning. I love every minute of it, it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming and very hard to put down. In a word, wonderful!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: She can’t recall what started her collection. Maybe it was in a fragment of conversation overheard as she cleaned a sink? Before long (as she dusted a sitting room or defrosted a fridge) she noticed people were telling her their stories. Perhaps they always had done, but now it is different, now the stories are reaching out to her and she gathers them to her…

ABOUT 'THE KEEPER OF STORIES': Cleaner Janice knows that it is in people’s stories that you really get to know them. From recently-widowed Fiona and her son Adam; to opera-singing Geordie; and the awful Mrs ‘YeahYeahYeah’ and her fox terrier, Decius, Janice has a unique insight into the community around her.

When Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B – a shrewd and tricky woman in her nineties – she finally meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice is clear: she is the keeper of stories, she doesn’t have a story to tell. At least, not one she can share.

Mrs B is no fool and knows there is more to Janice than meets the eye. What is she hiding? After all, doesn’t everyone have a story to tell?

MY THOUGHTS: I love to sit in cafès listening to the conversations going on around me. Sometimes it's amazing what you overhear. That may be why this book really resonated with me. Janice and I have a lot in common. We both collect stories, although she is far better at it than I am. And my practice husband, as I like to refer to him, and her husband Mike, could be twins.

Janice suffers from a lack of confidence. After all, she's 'just a cleaner.' It doesn't matter that she is incredibly well read, resourceful and interesting, she is 'just a cleaner.' Janice is just one of many absolutely delightful characters in this book. There is a well travelled bus driver who looks like a geography teacher; a shrewd and at times shrewish ninety-two year old ex-spy who sees hidden depths in Janice; a widowed woman who is making a dolls house - of a funeral home; a young boy whose father committed suicide; and a pedigree fox terrier called Decius who swears like a trooper. And no, that isn't a misprint.

The Keeper of Stories has many stories within the main story - that of a mouse of a woman who finds her inner lioness. And Janice's story is the most interesting of all because, although she believes herself to be 'just a cleaner,' she really is a brave, loving and resourceful woman, one whom I would be proud to have as a friend.

There are a lot of literary references in The Keeper of Stories, and I have come to realise that I really need to reread Arabian Nights and Vanity Fair, neither of which I have revisited since high school.

There are so many wonderful stories in The Keeper of Stories that I really want to sit down and listen to this all over again.

Jessica Whittaker has a wonderful range of voice intonations and emotions and I will be looking for other books she has narrated.

Unreservedly recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheKeeperofStories #NetGalley

I: @bysallypage @harpercollinsuk @onemorechapter

T: @SallyPageBooks @HarperCollinsUK @OneMoreChapter

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdram #mystery #romance #sliceoflife

THE AUTHOR: After studying history at university, I moved to London to work in advertising. However, in my spare time I studied floristry at night school and eventually opened my own flower shop. I soon came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and eventually I began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, I continued my interest in writing when I founded my fountain pen company, Plooms.co.uk.

In my debut novel, The Keeper of Stories, I combine my love of history and writing with my abiding interest in the stories people have to tell. I now live in Dorset. My eldest daughter, Alex, is studying to be a doctor and my youngest daughter is the author, Libby Page. (Amazon)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK audio, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read in-between my present heavy-weight books. We all have stories to tell and we should listen to those around us who are willing to share them with us ...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: The book tries hard to match up to the outstanding cover but after a point, it just bored me. I have a feeling that my rating would have been lower had I been actually reading this instead of listening to it. But it does have its good moments.

Story:

“Everyone has a story to tell. But if you don't have one, you become a collector of other people's stories.”
Thus begins the narrative, effectively capturing the personality of lead character Janice, a woman in her late 40s who works as a cleaner in other people’s homes. Janice relishes others' stories and has a fondness for collecting them, not for gossip but to feel like she's part of their stories and gets to know them better. When she gets a new job cleaning for Mrs. B, a shrewd and formidable lady in her 90s, Janice finally meets someone who wants to know her (Janice’s) story and what she’s hiding beneath that effective cleaner façade. Will Janice share the story that she has kept buried for so long?

