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Keepsake
For her previous novels (Things We Didn’t Say, The Life You’ve Imagined, Real Life & Liars), author Kristina Riggle has garnered fabulous reviews and established herself as a rapidly rising star of contemporary women’s fiction. In Keepsake, she explores that most complicated of relationships, as two sisters raised by a hoarder deal with old hurts and resentments, and the very different paths their lives have taken. As always, Riggle approaches important topics poignantly and honestly—including hoarding and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in her remarkable Keepsake—while writing with real emotional power and compassion about families and their baggage. For readers of Katrina Kittle and Elin Hildenbrand, Kristina Riggle’s Keepsake is a treasure.
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First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Kristina Riggle
13 books203 followersKristina Riggle lives in West Michigan, where she writes character-driven novels about complex personal dynamics. Her debut novel, Real Life & Liars, was a Target "Breakout" pick and a "Great Lakes, Great Reads" selection by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association. Her latest novel, Vivian in Red, is a story of 1930s Broadway and today about a lyricist, the clouded history of his most famous song, and the woman who inspired it.
Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere, and is a former co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.
She appreciates readers who spread the word about her books, through reviews here and around the Web at the various book retail sites!
Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere, and is a former co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.
She appreciates readers who spread the word about her books, through reviews here and around the Web at the various book retail sites!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
March 18, 2017
I specifically decided to read this because it was a fictionalised account of hoarding. (There are many NF books out there on this topic & I was looking for a family I could relate to, without the Hoarders TV show experience.) Anyways. This frustrated me to no end, mostly because I hated the characters. Riggle's prose is decent & I am willing to give another one of her books a shot, but I am really let down by this.
Trish has got to be one of the most annoying & horrible MCs I've come across in a while. She is judgemental, manipulative, plays the guilt-trip card too many times, & just all around a pissy Prunella. I really could not stand her. I understand that these are the emotions of someone who is hurting & is common to go with hoarders, but maybe it hits a little too close to home. Everything that comes out of this woman's mouth is rude- & it becomes blatantly clear why her son left her (hint: it wasn't just the clutter).
Trish goes about her ways until her seven-year-old son Jack falls because of her junk & CPS investigates. She only decides to clean her ways after being threatened her son will be taken away from her (although in fairness, addictions & mental illness doesn't get managed until something major happens so it was pretty accurate). Her sister Mary eventually comes to help her, after being asked by Trish's other son, seventeen-year-old Drew, who is living at his girlfriend's house because he can no longer get to his bed. Mary is the complete opposite of Trish- she finds comfort in Brillo pads & Soft Scrub.
At this point you can kind of get the gist of what will go down- lots of fighting & pain; Mary incorporates her friend Seth (who is also a psychologist, but on the DL) to help. Then there's other family members involved, eventually leading up to hidden memories to surface & family secrets to be revealed...yeah, I was hoping it would be more interesting than that. Towards the end, we discover what trauma Trish has endured to live the way she does now. In a sense, I'm angry at the author for including this because it subtly shapes the idea that something traumatic had to happen to you to be this way. And although it's true for the most part, it's not always the case. I also feel like this was added so readers would have a bit of sympathy for Trish after acting like such a brat. No thanks.
I'm also disappointed in the ending. Once the social worker crisis is over & the secrets are aired, all of a sudden life is great? This was too neatly wrapped up, especially considering Trish's trauma, without having proper treatment. Definitely a bummer; there is no quick fix to hoarding. And having Trish's actions go in accordance with the illness in the beginning & then losing them all by the end? I don't think so.
There were some parts that I liked- granted, they were mostly just the reactions & consequences of hoarders, but I'm thankful for the author's realistic portrayal all the same. Drew's character was alright- he becomes the whistleblower & holds down the fort by helping his mother see this is no way to live. I really could no care for anyone else & am disappointed that I wasn't able to connect with them, as this is a character-driven novel & your feelings towards them greatly hinder your enjoyment of the book.
Overall, pass. This is the second fiction novel I've read depicting hoarding & I haven't liked either. I'm not sure why authors get the idea that hoarders can't be likable? Very open to recommendations if anyone has found something decent fitting this criteria. Guess I'll go back to the NF/memoirs for now...
Trish has got to be one of the most annoying & horrible MCs I've come across in a while. She is judgemental, manipulative, plays the guilt-trip card too many times, & just all around a pissy Prunella. I really could not stand her. I understand that these are the emotions of someone who is hurting & is common to go with hoarders, but maybe it hits a little too close to home. Everything that comes out of this woman's mouth is rude- & it becomes blatantly clear why her son left her (hint: it wasn't just the clutter).
Trish goes about her ways until her seven-year-old son Jack falls because of her junk & CPS investigates. She only decides to clean her ways after being threatened her son will be taken away from her (although in fairness, addictions & mental illness doesn't get managed until something major happens so it was pretty accurate). Her sister Mary eventually comes to help her, after being asked by Trish's other son, seventeen-year-old Drew, who is living at his girlfriend's house because he can no longer get to his bed. Mary is the complete opposite of Trish- she finds comfort in Brillo pads & Soft Scrub.
At this point you can kind of get the gist of what will go down- lots of fighting & pain; Mary incorporates her friend Seth (who is also a psychologist, but on the DL) to help. Then there's other family members involved, eventually leading up to hidden memories to surface & family secrets to be revealed...yeah, I was hoping it would be more interesting than that. Towards the end, we discover what trauma Trish has endured to live the way she does now. In a sense, I'm angry at the author for including this because it subtly shapes the idea that something traumatic had to happen to you to be this way. And although it's true for the most part, it's not always the case. I also feel like this was added so readers would have a bit of sympathy for Trish after acting like such a brat. No thanks.
I'm also disappointed in the ending. Once the social worker crisis is over & the secrets are aired, all of a sudden life is great? This was too neatly wrapped up, especially considering Trish's trauma, without having proper treatment. Definitely a bummer; there is no quick fix to hoarding. And having Trish's actions go in accordance with the illness in the beginning & then losing them all by the end? I don't think so.
There were some parts that I liked- granted, they were mostly just the reactions & consequences of hoarders, but I'm thankful for the author's realistic portrayal all the same. Drew's character was alright- he becomes the whistleblower & holds down the fort by helping his mother see this is no way to live. I really could no care for anyone else & am disappointed that I wasn't able to connect with them, as this is a character-driven novel & your feelings towards them greatly hinder your enjoyment of the book.
Overall, pass. This is the second fiction novel I've read depicting hoarding & I haven't liked either. I'm not sure why authors get the idea that hoarders can't be likable? Very open to recommendations if anyone has found something decent fitting this criteria. Guess I'll go back to the NF/memoirs for now...
May 25, 2012
A mother’s fear: a knock on the door from family protective services talking about taking away your child. What good mother wouldn’t turn somersaults to keep her child home and her family intact? Any good mother would—but in Kristina Riggle’s novel, Keepsake, doing just that is especially demanding. The reason that social worker is standing at the door ties directly into her addiction—hoarding. Hoarding is the inability to throw anything out, to the point of filling one’s living space with items until there is no room to live within that space.
Trish really is a good mother. It’s a pleasure to read about her interactions with her little boy, Jack, contrasting against the twinge of reading about her disorder. Addicts can still love, but it’s their behavior that is out of control. Riggle does a wonderful job of showing the reader that an addiction does not define a person. It’s a symptom of something buried deep inside that the person has not yet confronted and resolved.
Adding another interesting element of contrast to this story about hoarding and families is another member of the family, Trish’s sister Mary. The two women are actually the daughters of a hoarder, but while one has followed in the cluttered steps of her mother, the other has veered to the other extreme. If not quite an obsessive compulsive disorder, Mary is a neat freak who can’t seem to stop cleaning, wiping, vacuuming, ordering everything in her spotless home.
