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La chiave di Sarah
È una notte d'estate come tante altre, a Parigi. La piccola Sarah è a casa con la sua famiglia, quando viene svegliata dall'irruzione della polizia francese e prelevata insieme ai genitori. Ha solo dieci anni, non capisce cosa sta succedendo, ma è atterrita e, prima di essere portata via, nasconde il fratello più piccolo in un armadio a muro che chiude a chiave. È il 16 luglio del 1942. Sarah, insieme a migliaia di altri ebrei, viene rinchiusa nel Vélodrome d'Hiver, in attesa di essere deportata nei campi di concentramento in Germania. Ma il suo unico pensiero è tornare a liberare il fratellino. Sessant'anni dopo, Julia, una giornalista americana che vive a Parigi, deve fare un'inchiesta su quei drammatici fatti. Mette mano agli archivi, interroga i testimoni, va alla ricerca dei sopravvissuti, e le indagini la portano molto più lontano del previsto. Il destino di Julia si incrocia fatalmente con quello della piccola Sarah, la cui vita è legata alla sua più di quanto lei possa immaginare. Che fine ha fatto quella bambina? Cosa è davvero successo in quei giorni? Quello che Julia scopre cambierà per sempre la sua esistenza.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2006
5778 people are currently reading
222755 people want to read
About the author
Tatiana de Rosnay
67 books5,332 followersNew book !
"The Rain Watcher"
Saint Martins Press USA
October 2018
"Sentinelle de la Pluie"
Editions Héloise d'Ormesson
and in Norway, Holland, Sweden and Germany.
Follow me on Twitter at
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TATIANA DE ROSNAY was born in the suburbs of Paris and is of English, French and Russian descent. She is the author of 8 French novels. Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two children. She lives in Paris with her family.
She is the author of several novels, Sarah's Key, A Secret Kept (Boomerang) and The House I Loved (Rose) The Other Story (A L'Encre Russe) and "Manderley Forever', a biography of Daphne du Maurier.
"The Rain Watcher"
Saint Martins Press USA
October 2018
"Sentinelle de la Pluie"
Editions Héloise d'Ormesson
and in Norway, Holland, Sweden and Germany.
Follow me on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tatianaderosnay
https://www.instagram.com/tatianadero...
My website :
http://www.tatianaderosnay.com/
Facebook page :
http://www.facebook.com/tatianaderosnay
TATIANA DE ROSNAY was born in the suburbs of Paris and is of English, French and Russian descent. She is the author of 8 French novels. Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two children. She lives in Paris with her family.
She is the author of several novels, Sarah's Key, A Secret Kept (Boomerang) and The House I Loved (Rose) The Other Story (A L'Encre Russe) and "Manderley Forever', a biography of Daphne du Maurier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32,306 reviews
March 15, 2015
It should never be forgotten
By Sol Tetelbaum
Review: Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Almost a hundred readers published their reviews on Tatiana de Rosnay’s novel Sarah’s Key. Most of them rated the book in four or five stars, but some of them calling the novel “mediocre” showed a lower rating – three stars. It is necessary to admit that their opinions weren’t unfounded and most critical comments were fair. However, from my standpoint, despite the fair critical comments (I don’t think it is necessary to list them), the novel deserves a rather high rating, and I will try to explain why.
The book is devoted to the Holocaust. The author describes two stories. One story is about the tragedy of a Jewish girl named Sarah. The story is based on historical fact. In 1942, on the orders of German military authorities, French police brutally arrested all Jewish families in Paris. Almost all of them perished in concentration camps.
The second parallel story is about an American journalist, Julia Jermond, who, writing an article about Vel’ d’Hiv’s roundup, found out many horrible details of this crime committed by French police. France wanted to forget about its anti-human past and thoroughly concealed it. The author reminds us of those tragic facts. I am not going to retell the stories. They are already well known, but the book gave birth to some of my thoughts.