The story is written in a limited omniscient point of view.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 There are some fascinating characters in the book, almost all of whom are Janice’s clients or their family members. There’s Fiona, a grieving widow, and her teenaged son Adam who is still learning to face life without his father. There’s Geordie Bowman, a rich and famous opera singer with a generous heart. There’s Mrs. YeahYeahYeah and her husband Mr. NoNoNotNow, thus named by Janice for their catchphrase. But no character is as wonderful as their fox terrier Decius. The way the author has brought Decius to life is so brilliant, you won’t help but fall in love with him and his f-bombs. (Oh yeah, a dog who cusses! 😂) Janice herself is pretty well-sketched, what with her love for books and her constant worries about things both great and small. She comes across as a really interesting character.

😍 As Janice is a “collector of stories”, there are many mini-stories that you’ll find in this book. All of these are part of Janice’s repertoire, and most of them are heartfelt and memorable stories in their own right. I enjoyed all of these little nuggets from Janice’s collection.

😍 The cover is simply gorgeous. If they make all book covers so delightful, I’ll have a tough time stopping books from entering my TBR mountain.

😍 There are some really beautiful lines in the book, the most memorable being the ones related to stories. Sample this: “ Every man should leave a story better than he found it. ”


Where the book could have worked better for me:
😕 The book is something of a slowburn. It starts off fabulously, with a brief insight into Janice and a quick flit across a few of her clients and their stories. After a while, you realise that you are ready to move on but the book is still flitting across characters. It gets repetitive after some time. As mine was an audiobook, I found myself zoning out time and again. But even when my mind jolted back to reality and the book, I found that the story had hardly moved ahead. The start is good and the end is worthwhile. It’s the rest that will really demand your concentration.

😕 There is one story-within-a-story in the book which is not part of Janice’s collection but is narrated by Mrs. B to Janice. This is about a character called Becky, supposedly inspired by the Becky from Vanity Fair though I didn’t see many similarities. Becky’s story starts off well but soon dragged tremendously. I didn’t understand the point of this narration; it just seemed like a way of lengthening the book. You could easily cut this story out of the text and the original plot won’t be affected at all.

😕 The editing needed to be tighter and better. Some of the plot developments are too abrupt, almost entirely dictated by character and not by requirements of the story. The plot feels very cluttered and has a lot of convenient settlements at the end.


The audiobook experience:
The audiobook clocks at 10 hrs 15 minutes and is narrated by the fantastic Jessica Whittaker. It’s not easy to narrate a book with so many characters but she does her job brilliantly. Most of what I enjoyed of the book is because of her, and if I didn’t DNF this book, it is all thanks to her.


Basically, this is a sweet book that means very well and has its moments of sunshine. But it could have been so much more had it been handled differently. I don’t know how I would have felt about this had I read it, but I know that the audiobook was certainly a wonderful way of getting to know this story.

3.25 stars.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “The Keeper of Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.



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[Kellie O'Connor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have to DNF this book because the horrible language!! Too much swearing 🤬. On to better books!! Too many books too little time!

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janice is a cleaner, she's married to Mike and they have a grown up son Simon. Janice spends her days catching buses, cleaning people’s houses, some of her customers are nice to her and others don’t consider she’s a human being and has feelings.

To pass the time while she’s scrubbing a toilet, dusting or doing a task that the home owner despises she notices her clients talk and she puts together their stories. Janice’s head is full of her stories, she has been doing this for as longs as she can remember, some having meaning and others are floating around in her mind.

Being a cleaner is like being invisible, she has heard some downright fascinating and odd things and she never repeats what she's heard. Some of her clients treat her like a friend, Fiona a widow and her son Adam, Geordie the famous opera singer all do and others she creates funny nicknames for. Like Mrs. “YeahYeahYeah” who treats Janice like dirt, the reason she continues to clean her home is because she takes her adorable fox terrier for a walk and they both enjoy getting away from the woman.