Riggle’s novel handles these elements without any clutter on the author’s part. The story cleanly moves toward a suspenseful ending: will this family be torn apart or brought together by the damage done by hoarding? Ex-husbands return, therapists sneak in disguised as friends who somehow manage to add elements of romance, and family history is unearthed to reveal deep secrets held over generations.
Keepsake is a fascinating read about a growing affliction in modern American society, giving readers insight into how intelligent, competent people can fall into behavior patterns with the potential to ruin lives, break apart families and endanger not only themselves but those that are close to them. It also brings up the question of why we are seeing more hoarding in our society. Insight into this phenomenon of living in clutter, unable to throw out anything, let go of any object in one’s home, can only help us take a hard look at ourselves and how we live.
Kristina Riggle is a novelist and freelance writer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Trish really is a good mother. It’s a pleasure to read about her interactions with her little boy, Jack, contrasting against the twinge of reading about her disorder. Addicts can still love, but it’s their behavior that is out of control. Riggle does a wonderful job of showing the reader that an addiction does not define a person. It’s a symptom of something buried deep inside that the person has not yet confronted and resolved.
Adding another interesting element of contrast to this story about hoarding and families is another member of the family, Trish’s sister Mary. The two women are actually the daughters of a hoarder, but while one has followed in the cluttered steps of her mother, the other has veered to the other extreme. If not quite an obsessive compulsive disorder, Mary is a neat freak who can’t seem to stop cleaning, wiping, vacuuming, ordering everything in her spotless home.
Riggle’s novel handles these elements without any clutter on the author’s part. The story cleanly moves toward a suspenseful ending: will this family be torn apart or brought together by the damage done by hoarding? Ex-husbands return, therapists sneak in disguised as friends who somehow manage to add elements of romance, and family history is unearthed to reveal deep secrets held over generations.
Keepsake is a fascinating read about a growing affliction in modern American society, giving readers insight into how intelligent, competent people can fall into behavior patterns with the potential to ruin lives, break apart families and endanger not only themselves but those that are close to them. It also brings up the question of why we are seeing more hoarding in our society. Insight into this phenomenon of living in clutter, unable to throw out anything, let go of any object in one’s home, can only help us take a hard look at ourselves and how we live.
Kristina Riggle is a novelist and freelance writer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
July 17, 2012
There's a whole lot of pain going on in this book and this makes it difficult to read. In a review of another book, the reviewer described the mental illness of the character as something "gnawing at their souls". This statement describes my feeling about Keepsake quite well. Here lie characters with a disorder that is “gnawing at their souls”.
I've never watched the show "Hoarders" but the show has a huge following. I know most of us on the outside looking in are curious and even have some kind of gleeful fascination with people that hoard. I's the "OMG, Can you believe that?" syndrome.
Keepsake is the story of two sisters, Trish and Mary. They are the adult children of a hoarding mother who has died tragically. One is a hoarder and the other not, though neither escapes the ramifications of their mother's plight. When Trish's 7 year old child, Jack, suffers an injury due to falling stuff, Child Protection Service steps in and threatens to remove him from his over-crowded environment unless Trish can clean up her act. Easier said than done and the rest of the story explores the magnitude of issues involved.
I think the author did a good job developing the character Trish. She leaves more to our interpretation with Mary but we know each carries lots of baggage. The surrounding cast adds to the story, but it's really about the women and their lost mother.
This story is a natural to send you in quest for books and information about those afflicted with hoarding. Riggles used and does suggest reading Stuff : Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things. I have also picked up The Secret Lives of Hoarders by Matt Paxton. I've only read a few pages but it ascertains that “hoarding isn't about how much stuff a person has”.
Keepsake is also the kind of book that makes you want to clean, throw out all the paper and other things cluttering your life. In the end though, the clutter is not the issue, it is the why of why you hang on to things.
What kept this from being a 4 star read for me was repetition in use of certain word and sentences. Small quibble but it bothered me enough to note it. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.
Keepsake is an interesting and thought provoking read.
I've never watched the show "Hoarders" but the show has a huge following. I know most of us on the outside looking in are curious and even have some kind of gleeful fascination with people that hoard. I's the "OMG, Can you believe that?" syndrome.
Keepsake is the story of two sisters, Trish and Mary. They are the adult children of a hoarding mother who has died tragically. One is a hoarder and the other not, though neither escapes the ramifications of their mother's plight. When Trish's 7 year old child, Jack, suffers an injury due to falling stuff, Child Protection Service steps in and threatens to remove him from his over-crowded environment unless Trish can clean up her act. Easier said than done and the rest of the story explores the magnitude of issues involved.
I think the author did a good job developing the character Trish. She leaves more to our interpretation with Mary but we know each carries lots of baggage. The surrounding cast adds to the story, but it's really about the women and their lost mother.
This story is a natural to send you in quest for books and information about those afflicted with hoarding. Riggles used and does suggest reading Stuff : Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things. I have also picked up The Secret Lives of Hoarders by Matt Paxton. I've only read a few pages but it ascertains that “hoarding isn't about how much stuff a person has”.
Keepsake is also the kind of book that makes you want to clean, throw out all the paper and other things cluttering your life. In the end though, the clutter is not the issue, it is the why of why you hang on to things.
What kept this from being a 4 star read for me was repetition in use of certain word and sentences. Small quibble but it bothered me enough to note it. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could.
Keepsake is an interesting and thought provoking read.
June 15, 2012
I never knew much about hoarding until I read this novel, and now I think I understand how it works. The tragedies that triggered both mother and daughter who succumbed to the hoarding compulsion were real and identifiable, but clearly require the hand of a professional to neutralize. The dual narration is something I have never really liked, but in this case it really does work. Both daughters of a woman who died in a fire in her home where things were stacked floor to ceiling and jammed tight in room after room were damaged peripherally by her issues. And, the psychic damage affected each daughter in a different way. One inherited the urge to hoard, the other was her diametric opposite, making her work so sterile and tidy that it precluded human relationships. Both women were living in their heads, and might have continued in their self-destructive ways except for the love of a child. When Trish's son is injured when trapped under a pile of stuff in her overcrowded house, the standard government investigation of an injured child sets a family dynamic into motion that cleans Trish's house, begins to pry open the clamshell of Mary's life and the novel ends on a ray of hope that this supremely dysfunctional family may be redeemed after all.
July 8, 2015
well I could certainly identify with these characters siblings the victim and martyr and the one trying to pass as normal. interesting take on the hoarding issue. some people just can't let go. This is family at a breaking point-fix the mess or lose the kid but its not always just that easy! I very well done story of people in crisis!
July 15, 2012
I'm surprised that so many people rated this a four or five. The characters are flat, the plot is slow and the writing is uninspired.
November 14, 2018
Two sisters are world's apart in their reactions to life growing up with a hoarder. Trish has also become a hoarder and stands to lose her youngest son (having already lost her older son and husband because of her "problem") if the house isn't cleaned up tuite suite. Her son suffered a broken collarbone when a pile of mementos fell on him and it was reported the family services. Her sister, Mary, is a germophobe and gets physically ill when she thinks about dirt and germs. Mary left her mother's ill kept house shortly after her father left and Trish has never forgiven her for it. The two sisters finally discover more than just the piles of junk and years of secrets when Mary agrees to help Trish "clean house.
I probably can identify with Trish more readily as I also have a tendency to keep mementos but have learned that a photograph serves nicely for a walk down memory lane. Trish's obsession was so severe she would become physically sick if anyone were to touch her things and couldn't stand the thought of being without any of them. I'm not a germophobe (not with 3 boys and their father in the house) and can stand a little dirt here and there. I cannot imagine being in a house that is filled to the brim with "stuff" and you have no idea what or where anything is.
I probably can identify with Trish more readily as I also have a tendency to keep mementos but have learned that a photograph serves nicely for a walk down memory lane. Trish's obsession was so severe she would become physically sick if anyone were to touch her things and couldn't stand the thought of being without any of them. I'm not a germophobe (not with 3 boys and their father in the house) and can stand a little dirt here and there. I cannot imagine being in a house that is filled to the brim with "stuff" and you have no idea what or where anything is.
