Book review: The Keepers - A tale as old as time

Anoosha Lalani’s debut novel blends the story of Adam and Eve with fantasy

Aimed at young adult readers, Anoosha Lalani’s The Keepers transports readers into a world where anything is possible. The writer, who prefers to escape reality, has described The Keepers as a novel that “blends the biblical tale of Adam and Eve with the contemporary life of a child living in the slums”. While this historic tale may be familiar to us, the writer manages to cast the story in a new light by narrating it beautifully.

Based on the ordeals of two sisters brought up in the slums of Islamabad, The Keepers revolves around 16-year-old Isra Kalb, who must deal with the turmoil in her family after her father’s unsolved murder. Isra’s mother is unable to handle the death, and suffers from a breakdown of sorts — she beats her 10-year-old daughter Zaffirah, and goes on a rampage through the house. As a result, Isra must fend for her sister and decides to flee. In her hasty escape, she remembers to take only one thing with her — an amulet that her mother had instructed her to protect above all else.

The sisters’ troubles, however, do not end when they leave their home, as Zaffirah is whisked away by kidnappers. It is at this point that Isra learns the value of the amulet, which has powers of its own. The amulet transports Isra to Zarcane — the garden where Adam and Eve were born — where she comes face to face with her destiny. She is a keeper, charged with protecting the borders of Zarcane and keeping the demon hordes lurking in the shadows from taking over realms that are not their own.

The story is told through the alternating voices of Isra and Farid, another teenager who also owns an amulet that can unlock the paradise of Adam and Eve ruled by Abaddon. The keepers come with their own angels as protectors and Isra’s angel is determined to help her choose between Earth and Zarcane, while Farid and his angel seek destruction.

Overall, Lalani’s debut novel is fun to read and is peppered with thought-provoking quotes. In many instances, the author reveals her young age, as well as her great potential. While The Keepers may have required a more developed backstory to help readers fully immerse themselves in the tale, it does leave them wondering if the author withheld this deliberately in order to continue the story at a later date.

Ishrat Ansari works at The Express Tribune Karachi desk. She tweets @Ishrat_ansari

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, July 26^th, 2015.