Janice starts cleaning for Mrs. B, she's Mrs. YeahYeahYeah’s ninety two year old mother-in-law, she doesn’t want anyone poking their nose in her house in Cambridge and she knows her son is up to know good. Mrs. B is an educated women, she and her late husband were involved in the war and it’s was all very hush hush. Mrs. B wasn’t born yesterday, she might be old and frail but her mind is as sharp as a tack and she's smart. Mrs. B discovers Janice is a keeper of other people stories, she knows Janice has her own important story to tell, she is hiding her true self behind her duster and apron and she's built a wall around her heart and hides her feelings.

I received a copy of The Keeper of Stories from Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The author Sally Page’s debut novel, a delight to read and the characters were so different, unique and fascinating. My favorites were Janice, Fiona, Adam, Decius the vegan dog, Mrs. B, Stan, Euan the bus driver and Fred. A charming story about life, it makes you think, especially about how some people are treated by others, don't let people take you for granted and treat you badly.

I haven’t laughed so much in ages, this book is full of humour, whit and great lines. Mrs. B is an absolute hoot, a legend, utters the odd bad word, she’s flipping marvelous and so is Janice. Five stars from me and I can't wait to read the authors new novel, The Book of Beginnings.

[Fictionophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Janice. You have left an indelible imprint on my heart!

"The Keeper of Stories" is about human nature with all its flaws and inconsistencies. A fabulous story about storytelling and about guilt. It showcases people who are selfish and narcissistic as well as people who are kindness personified. It also portrays the blessings of friendship, and the influence parents have over their children, both good and bad, and the love of a good dog (with a foul mouth).

The writing, the way the story was told and how it flowed, reminded me greatly of the work of Fredrik Backman. Anyone following my reviews will know that that is high praise from me indeed. Written with empathy and humour, it conveys the author's love of books and story-telling with aplomb. It also serves to remind us that the elderly, the people with the richest and most abundant stories, should never be underestimated.

Life-affirming, hopeful fiction that can definitely fit into the 'Uplit' genre, this wonderful novel will definitely be on my list of 'Best Books of 2022'. Highly recommended!

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleaner Janice knows that it is in people's stories that you really get to know them. From recently-widowed Fiona and her son Adam; to opera-singing Geordie; and the awful Mrs "YeahYeahYeah" and her fox terrier, Janice has a unique insight into the community around her. When Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B - a shrewd woman in her nineties - she finally meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice doesn't have a story to share. Mrs B is no fool and knows there's more to Janice than meets the eye. What is Janice hiding?

I fell in live with Janice almost straight away. This is a beautifully written book. Janice's life stories are gleaned from the clients that she cleans for. She cares about her clients and their stories but we don't know much about Janice, but she does have a deep dark secret that she's unwilling to share. This is a character driven story. This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, it was much better.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #SallyPage for my ARC of #TheKeeperOfStories in exchange for an honest review.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 what’s your story stars

Janice is an extraordinary cleaner and she is in high demand. While she does her work, Janice also collects stories and feels that each person has one story. We meet the various people that she cleans for, and I love some of the nicknames she uses – Mrs. YeahYeahYeah and Mr. NoNoNotNow.

She also develops a lovely relationship with Decius and dog walking him becomes one of the favorite parts of her day. There’s an opera singer in the mix, a new widow and her son, and a cranky older woman who has led a fascinating life. Mrs. B. is quick to see that Janice has a story of her own to tell and we finally get her story by the end of the book.

There’s a sweet romance in the book once Janice has kicked her no-good husband to the curb. The author has developed quite the cast of characters in this one and I definitely rooted for Janice to find her happy ending.

This one was a bit of a slow burn, but I did enjoy it and might just add “Vanity Fair’ to my reading pile now.

This made for a good buddy read with Jayme, be sure to check out her review.

Thank you to One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this one. Scheduled to release on 2.28.2022.