April 21, 2013
This is Trish's story. She's a single mom with a problem. Her family mantra is "mom's not perfect,". But the dirty secret is that she is a hoarder. When her son is injured in an accident at home, family services gets involved and Trish must face the hoard or lose her children. This book is more than about hoarding or being a bad housekeeper. It's about fractured families and fractured souls. It's about secrets that lie buried among the stuff. The characters are well written and Trish's anguish over dealing with her inner pain that results in her hoarding is portrayed very realistically, This is our monthly book group choice and I look forward to a lively discussion.
July 28, 2012
Thank you to Book Club Girl for proving me with a copy of this novel. Please check out her bogtalk podcast with author Kristina Riggle for an insightful interview about the novel. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/book-clu...... The novel is told in alternating chapters in the voice of the two main characters, sisters Trish and Mary.
Trish is a single mom with a young son Jack. She thinks she has everything in her life under control although it may be telling that her catch phrase "I'm not perfect". When Jack is injured by a falling box in his cluttered room, it turns out that things may not be so under control after all. In truth, Trish's house could star in an episode of hoarders and people in her life about to find out her dirty secret. Trish's older son Drew who has moved out to escape the mess enlists Trish's sister Mary for the cleanup crew. Trish and Mary are estranged and the only reason Trish will consider her or anyone else's help is because if she doesn't get the mess out, Jack will be taken away by social services.
Mary is the complete opposite of Trish and she cannot stand to have any item out of place. Everything must be sanitized and cleaned to perfection and she has taken this to the point of sanitizing people out of her life as well. Life is messy and Mary won't have it. Mary's obsession with cleanliness is directly related to having grownup in with Trish in the home of their hoarder mother. Things were so bad in the home that her father moved out and the hoard caused a fire that killed her mother. Mary is determined not to allow this fate to happen to her sister and young nephew so she bites the bullet and her tongue for the most part and prepares to dig in.
As the sisters and assorted family and friends pitch in, it becomes clear that there is more buried in Trish's home than just garbage. Long held family secrets will need to be exposed and dealt with if Trish and Mary's life are truly to be changed. Trish needs more than a physical cleanup of her home, she needs one of her soul as well. The well written story and captivating plot elevate this novel above the usual chick lit status quo. The story unfolded in a very compelling way and there were several surprises. The concept of hoarding is very topical and there are several shows on TV about it currently. I enjoyed reading a novel that addressed not only the physical clean up process but the psychological one as well.
Trish is a single mom with a young son Jack. She thinks she has everything in her life under control although it may be telling that her catch phrase "I'm not perfect". When Jack is injured by a falling box in his cluttered room, it turns out that things may not be so under control after all. In truth, Trish's house could star in an episode of hoarders and people in her life about to find out her dirty secret. Trish's older son Drew who has moved out to escape the mess enlists Trish's sister Mary for the cleanup crew. Trish and Mary are estranged and the only reason Trish will consider her or anyone else's help is because if she doesn't get the mess out, Jack will be taken away by social services.
Mary is the complete opposite of Trish and she cannot stand to have any item out of place. Everything must be sanitized and cleaned to perfection and she has taken this to the point of sanitizing people out of her life as well. Life is messy and Mary won't have it. Mary's obsession with cleanliness is directly related to having grownup in with Trish in the home of their hoarder mother. Things were so bad in the home that her father moved out and the hoard caused a fire that killed her mother. Mary is determined not to allow this fate to happen to her sister and young nephew so she bites the bullet and her tongue for the most part and prepares to dig in.
As the sisters and assorted family and friends pitch in, it becomes clear that there is more buried in Trish's home than just garbage. Long held family secrets will need to be exposed and dealt with if Trish and Mary's life are truly to be changed. Trish needs more than a physical cleanup of her home, she needs one of her soul as well. The well written story and captivating plot elevate this novel above the usual chick lit status quo. The story unfolded in a very compelling way and there were several surprises. The concept of hoarding is very topical and there are several shows on TV about it currently. I enjoyed reading a novel that addressed not only the physical clean up process but the psychological one as well.
August 3, 2012
Trish is a single mom doing her best to raise two kids while working full time. But Trish also has a big problem: Trish is a hoarder. She managed to hide the problem from outsiders until her youngest son, Jack, was injured when a stack of things toppled over on him. The doctor reported Trish and now she's faced with cleaning out the clutter or facing court and possibly losing Jack. Her oldest son, Drew, has already left because of the mess and Trish can't bear losing both of her boys. But as much as Trish would love to deny it, the hoarding is more than just mess she doesn't have time to take care of. In a last ditch effort to help, Drew approaches Trish's sister, Mary, asking her to lend a hand in the clean up effort. Though Mary and Trish have a strained relationship, Mary has seen first hand what hoarding can do to a person. As the family comes together to support Trish, everyone must eventually face the issues that have brought them here.
I see sawed quite a bit with this book. Riggle's writing and pacing are fine. In fact, the story moved along quite quickly. I had a hard time sympathizing with Trish throughout the story though. At one point I'd be fine and in her corner and then I'd find myself getting aggravated. Trish is so defensive -- like the people you see on an actual episode of Hoarders actually. Considering I'm not a fan of the show, I guess you can see why I'd struggle with Trish.
Fortunately, Riggle was able to pull me back into the story each time I started to waffle. By the time the women start to get some insight into their mother's background, I was pretty invested in the tale and settled in to read to the end.
I see sawed quite a bit with this book. Riggle's writing and pacing are fine. In fact, the story moved along quite quickly. I had a hard time sympathizing with Trish throughout the story though. At one point I'd be fine and in her corner and then I'd find myself getting aggravated. Trish is so defensive -- like the people you see on an actual episode of Hoarders actually. Considering I'm not a fan of the show, I guess you can see why I'd struggle with Trish.
Fortunately, Riggle was able to pull me back into the story each time I started to waffle. By the time the women start to get some insight into their mother's background, I was pretty invested in the tale and settled in to read to the end.
October 2, 2012
Kristina Riggle definitely has a gift for writing about serious issues. This novel deals with some difficult situations.
Trish is a single mother. She has built a secure world where she feels safe. She is surrounded by all of the things that make her feel comfortable. Trish is a hoarder.
This all comes to light, as a crisis when Trish’s son is injured. Children’s Services is called in to investigate, with every intention of removing him from the home.
Trish needs help. Her sister, Mary, is her extreme opposite. Mary suffers from compulsive cleaning issues. The sisters must come together, out of a mutual dysfunctional past, to save Trish’s children. In doing this, perhaps they can save each other and themselves.
Hoarding often begins as a child, sometimes as an inherited condition. As with many conditions, it comes down to control. Hoarders learn to live seemingly multiple lives, in order to hide things from the world. Sometimes shame is their reason to hide, knowing that they are somehow wrong. Others are truly unaware of the depth or magnitude of their dysfunction. Some hoarders don’t recognize that they have a problem.
The family situations that can create hoarders can create the extreme opposite situations, as well. This is illustrated in this novel. In order to control or feel control, some go to the opposite extreme of compulsively cleaning, ridding oneself of things, as a type of personal cleansing.
Extremes are never healthy, in any form. Ultimately, to achieve peace one must find balance in our environment and within ourselves.
June 21, 2016
The book wasn't horrible, but it tends to become dull in places. Trish is a hoarder. I got that from the beginning. After a while, I grew tired of hearing about the stacks of storage containers, or how she resisted parting with anything. I felt the emotion in the book was what carried it through. the family tensions and dynamics were well done, but the repetitive hoarding sequences wore on me. I never liked the television show for the same reason. Once the camera panned the piles of 'stuff' it went from disbelief to disgust. I didn't need to see one half hour of it. *A note: I would absolutely read another title from this author as I felt the writing itself was good. It was the subject matter that turned me off.