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you ever feel like you need some light entertainment in between more serious or painful reads, then this is the right book for you. I certainly felt I could do with such a book and it filled that craving nearly perfectly.

So why only three stars? Because I found the main character, Janice, pretty annoying and clueless. She is portrayed as a smart middle aged woman, but her actions are all on the contrary: she stays with her freeloading husband, she doesn't stand her ground with people that push her around, and miraculously, she is friends with many of her clients. Having said that - and if you are prepared to get past this - the stories are nice and the dialogues with the dog made me smile all the time.

And the writing is pretty good, it is engaging and the flow is just perfect for this kind of book, which is way out of my comfort zone and therefor quite difficult to rate and review.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley, One More Chapter press and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Phaedra Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gorgeous treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with lots of appealing characters. I think readers of Ruth Hogan and Clare Pooley will love it, and it’s a perfect book club read too.

[JackieO · Rating 1 out of 5]

This might be an unpopular opinion looking at some of the comments but this was the most boring book I’ve read! It was a real struggle to finish it, it was completely dull, I didn’t have a clue what was going on it made no sense to me and I really didn’t enjoy this one.

[Olga Kowalska (WielkiBuk) · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Powierniczka opowieści” nie jest tym, czym może się wydawać. Przynajmniej dla mnie nie była tym, czego się po niej spodziewałam. Sięgając po tytuł Sally Page myślałam o książce pełnej ciepła i uroku, życiowych bonmotów i tych otulających serce mądrości. To wszystko niby znajdziecie w tej powieści, ale… Jej największym atutem jest: TAJEMNICA! Tajemnica, która skrywa się w opowieści samej głównej bohaterki. Tajemnica, która jest jak cierń w jej sercu, od lat snuje się za nią cieniem, sprawia, że ta nie może się do końca cieszyć z życia. Nie może z niego korzystać, bo ma poczucie, że na nie nie zasługuje. „Powierniczka opowieści” bowiem, to opowieść o winie – gorzkiej i paraliżującej.

Jednym z głównych motywów powieści jest nawiązanie do klasyki literatury brytyjskiej, powieści „Targowisko próżności” Williama M. Thackereya. To słodko-gorzka satyra na społeczeństwo ówczesnej epoki, pełna błyskotliwych dialogów i postaci, które trudno wyrzucić z głowy. Sally Page zbudowała swoją powieść trochę na wzór tej klasyki. Jej „Powierniczka opowieści” to taka szkatułka pełna historii, pełna drugoplanowych bohaterów, którzy przez jeden moment świecą jak najpiękniejszy klejnot, by zaraz zastąpił ich ktoś inny i jego opowieść. Nie brakuje również u Sally Page porównań do bohaterek „Targowiska próżności” – kontrastu między dziką karierowiczką Becky Sharp i uroczą, naiwną Amelią Sedley. Amelia żyje przeszłością, z poczuciem ślepej odpowiedzialności za coś, co nie zależało wcale od niej. To właśnie z Amelią identyfikuje się tytułowa Powierniczka Opowieści, nie zdając sobie sprawy, że jej losy będą miały szansę w końcu potoczyć się inaczej. W końcu życie to nie fikcja, a los potrafi być diabelnie przewrotny.

W historię „Powierniczki opowieści” wpadamy jak śliwki w jesienny kompot. To tajemnica nas przyciąga, przyciąga nas sekret, który bohaterka skrywa głęboko w sobie. Każda z historii, jaką poznajemy po drodze jest jak preludium, jest jak przekąska przed głównym daniem i deserem, a te Sally Page zostawiła nam na koniec. W międzyczasie śledzimy opowieść o skomplikowanych meandrach ludzkiej natury, o poczuciu winy i o sile snucia opowieści. W końcu słowa niosą katharsis, niosą oczyszczenie i czasami potrafią odmienić człowieka i jego los. Sally Page pozwala nam w to uwierzyć.

Przed Wami opowieść poruszająca, podnosząca na duchu, jedna z tych, które obiecują ukojenie i ukojeni kończymy lekturę.

[Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title grabbed me right away, but the first few pages were a bit slow. I was starting to wonder if this book was for me, but then it got super interesting! It's about a middle-aged woman who finds solace in the stories of people she meets, helping her navigate a stale marriage and her own self-doubt. It reminded me just how powerful stories can be in helping us cope with life.

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this sounded wonderful- light but meaningful, soft but gripping.
Sadly, this was light and soft, but I struggled to stay invested in the characters and their stories, ironically.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-written story that really focuses on characterisation. It is what I would consider an ‘observational’ drama, and this feeds into Janice’s character as a ‘story-teller’ or, as some may call her, a bit of a gossip.

But Janice’s intentions are purely innocent and she recalls the stories she hears as a cleaner and on the bus. It is a way of keeping her company in a very isolated life. Whilst her clients are generally kind and accommodating, this is certainly lacking in her loveless marriage where her husband expects everything and gives nothing in return. It’s no wonder that Janice lives vicariously through the stories she has collected.

When Janice meets Mrs B one day, it is like she has met her match in story telling. It would seem that Mrs B also has this gift and tells Janice a very lengthy story about a girl called Becky, whose tale travels around the globe and includes Princes and riches… plus a fair amount of drama too. It’s captivating for Janice, who recognises Mrs B’s story-telling qualities like her own.

Over time, Janice’s clients feature increasingly in the story. She draws away from her husband and turns to her friends for support and each use the other for a type of confession. Although this made the story quite a different read, I was expecting something a little bit more on offer. Yes, there is a charm about the plot but I did not find it as magical as I had hoped. Furthermore, I started to get a little bored by Mrs B’s story about Becky, failing to appreciate the significance of this narrative.

This is a story that offers something quite different. It is about a very quiet woman who seems to be on the outskirts of society, but has more power than she realises. I enjoyed reading her monologue of the dog she walks and appreciated seeing Janice’s lioness emerging as she finds her voice. For instance, I’m not sure I could have tolerated Janice’s husband as much as she had!

In all honesty, this is a gentle read where not much happens. But, actually, I quite appreciated this story for the absence of twists and turns. The scenes between Mrs B and Janice were dominated with dry wit and sarcasm which I thought added to the entertainment of the story. It is definitely a novel about character personalities over everything else, and this reinforces the slower pace of the book.

With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tonkica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Topla priča koju je takvom iznijela Janice pričat će vam o ljubavi, kako onoj romantičnoj tako i o svim ostalim kojih se možete sjetiti i lagano vas bockati da i vi pokušate ući u tuđe cipele, kako biste razumjeli tuđe postupke.

Više o utiscima pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[Isobelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was nothing really wrong with this book but it just wasn’t very exciting. I loved the characters but feel like we didn’t really get to know Janice very well so I didn’t feel very emotionally attached to her. Maybe if the story was continued a bit further or the middle part was a bit faster paced i would have enjoyed it more, the ending just seemed very random. Having said that it was a really nice chill read and I would recommend if you like an unproblematic relaxing read!

[For The Love of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story. I loved the characters in this book and the story, although something in the writing made me keep putting it down. Janice a cleaner, watches and listens to others and collects a story from each person she meets. At a point of turmoil she meets Mrs B who starts to tell an amazing story. Mrs B and Janice develop a friendship and Mrs B finds a way to allow Janice to address her problems that have been long standing and to contemplate her life. This story was beautiful, charming, funny and wise. Many layers exist within this book and you slowly peel them away. This was the light book that I was looking for to escape. Definitely a book I will remember in years to come.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much more than I had expected, I absolutely loved it. Janice is a "cleaner" as well as a "Keeper of Stories". Throughout her days, she sees and hears things that allows her to collect stories of other people. There is nothing malicious in this, but along the way she collects stories of humor, guilt, greed, narcissism, illness, love, caring and more. She keeps most of her stories to herself until she meets Mrs B. She is the mother/mother-in-law of another of her customers. She doesn't want to clean for this shrewd, flamboyant woman, until she gets to know her. As Mrs. B shares stories with Janice, Janice shares her story in return. Janice suffers from a lack of confidence. After all, she's 'just a cleaner.' How will finally sharing her story change Janice?