January 14, 2019
This was good but overall it fell flat for me. I never fully connected with the characters or the reasons for their actions. The chapters were told in alternating POV's between Mary and Trish with nothing in the chapter heading to show who was talking. I felt myself irritated with Trish and Mary as they seemed bratty to me. While I did like some parts, the ending wasn't very satisfying.
November 15, 2018
My Review : 📚📙📘📗📚
This is my first time reading this author and I was not disappointed . I love her writing style. When I started this book I thought Wow, this is totally different than what I thought it would be from the cover and the title. But first off let me start off by saying wow this is such a great story, I was pulled in from the very first page. Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a story of family,hope, secrets,dysfunctional family, love ,Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, pain , trauma, ocd , Child Protective Services ,and strained family relationships. This is a family story with secrets, jealously, and fear . Kristina takes you into the mind and world of a hoarder's life . you see first hand what drives some to become a hoarder and the devastating consequences it has on those around them. The chapters alternate points of view between two sisters who was raised by a hoarder , each so broken in her own way. Trish who is a hoarder with a fear of someone finding out, and deciding that she is not a good enough mother, not worthy to be loved. And Mary who is obsessively clean with her own fears . Even though they are no longer close they soon start working together to clean Trish's home before Child services takes away her son . But can they get past their own deamons, and put aside their differences to get the house clean before dss takes action ? Or will Trish's dad or x husband take Jack first ? The characters in this novel are so real. They could be me , you , family , or a friend. You never know what goes on behind closed doors. I really enjoyed this book and could feel both sisters pain. It was a nice change to read something a little different . I am looking so forward to reading more by this author.
This is my first time reading this author and I was not disappointed . I love her writing style. When I started this book I thought Wow, this is totally different than what I thought it would be from the cover and the title. But first off let me start off by saying wow this is such a great story, I was pulled in from the very first page. Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a story of family,hope, secrets,dysfunctional family, love ,Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, pain , trauma, ocd , Child Protective Services ,and strained family relationships. This is a family story with secrets, jealously, and fear . Kristina takes you into the mind and world of a hoarder's life . you see first hand what drives some to become a hoarder and the devastating consequences it has on those around them. The chapters alternate points of view between two sisters who was raised by a hoarder , each so broken in her own way. Trish who is a hoarder with a fear of someone finding out, and deciding that she is not a good enough mother, not worthy to be loved. And Mary who is obsessively clean with her own fears . Even though they are no longer close they soon start working together to clean Trish's home before Child services takes away her son . But can they get past their own deamons, and put aside their differences to get the house clean before dss takes action ? Or will Trish's dad or x husband take Jack first ? The characters in this novel are so real. They could be me , you , family , or a friend. You never know what goes on behind closed doors. I really enjoyed this book and could feel both sisters pain. It was a nice change to read something a little different . I am looking so forward to reading more by this author.
May 23, 2023
This book is about a woman who is a compulsive hoarder. She is forced to deal with her problem or lose her 7 yr old to the courts. Her family relationships are complicated. She desperately loves her son but finds it almost impossible to face her problem. I learned a great deal about the psychology behind hoarding. Interesting! I'm much more understanding now
July 5, 2012
My review:
I would like to start with the book cover. It's beautiful! If I wouldn't know what the book is about, then deciding only from the cover of the book you expect the content to be something else. It's a classy picture to put on a book which is about hoarding. Slightly misleading on the first sight, but elegant cover in my opinion.
Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a wonderful book about family ties and relationships, different disorders people are struggling with, about pain, hope and love. Keepsake is a well written novel which is easy to read and it touches topics which many people are familiar with. Keepsake touches your heart deeply.
Regarding the plot:
Reader meets Trish whose life seems to be working fine, at least to herself. Trish is a divorced mother of two kids and she has built her own world where she feels safe and comfortable. Her world is highly influenced by hoarding, she gathers absolutely everything from everywhere and has surrounded herself with things she will never need. But it offers her safety and comfort and an illusion of that she is fine and her family is fine.
Until one day, Trish's son is hurt and Child Protective Services is behind her door wanting to take her kid away. One of the reasons is hoarding. So Trish needs to change her life and give up hoarding which seems unreachable target for her because giving something away is very painful for her. Being a compulsive hoarder, she needs to get help. If not, she will have to face tragical results.
Trish has a sister - Mary. Mary is everything, Trish is not, but also Mary has her hard challenges. She is suffering from the compulsive cleaning disorder.
Trish and Mary need to work together to get Trish out of her problems and as the result you have a fascinating story - Keepsake - about two sisters who are two very different outcomes of a dysfunctional family.
I loved the story! I wasn't very familiar with hoarding before reading the book. I cannot even comprehend what the living of a hoarder would look like in reality, but that problem of mine was very detailed explained in Keepsake. I think Kristina Riggle did a wonderful work to visually show what a home of a hoarder would be. Author also did a brilliant job with the characters.
Regarding the characters:
I felt sorry for Trish. Her hoarding disorder was not understandable for me, but since the author put so many efforts to Trish, showing what she thought and how her world was functioning, she made her inner struggles so clear that Trish was believable for me. She seemed so real with her problems and challenges and that made her lovable character for me. I have to admit, that I am very far from her personality myself, but yet, I truly enjoyed her. I think there was an fascinating depth in her.
Mary was the opposite of Trish. While reading the book I found myself thinking that what an useful disorder to have -the house would always be cleaned and pristine, but as the story develops you see and realize how much it has damaged Mary. None of the extremes are admirable.
The best part of the story was how the relationship between Trish and Mary developed. It was strong, complicated and heart-wrenching. Well done from the author side!
Generally:
Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a great novel! I would highly recommend it! It is easy to read, it creates emotions and pulls you in! It shows you the colorfulness of humanity and it gives hope! Loved it!
I would like to start with the book cover. It's beautiful! If I wouldn't know what the book is about, then deciding only from the cover of the book you expect the content to be something else. It's a classy picture to put on a book which is about hoarding. Slightly misleading on the first sight, but elegant cover in my opinion.
Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a wonderful book about family ties and relationships, different disorders people are struggling with, about pain, hope and love. Keepsake is a well written novel which is easy to read and it touches topics which many people are familiar with. Keepsake touches your heart deeply.
Regarding the plot:
Reader meets Trish whose life seems to be working fine, at least to herself. Trish is a divorced mother of two kids and she has built her own world where she feels safe and comfortable. Her world is highly influenced by hoarding, she gathers absolutely everything from everywhere and has surrounded herself with things she will never need. But it offers her safety and comfort and an illusion of that she is fine and her family is fine.
Until one day, Trish's son is hurt and Child Protective Services is behind her door wanting to take her kid away. One of the reasons is hoarding. So Trish needs to change her life and give up hoarding which seems unreachable target for her because giving something away is very painful for her. Being a compulsive hoarder, she needs to get help. If not, she will have to face tragical results.
Trish has a sister - Mary. Mary is everything, Trish is not, but also Mary has her hard challenges. She is suffering from the compulsive cleaning disorder.
Trish and Mary need to work together to get Trish out of her problems and as the result you have a fascinating story - Keepsake - about two sisters who are two very different outcomes of a dysfunctional family.
I loved the story! I wasn't very familiar with hoarding before reading the book. I cannot even comprehend what the living of a hoarder would look like in reality, but that problem of mine was very detailed explained in Keepsake. I think Kristina Riggle did a wonderful work to visually show what a home of a hoarder would be. Author also did a brilliant job with the characters.
Regarding the characters:
I felt sorry for Trish. Her hoarding disorder was not understandable for me, but since the author put so many efforts to Trish, showing what she thought and how her world was functioning, she made her inner struggles so clear that Trish was believable for me. She seemed so real with her problems and challenges and that made her lovable character for me. I have to admit, that I am very far from her personality myself, but yet, I truly enjoyed her. I think there was an fascinating depth in her.