I really connected with Janice. I am an eavesdropper. I listen to conversations in coffee shops, waiting in line and shopping. I will add to what I hear to create a story, although Janice doesn't do this. Besides Janice, there are so many other interesting characters such as a well travelled bus driver who Janice thinks must have been a geography teacher; a shrewd ninety-two year old ex-spy who shares her story and convinces Janice there is much to her, a young boy whose father committed suicide; an actor who becomes her friend and a pedigree fox terrier called Odysseus, Dysseus for short, who swears like a trooper and you will have to read this book to find our more about that. There are also some not so likable characters that you will meet. This story flowed so well, with Janice sharing stories with the listener and eventually with Mrs. B. There are so many great themes in this book such as emotional abuse, developing self-confidence, friendship, caring, relationships, families, guilt, and more. I loved getting to know Janice and definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy women's fiction, up-lit and stories of self-discovery and friendship. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jessica Whittaker. I very much enjoyed her narration of this story, especially as she brought Janice's inner voice to life. I will watch for more books narrated by this talented author.

[Ksia_zkowe Oliwia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ta książka na początku może przypomnieć bajkową opowieść dla dzieci, bo jest owiana taką szczyptą magii, ale jest to lekko mylne, bo oprócz tego ma sporo niecenzuralnych zwrotów hahaha. Choć jest napisana w tak… subtelny sposób. Tak, myśle ze to dobre określenie. Każdy może nieco inaczej tę książkę zrozumieć. Ja uwielbiam szukać zawsze czegoś między wierszami i tu podoba mi się to znaczenie w książce, że faktycznie… nie warto opowiadać swoim historii głuchym. W tym sensie, że ludziom, którzy nie chcą nas słuchać. I dlaczego Janice była brana za tak „wyjątkową” bohaterkę przez innych ludzi? Bo potrafiła słuchać. A każdy czasami potrzebuje zostać wysłuchany, więc w końcu ludzie zrozumieli, że może ma jakąś magiczną moc, skoro powoduje, że aż chcą jej opowiadać o swoich przeżyciach. Bo mało kto w tych czasach naprawdę potrafi to robić Jednak czy ona sama kiedyś opowie komuś swoją historię? Czy znajdzie kogoś, kto będzie chciał jej wysłuchać? Czy się na to zdobędzie?

Książkę przeczytałam bardzo szybko, lecz nie ukrywam, że miałam problem żeby się w nią wciągnąć. Momentami czułam znużenie, ale sam pomysł i ciągnięty temat bardzo mi się podobał. Czegoś mi jednak dużego tu zabrakło, ale myślę, że każdy z Was musi ocenić to sam ✨ Na pewno ma multum wartości jak chociażby to, że nie możemy zapominać w pomaganiu innym o samych sobie. A Pani B, była ciekawą postacią. No i oczywiście piesek, bo się tu pojawił i to wspominany w supi sposób! 🐶!

Każdy z nas ma swoją historię…

[Michele Attias · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ‘keeper of stories’ was a book I purchased for my holiday as I had read such amazing reviews both on Amazon and Goodreads. Unfortunately, in taking it on holiday to a destination that had no bookshops, once I realised this book was a nonstarter, it was pretty frustrating as I had nothing else to read.
I generally read about 30-40 books a year and I don’t think I’ve ever given a book such a low star rating, but I found it tedious, boring, dull, and the tone simply was not consistent with the characters. One minute Janice was sipping hot tea and biscuits speaking blandly reminiscent of a housewife in the 1940’s and then the next minute she was using ‘fuck’ and ‘lesbianism,’ which in another book would have made sense, but was out of place here.
Somehow the author thought that integrating really bizarre names for some of the characters would make the story more exciting (Tiberius, Augustus etc..), but this made the story even more ludicrous.
In her acknowledgment page the author mentioned that her father had edited the book; I found so many mistakes and one of the sentences wasn’t even complete. She also mentioned that she was so grateful to her agent who had suggested she give a voice to the dog ‘Deceus’ whereas I’m not sure what that added to the story.
I don’t know many cleaners who sit around chatting to their clients in their jobs all day, but my cleaner comes in, cleans and goes.
The ridiculous plot with the bus driver who looks like ‘a geography teacher’ and surprisingly asked her out exactly when she left her husband (and by the way, he happens to love books just like Janice does).