Mary was the opposite of Trish. While reading the book I found myself thinking that what an useful disorder to have -the house would always be cleaned and pristine, but as the story develops you see and realize how much it has damaged Mary. None of the extremes are admirable.
The best part of the story was how the relationship between Trish and Mary developed. It was strong, complicated and heart-wrenching. Well done from the author side!
Generally:
Keepsake by Kristina Riggle is a great novel! I would highly recommend it! It is easy to read, it creates emotions and pulls you in! It shows you the colorfulness of humanity and it gives hope! Loved it!
June 1, 2014
First, I have to say had this book not had the bad words marked out, I wouldn't have been able to give it such a high score. I really enjoyed the story but if all the whited out spaces had the F-bomb, it would have been too harsh to enjoy.
The cleaned up version was enjoyable, however. At the end of the book, Kristina Riggle mentions an Oprah episode on hoarders that fascinated her and she eventually wrote Keepsake dealing with a competent, successful, organized person who is also a secret hoarder and has a house filled to the rafters with stuff. I had seen that same Oprah episode and never forgot it either. That experience with learning about some of the possible psychology behind hoarders made this book seem very possible & true to life for me.
As a person who lives a life among a fair amount of stuff, I try not to hold onto everything, but frequently struggles with guilt or worry of regret if I part with things. I am a far cry from a hoarder, but I could relate to some of the thoughts and worries the hoarder had as she tried to let some things go.
Of course, I also recognized the clean-freak sister had her own issues to deal with too.
It was a good story about family dynamics, the role that "stuff" can play in our lives, letting go of childhood stereo types that we made for ourselves or others, depression, dealing with grief, supporting each other, not being ashamed to get professional help sometimes, etc.
If you can find an edited version of the book (mine was borrowed), then I recommend it. If not, you'll want to steer clear. I don't think I'll read more of Riggle's books because of the amount of language in this one.
The cleaned up version was enjoyable, however. At the end of the book, Kristina Riggle mentions an Oprah episode on hoarders that fascinated her and she eventually wrote Keepsake dealing with a competent, successful, organized person who is also a secret hoarder and has a house filled to the rafters with stuff. I had seen that same Oprah episode and never forgot it either. That experience with learning about some of the possible psychology behind hoarders made this book seem very possible & true to life for me.
As a person who lives a life among a fair amount of stuff, I try not to hold onto everything, but frequently struggles with guilt or worry of regret if I part with things. I am a far cry from a hoarder, but I could relate to some of the thoughts and worries the hoarder had as she tried to let some things go.
Of course, I also recognized the clean-freak sister had her own issues to deal with too.
It was a good story about family dynamics, the role that "stuff" can play in our lives, letting go of childhood stereo types that we made for ourselves or others, depression, dealing with grief, supporting each other, not being ashamed to get professional help sometimes, etc.
If you can find an edited version of the book (mine was borrowed), then I recommend it. If not, you'll want to steer clear. I don't think I'll read more of Riggle's books because of the amount of language in this one.
July 26, 2012
I found Keepsake to be a fairly enjoyable read, although it seemed to me that the ending was a bit abrupt.
Keepsake tells the story of Trish, a single mom, who is forced to deal with her problem with hoarding when she is faced with potentially losing custody of her 8 year old son, Jack, to the authorities due to the hoarding. She is reunited with her estranged sister, Mary, when Trish's older son, Drew, contacts Mary to enlist her help with Trish's hoarding problem.
The story unfolds with the sisters dealing with their complicated relationship, as they frantically work together to get Trish's house in livable fashion so that Child Protective Services does not take Jack from her. Adding to the complications are Ron, Trish's ex husband, and Trish's father, who don't really understand Trish's hoarding problem.
Through the process of attempting to clean up Trish's life, literally and figuratively, the women learn a secret about their deceased mother, who died years earlier in a fire caused by a hoarding problem. Trish also has a secret of her own which may help explain why she developed her hoarding problem.
Eventually, the women reach a tentative truce and begin to work towards rebuilding their fractured relationship as Trish moves ahead as she deals with her hoarding problem.
Keepsake tells the story of Trish, a single mom, who is forced to deal with her problem with hoarding when she is faced with potentially losing custody of her 8 year old son, Jack, to the authorities due to the hoarding. She is reunited with her estranged sister, Mary, when Trish's older son, Drew, contacts Mary to enlist her help with Trish's hoarding problem.
The story unfolds with the sisters dealing with their complicated relationship, as they frantically work together to get Trish's house in livable fashion so that Child Protective Services does not take Jack from her. Adding to the complications are Ron, Trish's ex husband, and Trish's father, who don't really understand Trish's hoarding problem.
Through the process of attempting to clean up Trish's life, literally and figuratively, the women learn a secret about their deceased mother, who died years earlier in a fire caused by a hoarding problem. Trish also has a secret of her own which may help explain why she developed her hoarding problem.
Eventually, the women reach a tentative truce and begin to work towards rebuilding their fractured relationship as Trish moves ahead as she deals with her hoarding problem.
June 21, 2013
She did a great job of showing family dynamics in which relationships are strained, but everybody still has enough love to pull together and help each other. Well done.
Also well done are her descriptions of the hoarding behavior, perceptions that others often have about hoarding and the "fixing" process. I recently read Dr. Robin Zasio's book, "The Hoarder in You" and found many similarities in Keepsake's characters.
I can't give this book more stars because the writing style was a little bothersome and some parts felt contrived. For example, Seth returning to Mary near the ending was pretty predictable. Ron breaking up with Summer was a convenient way to resolve that tension.
Also well done are her descriptions of the hoarding behavior, perceptions that others often have about hoarding and the "fixing" process. I recently read Dr. Robin Zasio's book, "The Hoarder in You" and found many similarities in Keepsake's characters.
I can't give this book more stars because the writing style was a little bothersome and some parts felt contrived. For example, Seth returning to Mary near the ending was pretty predictable. Ron breaking up with Summer was a convenient way to resolve that tension.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2017
4.5⭐️. If you have ever loved a hoarder, this book will give you a little glimpse into the workings of their mind. Confusion and chaos. I really enjoyed this book!
June 21, 2012
Trish is not abusive, and her son, Jack, absolutely adores her. But one day, Child Protective Services are at her door threatening to take her seven-year old Jack out of her custody--not because she hit her children, but because she has too much junk in her house.
Trish is a compulsive hoarder; her walls are lined up with columns upon columns of boxes filled with stuff she doesn't even remember. She hasn't seen her dining table in ages, nor the paint on her walls, and her fridge is filled with rotten food. To makes matters worse, the family she has long shunned out of her life comes back to "help" her organize her junk...and her life--whether she likes it or not.
Structure:
Kristina Riggle's Keepsake mainly alternates between two sisters, Trish and Mary's point of view, with the odd chapters dedicated to Trish, and the evens to Mary. While Trish represents the defensive, troubled hoarder, Mary represents the condescending judgments of someone who just "doesn't get it." Through Mary's eyes, I can feel her disgust, but through Trish, I can also see her intentions. By using alternating viewpoints, Riggle opened my eyes to the inside world of a compulsive hoarder, their conflicts with their family members, and themselves.
However, I admit I was confused in the beginning. When I got to the second chapter, and the novel switched to Mary's point of view I thought I was either reading the wrong book, or I was going delusional enough to think I read a chapter of a book. I eventually got the hang of it, by primary associating the hoarding Trish with trash (hey, her name is only a letter off!)
Sometimes the story digresses into Frannie's, Trish and Mary's mother, point of view through her teenage diary from the sixties. Frannie is also a hoarder, and is thought to have inspired Trish to be the same. Her diary reveals the secrets that lead to her behavior. When the diary showed up about a third into the book, I was confused. All of a sudden, the story shifted from cleaning (which I admit was getting tedious to read about since it kept dragging on and on), into discovering secrets from the diary. But then the diary entries were sparse, and I practically forgot about it until it was mentioned again in the later chapters. In the end, I am not sure if Frannie's diary played a big role in the story even after knowing its significance...since Frannie was long dead. This confusion between main characters, and the story's focus was one of my biggest qualms about the novel.
Pace:
I admit there's only so much I can read about cleaning a house before my eyes feel like dropping out of their sockets, the pace dragged along at the cleaning parts. However, despite the slower-than-expected pace, I always wanted to get back to the book to watch the story unravel. And it was one of those books that gets tons better, as the story progresses. I even read the back matter (Acknowledgements, Q & A, etc.) because I wanted to drain as much of the story out as possible. I liked it that much.
Characters:
From the structure, it is not surprise that the novel is character driven; they are complex, touching characters filled with inner conflicts. I love both sisters, even if they do seem like polar opposites. But both of them are in the forties, and find themselves alone with no friends, and no lovers.
Trish (Patricia):
She is so defensive, it annoys me at times. "I'm not perfect." is one of her favorite lines, as if imperfection solved everything; it's also how she copes with the disapproval she suffers from the people around her. She isn't just a hoarder, but a shopaholic--I don't even know how in the world she can shop for so much stuff without being in debt. Trish also loves to blame her cluttered house on her job, claiming that she has no time to clean after working...but if she has time to shop, I can't imagine just how tired she is after work. Despite her defensiveness and cluttered house, I admire her for trying to clean up for the sake of her family, even if throwing away her beloved objects pains her deeply. Seriously, throwing away a broken vase is serious business for Trish, she claims she rather jump into a burning house than to throw away her precious treasures. She lives her life surrounded by unfinished projects, stuff she wanted to do...but never found the time to do. You can't help but pity this poor woman.
SPOILER ALERT: I was actually kind of happy when her clutter broke her wrist. "FINALLY!" I thought.
Mary:
Unlike her older sister, Mary is a clean freak, although the novel gleans over Mary's compulsive problems. Mary is literally allergic to Trish's house, the stench, the dust makes gives her hives. Yet, despite her allergies, she tries to help Trish put her life back together. She struggles to see her sister's point of view; the clean freak in her just wants to throw all of Mary's stuff in the dumpster. Despite their disagreements, Mary is the one who reigns in Trish, and chases her down after her crazy run-away-from-everything antics. In many ways, Mary is the more controlled one even though she is said to be the more fragile of the two sisters. Even though she doesn't hoard, Mary isn't as "normal" as she appears, and faces the fear of being alone and unwanted as well. It seems like she has some social problems too, how can you not have made any friends after living for forty years?
Frannie (Frances):
Trish and Mary's dead mother who was a hoarder. Perhaps it's because she always seemed to be the crazy hoarder lady with cat urine all over her house that I just couldn't like her despite knowing the reasons behind her behavior. Rather than a mother figure, she was just the "cat lady" who was just lucky enough not to have the Humane Society coming after her.
Setting:
I think this is what had me a bit disappointed. I knew Trish was a hoarder, and her house was a supposed mess. But I don't think I've ever grasped how bad the house really was. Trish was described to be a shopaholic, who left unopened mail around, and had a ton of boxes, but that seemed like the extent of her messed up house (ok, there was the rotten food thing...but that was hidden away in the fridge.) Did she just have boxes, loose papers, and shopping bags around her house? And then she had that room lined up with boxes so tall that concealed the walls...but that just sounds like a warehouse instead of a "mess". She must be pretty organized to put stuff in boxes in the first place. I wish I had a clearer sense of how horrible her house was because I am starting to suspect my definition of a "mess" is very different from society.
Personally, I think I fall between Trish and Mary. My room is not the cleanest place, and my closet often looks like a tornado went through it. I absolutely detest laundry, though I don't have much of a choice when I run out of underwear. But I also get nitpicky about hair in bathrooms, which is one of the reasons I dislike public showers at the public pool; just the thought makes me shudder. While Trish opts to store stuff, I just want to dump it. Rather than "clean" a room, which takes thought in organizing, I rather throw stuff away so I don't have to think about it. I am not sure who's lazier, me or Trish.
Romance:
Keepsake isn't a romance heavy book. Or even a romance light book since the traces of romance were negligible, as if it was sprinkled like confetti lightly throughout the novel. Most of the characters are divorced, or not old enough to get married. While there are traces of romance, it is never solidified. Nobody is jumping into anyone's arms, or kissing anyone until they see stars, but there are all these subtle hints that are just so swoon-worthy. At one point, I put down the book just so I could do a silent girly squeal, which often even a romance novel can get me to do.
Ending:
I am content with the ending, but it left a few loose ends that are just screaming for a sequel. I absolutely loved how Mary's last chapter wrapped out, it gave me fuzzies warmer than a yellow ducky blanket.
This was my first Kristina Riggle novel, and I delved into the novel not knowing what to expect, but I was left pleasantly surprised. I wanted to read the novel because hoarding intrigued me. I watched a few of those hoarding shows on cable television which always left we a bit bewildered that someone who rather spend a thousand dollars renting out storage units to store stuff they probably forgot about anyway. I am convinced my dad is borderline hoarder because is reluctant to throw away stuff. I purposely played one of those hoarder shows when he was in the living room...I don't think he got the hint. Nonetheless, Riggle touched me with her characters, and the subtle humor made me burst out laughing...even if I did feel kind of bad for laughing at someone's problems. I am definitely looking forward to reading what else Kristina has to offer!
Thoughts to Consider:
Keepsake would make a great book club read; even after the last page was turned, I just kept thinking about it.
I thought about what made hoarding so bad after all. Would it be socially acceptable if instead of turning to hoarding as a coping mechanism, Trish turned into a clean freak like Mary? Is it only "wrong" because clutter can come tumbling down to kill you at any moment and the dust is unhealthy? If Trish was a clean freak, then Children's Protective Service probably won't come knocking (unless the cleaning fumes got too strong?) and she wouldn't be seen as the weirdo? And having a compulsive cleaning disorder would be much easier to hide than a houseful of clutter. Should we have demeaning shows on TV about hoarding anyway? Where is the line between being a collector and being a hoarder? If the person feels comfortable in a landfill, why not let them be? Is it because Jack shouldn't be forced to live in the middle of clutter? But even he seems to be comforted by clutter.
Originally posted on A Novel Toybox.
Trish is a compulsive hoarder; her walls are lined up with columns upon columns of boxes filled with stuff she doesn't even remember. She hasn't seen her dining table in ages, nor the paint on her walls, and her fridge is filled with rotten food. To makes matters worse, the family she has long shunned out of her life comes back to "help" her organize her junk...and her life--whether she likes it or not.
Structure:
Kristina Riggle's Keepsake mainly alternates between two sisters, Trish and Mary's point of view, with the odd chapters dedicated to Trish, and the evens to Mary. While Trish represents the defensive, troubled hoarder, Mary represents the condescending judgments of someone who just "doesn't get it." Through Mary's eyes, I can feel her disgust, but through Trish, I can also see her intentions. By using alternating viewpoints, Riggle opened my eyes to the inside world of a compulsive hoarder, their conflicts with their family members, and themselves.
However, I admit I was confused in the beginning. When I got to the second chapter, and the novel switched to Mary's point of view I thought I was either reading the wrong book, or I was going delusional enough to think I read a chapter of a book. I eventually got the hang of it, by primary associating the hoarding Trish with trash (hey, her name is only a letter off!)
Sometimes the story digresses into Frannie's, Trish and Mary's mother, point of view through her teenage diary from the sixties. Frannie is also a hoarder, and is thought to have inspired Trish to be the same. Her diary reveals the secrets that lead to her behavior. When the diary showed up about a third into the book, I was confused. All of a sudden, the story shifted from cleaning (which I admit was getting tedious to read about since it kept dragging on and on), into discovering secrets from the diary. But then the diary entries were sparse, and I practically forgot about it until it was mentioned again in the later chapters. In the end, I am not sure if Frannie's diary played a big role in the story even after knowing its significance...since Frannie was long dead. This confusion between main characters, and the story's focus was one of my biggest qualms about the novel.