My biggest question after reading this book is: why is this book getting 5 star reviews?

[Leanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read I exchange for honest review.

I have to say I was a little underwhelmed by this book. I didn’t take to Janice at all I struggled to relate. I did persevere and finish the book but I just struggled to get on board with the relationship between Janice and her husband and Janice and her employers.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Everyone has a story to tell. But what if you don’t have a story? What then? If you are Janice, you become a collector of other people’s stories.’

The Keeper of Stories is a superb book - brilliant in fact - one to certainly treasure. I found it to be beautifully written with such heartfelt emotion across a wide cross selection of themes and characters. I simply love the concept of collecting stories whilst unknowingly unraveling one kept so close to your own heart. Sally has penned an intelligent yet thoughtful book that is sure to endear itself to many readers.

The lead character, Janice, is the key to this eclectic cast of characters and she is superb. Quiet and unassuming, ‘just a cleaner’, who goes about her everyday life gathering other peoples stories. I simply adored Janice - she is pivotal not only to the other sub stories sprinkled throughout but also to the great life lesson in finding your very own story.

“In my stories, and I do collect stories…” She feels a sense of relief at saying this out loud. “I love that normal people do the unexpected, that they are courageous, funny, kind … selfless. I know these people have faults - of course, that’s life.”

This is such a character driven tale and testament to the writing, I was not confused once as to who was who. The care that Janice provides to each of her clients is special - just like she is. There are some wonderful characters but it would be remiss of me not to give a big shout out to Mrs B and Decius the swearing fox-terrier. As Janice cleans and cares, she collects the essence of conversations she hears - some are special and many are very funny - but all very believable and relatable.

‘She wants to hammer home with true conviction that she is the story collector. That she gathers stories because she doesn’t have a story. She wants to shout this loudly to drown the little voice within her.’

Then there Janice’s own story - and she does have a story - but has hidden it away. Digging deeper you can see that topics such as suicide, our treatment of the elderly and alcoholism are sensitively handled with this book offering varying degrees of depth and sentiment but all up providing such truth through its tender writing. You will be cheering loudly for Janice and dearly hope she gets her happily ever after from a past that has confined and defined her for too long.

I absolutely loved every moment spent with Janice and in particular her time with Mrs B - “I bloody love you, Mrs B!” This is a book I shall not soon forget for its sublime writing and storytelling from start to finish. I cannot recommend highly enough The Keeper of Stories and can't wait to see what Sally Page offers her readers next.

“I listen to the quiet voices.” Janice stops and looks at him. “What do you mean?” “I figured out long ago that if I listen to the few people who shout at me, I am making them more important than they are. What they say will stay with me, upset me, and those loud voices will go on and on, even when the shouting has stopped. So instead I listen very carefully for the quiet voices - which is most people. The people who teach a perfect lesson with nobody knowing.”








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was so different and very readable. I found the main character very likeable and the whole story was so warm like soaking in a lovely warm bath after a long and tiring day. At times it made me laugh and other times it was sad especially how some people treated her especially her husband. A wonderful book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Kelsey 🦋 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah I really do not know what the point of this was?

[Zaczytana.Querida Maja Wiktorowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Och, to ty.

🌻„Powierniczka opowieści” - Sally Page🌻

Gdy potknęłam się o te trzy słowa pierwszy raz, musiałam przystanąć już wpół kolejnego zdania, do którego chętnie wybiegały oczy i szybko oderwać wzrok od książki. Mimowolnie otworzyłam usta.
- Och, to ty - usłyszałam nagle i uświadomiłam sobie, że teraz to ja je wypowiadam. Uśmiechnęłam się. Och, to ty. To właśnie wtedy poczułam, że wszystko zacznie się od nich. Niepozorne, ciche, wyszeptane i porwane przez wiatr zagubiony w otwartych drzwiach autobusu. Zasługiwały na własną opowieść. Jej. Janice, słuchasz? Natomiast ta opowieść będzie o mnie.
_
- Wiesz, Janice… Nie wiem, która historia jest najważniejsza. I czy jest ich wiele? Czy niosę jedną opowieść, czy to setki pourywanych, nachodzących na siebie. Gdy mówiłaś o idealnych chwilach, które czasami nam się przytrafiają, pomyślałam o jednej z moich chwil. Poznałam Twoją. Wyważyłam na języku ciężar tych trzech słów i zobaczyłam, dokąd Cię poprowadziły. Chcesz poznać moje słowa? - Po tym krótkim wstępie zatrzymałam na chwilę wzrok na wystających z jej płaszcza gumowych rękawiczkach. Spracowane dłonie splotła na oddzielającym nas stoliku. Zastanawiałam się, ile musiało się wydarzyć, żebym dotarła na to krzesło. Może Janice zawsze podkreśla to, że jest tylko sprzątaczką, ale dla mnie jest kimś znacznie więcej. W zasadzie to najmniej ze wszystkiego, co ją definiuje, jest właśnie sprzątaczką. Jest nadzieją. Gryzę się w język, żeby nie zdradzić, dlaczego. Do tego trzeba dojść samemu. - Więc - podejmuję znowu. - Chcesz wiedzieć, gdzie zaczyna się ta opowieść? - Janice nieznacznie skina głową, a ja wracam myślami do słów, które mogły nie znaczyć nic, a jednak zostały z nami, żeby znaczyć coś.
- Czy Pan mnie jeszcze pamięta?
Od tych słów zaczęła się nasza historia. Zbyt poważnych w ustach siedemnastolatki i wziętych… skąd? Nie wiem. Ale wypowiedzianych widocznie w tym idealnym momencie. Patrzę Janice prosto w oczy i snuję swoją opowieść…
_
Skończyłam czytać. Opuściłam książkę na kolana z cichym szelestem przywierających do siebie kartek. Gładziłam jej okładkę i myślałam o tym, że już zawsze będę na nią spoglądać z tym uczuciem w sercu, które towarzyszy mi teraz. Że już zawsze będę ściskać Janice w progu, czuć smak gorącej czekolady z brandy na języku, dotykać cienkiej i białej jak papier skóry Rosie, podążać wzrokiem za znikającym za zakrętem autobusem wypatrując Euana, biec, ile tchu, za Decjuszem i… a raczej - przede wszystkim. Że ilekroć spojrzę, ilekroć pomyślę, ilekroć otworzę dla niej ramiona.
Wszystko, co czuję, umieszczę w tych słowach.
- Och, to ty.

Zaczytana Querida

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Endearing*

For some time now Janice has been collecting stories. She is a cleaner and she overhears lots of conversations because she is virtually invisible. It does not help that she has a husband of a thousand jobs. He is always coming up with hair-brained schemes as he eats into their savings mostly without even discussing it. He always refers to her as “just a cleaner” her job does not define her. With all these stories there is one story she neglects to think about is her own.

The people she cleans for are mainly rich and some high profile. One new client is the brusque Mrs B, the mother of the one she refers to as “Mr No, No, Not Now” his wife “Mrs Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” the only saving grace is their dog a fox terrier called Decius.

Mrs B is in her 90’s and there is far more to her than meets the eye. She is the one who wants to hear Janice’s story. Is Janice ready to reveal it? It is the most engrossing stories. One that has scarred Janice.

This book will make you laugh, especially the voice that Janice invents for what she thinks Decius is saying, it will make you smile and overall I just loved it.