Pace:
I admit there's only so much I can read about cleaning a house before my eyes feel like dropping out of their sockets, the pace dragged along at the cleaning parts. However, despite the slower-than-expected pace, I always wanted to get back to the book to watch the story unravel. And it was one of those books that gets tons better, as the story progresses. I even read the back matter (Acknowledgements, Q & A, etc.) because I wanted to drain as much of the story out as possible. I liked it that much.
Characters:
From the structure, it is not surprise that the novel is character driven; they are complex, touching characters filled with inner conflicts. I love both sisters, even if they do seem like polar opposites. But both of them are in the forties, and find themselves alone with no friends, and no lovers.
Trish (Patricia):
She is so defensive, it annoys me at times. "I'm not perfect." is one of her favorite lines, as if imperfection solved everything; it's also how she copes with the disapproval she suffers from the people around her. She isn't just a hoarder, but a shopaholic--I don't even know how in the world she can shop for so much stuff without being in debt. Trish also loves to blame her cluttered house on her job, claiming that she has no time to clean after working...but if she has time to shop, I can't imagine just how tired she is after work. Despite her defensiveness and cluttered house, I admire her for trying to clean up for the sake of her family, even if throwing away her beloved objects pains her deeply. Seriously, throwing away a broken vase is serious business for Trish, she claims she rather jump into a burning house than to throw away her precious treasures. She lives her life surrounded by unfinished projects, stuff she wanted to do...but never found the time to do. You can't help but pity this poor woman.
SPOILER ALERT: I was actually kind of happy when her clutter broke her wrist. "FINALLY!" I thought.
Mary:
Unlike her older sister, Mary is a clean freak, although the novel gleans over Mary's compulsive problems. Mary is literally allergic to Trish's house, the stench, the dust makes gives her hives. Yet, despite her allergies, she tries to help Trish put her life back together. She struggles to see her sister's point of view; the clean freak in her just wants to throw all of Mary's stuff in the dumpster. Despite their disagreements, Mary is the one who reigns in Trish, and chases her down after her crazy run-away-from-everything antics. In many ways, Mary is the more controlled one even though she is said to be the more fragile of the two sisters. Even though she doesn't hoard, Mary isn't as "normal" as she appears, and faces the fear of being alone and unwanted as well. It seems like she has some social problems too, how can you not have made any friends after living for forty years?
Frannie (Frances):
Trish and Mary's dead mother who was a hoarder. Perhaps it's because she always seemed to be the crazy hoarder lady with cat urine all over her house that I just couldn't like her despite knowing the reasons behind her behavior. Rather than a mother figure, she was just the "cat lady" who was just lucky enough not to have the Humane Society coming after her.
Setting:
I think this is what had me a bit disappointed. I knew Trish was a hoarder, and her house was a supposed mess. But I don't think I've ever grasped how bad the house really was. Trish was described to be a shopaholic, who left unopened mail around, and had a ton of boxes, but that seemed like the extent of her messed up house (ok, there was the rotten food thing...but that was hidden away in the fridge.) Did she just have boxes, loose papers, and shopping bags around her house? And then she had that room lined up with boxes so tall that concealed the walls...but that just sounds like a warehouse instead of a "mess". She must be pretty organized to put stuff in boxes in the first place. I wish I had a clearer sense of how horrible her house was because I am starting to suspect my definition of a "mess" is very different from society.
Personally, I think I fall between Trish and Mary. My room is not the cleanest place, and my closet often looks like a tornado went through it. I absolutely detest laundry, though I don't have much of a choice when I run out of underwear. But I also get nitpicky about hair in bathrooms, which is one of the reasons I dislike public showers at the public pool; just the thought makes me shudder. While Trish opts to store stuff, I just want to dump it. Rather than "clean" a room, which takes thought in organizing, I rather throw stuff away so I don't have to think about it. I am not sure who's lazier, me or Trish.
Romance:
Keepsake isn't a romance heavy book. Or even a romance light book since the traces of romance were negligible, as if it was sprinkled like confetti lightly throughout the novel. Most of the characters are divorced, or not old enough to get married. While there are traces of romance, it is never solidified. Nobody is jumping into anyone's arms, or kissing anyone until they see stars, but there are all these subtle hints that are just so swoon-worthy. At one point, I put down the book just so I could do a silent girly squeal, which often even a romance novel can get me to do.
Ending:
I am content with the ending, but it left a few loose ends that are just screaming for a sequel. I absolutely loved how Mary's last chapter wrapped out, it gave me fuzzies warmer than a yellow ducky blanket.
This was my first Kristina Riggle novel, and I delved into the novel not knowing what to expect, but I was left pleasantly surprised. I wanted to read the novel because hoarding intrigued me. I watched a few of those hoarding shows on cable television which always left we a bit bewildered that someone who rather spend a thousand dollars renting out storage units to store stuff they probably forgot about anyway. I am convinced my dad is borderline hoarder because is reluctant to throw away stuff. I purposely played one of those hoarder shows when he was in the living room...I don't think he got the hint. Nonetheless, Riggle touched me with her characters, and the subtle humor made me burst out laughing...even if I did feel kind of bad for laughing at someone's problems. I am definitely looking forward to reading what else Kristina has to offer!
Thoughts to Consider:
Keepsake would make a great book club read; even after the last page was turned, I just kept thinking about it.
I thought about what made hoarding so bad after all. Would it be socially acceptable if instead of turning to hoarding as a coping mechanism, Trish turned into a clean freak like Mary? Is it only "wrong" because clutter can come tumbling down to kill you at any moment and the dust is unhealthy? If Trish was a clean freak, then Children's Protective Service probably won't come knocking (unless the cleaning fumes got too strong?) and she wouldn't be seen as the weirdo? And having a compulsive cleaning disorder would be much easier to hide than a houseful of clutter. Should we have demeaning shows on TV about hoarding anyway? Where is the line between being a collector and being a hoarder? If the person feels comfortable in a landfill, why not let them be? Is it because Jack shouldn't be forced to live in the middle of clutter? But even he seems to be comforted by clutter.
Originally posted on A Novel Toybox.
July 16, 2018
I read this a couple of months ago for one of my book clubs and am super sad that I missed the discussion for it because I was out of town! I found this book very hard to put down.
The book is told from the alternating points of view of two sisters, Trish and Mary, who were raised by a hoarder mother. Not surprisingly, the sisters manifest their upbringing in complete opposite ways: Trish ends up becoming a hoarder like her mother and Mary ends up as an obsessive-compulsive clean-freak. The sisters’ relationship had been strained for several years when CPS becomes involved in Trish’s life because her son was injured by a stack of falling junk in their house. Mary is enlisted to help Trish clean up so she doesn’t lose her son and the novel is their journey of not just cleaning up the house, but repairing their relationship and their long-lasting emotional and mental issues inherited from their upbringing.
As someone who has previously worked for CPS, I’ve been in houses like this and although I have seen the messes and hazardous environments in real life, it was always difficult for me to understand how someone could let things get this out of control. Although the book was fiction, I think the author did a great job portraying the thoughts and rationalizations that hoarders have and why it is so difficult for them to let go of all the stuff. She also did the same with the inner workings of someone suffering from OCD. I’ve said before that I don’t need likable characters to enjoy a book and I found both Trish and Mary unlikable (especially Trish). I understand that hoarding is due to a mental illness and I don’t want to minimize that, but I found it tiresome how much Trish seemed to value her junk over her son; when her seven-year-old son began to show signs of hoarding as well, it just made me sick.
As fascinating and readable as I found this book, I think the ending was too neatly packaged. I don’t always mind that kind of ending, but the entire book focused on ugly, complicated, messy, hurtful family relationships, so I felt like the ending didn’t quite fit with the rest of the book. 3.5/5
The book is told from the alternating points of view of two sisters, Trish and Mary, who were raised by a hoarder mother. Not surprisingly, the sisters manifest their upbringing in complete opposite ways: Trish ends up becoming a hoarder like her mother and Mary ends up as an obsessive-compulsive clean-freak. The sisters’ relationship had been strained for several years when CPS becomes involved in Trish’s life because her son was injured by a stack of falling junk in their house. Mary is enlisted to help Trish clean up so she doesn’t lose her son and the novel is their journey of not just cleaning up the house, but repairing their relationship and their long-lasting emotional and mental issues inherited from their upbringing.
As someone who has previously worked for CPS, I’ve been in houses like this and although I have seen the messes and hazardous environments in real life, it was always difficult for me to understand how someone could let things get this out of control. Although the book was fiction, I think the author did a great job portraying the thoughts and rationalizations that hoarders have and why it is so difficult for them to let go of all the stuff. She also did the same with the inner workings of someone suffering from OCD. I’ve said before that I don’t need likable characters to enjoy a book and I found both Trish and Mary unlikable (especially Trish). I understand that hoarding is due to a mental illness and I don’t want to minimize that, but I found it tiresome how much Trish seemed to value her junk over her son; when her seven-year-old son began to show signs of hoarding as well, it just made me sick.
As fascinating and readable as I found this book, I think the ending was too neatly packaged. I don’t always mind that kind of ending, but the entire book focused on ugly, complicated, messy, hurtful family relationships, so I felt like the ending didn’t quite fit with the rest of the book. 3.5/5
August 23, 2021
I have a dear friend who is a hoarder and I've tried to understand why she has filled her home with stuff and lives in her car, which sadly to say is filled as well with her things. Only the driver seat is visible. I have much empathy for her and the need to help.
As I read this book I realized it's not as easy as a cleanup and sort. It goes much deeper and lingers for a lifetime. Just how does one get over hoarding?Just as Trish did and continues to do with love, acceptance, and forgiveness and a lot of listening we can all become better friends , family members, if we only stopped long enough to just be...to listen , to hold a hand, to feel empathy for others, to not judge.
Behind the hoards there is much pain, suffering, unknown hurts, unrealized dreams. We just need to be more open and ready to listen and extend a helping hand.
I enjoyed this book it gave me an more empathetic look into the life of my dear friend. I love her so.
As I read this book I realized it's not as easy as a cleanup and sort. It goes much deeper and lingers for a lifetime. Just how does one get over hoarding?Just as Trish did and continues to do with love, acceptance, and forgiveness and a lot of listening we can all become better friends , family members, if we only stopped long enough to just be...to listen , to hold a hand, to feel empathy for others, to not judge.
Behind the hoards there is much pain, suffering, unknown hurts, unrealized dreams. We just need to be more open and ready to listen and extend a helping hand.
I enjoyed this book it gave me an more empathetic look into the life of my dear friend. I love her so.
August 24, 2018
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a story about a single mother who becomes a hoarder. I wanted to read the book as I have been dealing with someone who has been hoarding. I was hoping I might gain some insight. I did learn that many hoarders are triggered by a traumatic incident. Of course, the definition of “traumatic” varies widely. The mom is in danger of losing her children because of the chaos her home is in. In steps the sister to assist. The difference in the sisters is drastic! What transcends the story demonstrates that two people with very different methods of living can learn something from each other. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who are confronted by a hoarder in their life.
March 20, 2023
Not sure how I feel about this book. I won’t read another by this author. Although sparse, she had a couple of the characters use unnecessary foul language.
This book left me feeling almost bereft. Without Hope. Confused and upset. If that was her goal, she reached it. But I wouldn’t think an author would want their readers to feel that way.
So … although it addresses a disorder that likely is more prevalent than we think, there really wasn’t a conclusion. Or a solution to the disorders. Both sisters were OCD. Opposite.
As I was reading and getting closer to the end, I realized that three was no way to conclude the story in a happy, finalized way. It just left me wondering … what did I just read?
So yeah. Not very impressed at all.
This book left me feeling almost bereft. Without Hope. Confused and upset. If that was her goal, she reached it. But I wouldn’t think an author would want their readers to feel that way.
So … although it addresses a disorder that likely is more prevalent than we think, there really wasn’t a conclusion. Or a solution to the disorders. Both sisters were OCD. Opposite.
As I was reading and getting closer to the end, I realized that three was no way to conclude the story in a happy, finalized way. It just left me wondering … what did I just read?
So yeah. Not very impressed at all.
March 21, 2017
Trish Dietrich is not perfect. She has a full time job, a divorced mother withtwo children and a messy home, but she does her best. She believes she has her life under control, until her elementary school age son breaks his arm and the incident is referred to Child Protective Services for investigation.
Now Trish has to deal with Ayana, a tiny black woman barely out of school herself and somehow this woman has the right to judge Trish, her parenting, her cleanliness, the orderliness of her home and this woman has the authority to declare her an unfit parent and take her son away from her.
It is at that moment that Trish realizes she is living her worst nightmare, she is re-living her mother's life as a compulsive hoarder. Trish knows she needs help so she reaches out to her sister Mary, meticulous, compulsive, perfect Mary, the same sister who left home at 15 and never looked back. Forced to work together towards a common goal, tge two very different sisters are about to uncover more than piles of junk, as secrets, resentments, obsessions and pain are finally brought to the surface,
Now Trish has to deal with Ayana, a tiny black woman barely out of school herself and somehow this woman has the right to judge Trish, her parenting, her cleanliness, the orderliness of her home and this woman has the authority to declare her an unfit parent and take her son away from her.
It is at that moment that Trish realizes she is living her worst nightmare, she is re-living her mother's life as a compulsive hoarder. Trish knows she needs help so she reaches out to her sister Mary, meticulous, compulsive, perfect Mary, the same sister who left home at 15 and never looked back. Forced to work together towards a common goal, tge two very different sisters are about to uncover more than piles of junk, as secrets, resentments, obsessions and pain are finally brought to the surface,
September 23, 2022
An interesting story that explores the life of a hoarder (2nd generation) and two sisters who work together to get through it so that the family isn’t split any further apart than they already are (divorce, one teen living away and another threaten to be taken away by children's services). It also shows a compassionate social worker, willing to help. I could identify with the emotion in this book as my sister and I called my a mom an organized hoarder. It was very difficult for her to let go of things when she had to downsize…an emotion we couldn’t identify with. The only thing I didn’t really like was that the ending seemed a little abrupt and left me wanting a little more closure.
September 21, 2018
I'm actually surprised I liked this one as much as I did, because I think I would have found Trish so unlikeable in any other book that I wouldn't have been able to continue reading it. And don't get me wrong, she is completely unlikeable and in many parts of the book her behavior is ridiculous beyond belief, but if nothing else, she comes across as completely human, if flawed, and who among us isn't flawed? Despite my dislike for the character I was able to feel some connection to her, and I think that's a real credit to Riggle's writing.
December 28, 2018
Kristina Riggle's novel, Keepsake, is insightful and thought-provoking. Through her vulnerable characters, Riggle compassionately examines what's most important: is it the stuff we hoard, or the people we love? Following years of no contact, will Trish and Mary (two sisters poles apart) rediscover, and help each other, in the midst of the frightening chaos of Trish's house? Or will she lose her true treasures, her children? Keepsake is a keeper too: Gwendolyn Broadmore, author of Life Came to a Standstill.
January 14, 2021
Parts of this book were hard to read. Initially I thought it was going to be about one thing but it turned out to be about something entirely different. But the underlying theme is family relationships -why children of the same parents relate to those parents differently; what are the underlying reasons for why people act the way they do; how different generations deal with situations differently. In the end, it seems to make sense for that family but it left thinking about relationships in my own family and wondering ...
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