In her novel, the author writes with anxiety and great concern that people want to forget about the Holocaust. One character of the book says: “Bringing back the past is never a good idea, especially whatever happened during the war. No one wants to be reminded of that, nobody wants to think about that.” The book demonstrates that such amnesia can be deadly.
For a long time naïve people believed that the world moves in the direction of higher level of humanization. In their naivety, they missed the point when one of the most horrible and bloodthirsty variety of anthropoids (resembling humans) became active. Russian anthropoids captured power in the Soviet Russia, invented concentration camps and, killing over a million innocent people yearly. Over a period of 20 years they killed at least 20 million, maybe more. Then World War II broke out and the world forgot about the 20 million innocent victims.
Humanlike anthropoids appeared in other countries, and people continued to believe that they were ordinary criminals. People’s beliefs melted like a piece of paper in acid when the terrifying truth about fascist factories of deaths became known. People couldn’t believe what they learned. Using modern technology, fascist anthropoids made the killing of humans a branch of industry. For human beings, the Holocaust is impossible to understand, it is just unexplainable. And the only way to prevent it from happening again is to never forget it.
The reviewed book is multidimensional, emotionally written but unfortunately, as it has been mentioned in some reviews, it has weak points as well. Nevertheless, I was impressed with the book, its main message makes the readers think, and this is a sign of good literature. The advantage of the book is in the strong civic position of the author that, I think, has made the book a bestseller.
This book is about events which were not wide-known; it reminds people about the necessity to be alert. Otherwise, the modern anthropoids will commit a new Holocaust, and now all people can become their victims. They already are trying to convince us that there is nothing to remember; there wasn’t a Holocaust at all.
In general, the book is well written, and author’s voice is strong. In my opinion, the book deserves not less than four stars.
Everybody who cares about human life, who reads books not just for entertainment, will read this book with interest and will continue to return to it in his/her mind.
Sol Tetelbaum.
By Sol Tetelbaum
Review: Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Almost a hundred readers published their reviews on Tatiana de Rosnay’s novel Sarah’s Key. Most of them rated the book in four or five stars, but some of them calling the novel “mediocre” showed a lower rating – three stars. It is necessary to admit that their opinions weren’t unfounded and most critical comments were fair. However, from my standpoint, despite the fair critical comments (I don’t think it is necessary to list them), the novel deserves a rather high rating, and I will try to explain why.
The book is devoted to the Holocaust. The author describes two stories. One story is about the tragedy of a Jewish girl named Sarah. The story is based on historical fact. In 1942, on the orders of German military authorities, French police brutally arrested all Jewish families in Paris. Almost all of them perished in concentration camps.
The second parallel story is about an American journalist, Julia Jermond, who, writing an article about Vel’ d’Hiv’s roundup, found out many horrible details of this crime committed by French police. France wanted to forget about its anti-human past and thoroughly concealed it. The author reminds us of those tragic facts. I am not going to retell the stories. They are already well known, but the book gave birth to some of my thoughts.
In her novel, the author writes with anxiety and great concern that people want to forget about the Holocaust. One character of the book says: “Bringing back the past is never a good idea, especially whatever happened during the war. No one wants to be reminded of that, nobody wants to think about that.” The book demonstrates that such amnesia can be deadly.
For a long time naïve people believed that the world moves in the direction of higher level of humanization. In their naivety, they missed the point when one of the most horrible and bloodthirsty variety of anthropoids (resembling humans) became active. Russian anthropoids captured power in the Soviet Russia, invented concentration camps and, killing over a million innocent people yearly. Over a period of 20 years they killed at least 20 million, maybe more. Then World War II broke out and the world forgot about the 20 million innocent victims.
Humanlike anthropoids appeared in other countries, and people continued to believe that they were ordinary criminals. People’s beliefs melted like a piece of paper in acid when the terrifying truth about fascist factories of deaths became known. People couldn’t believe what they learned. Using modern technology, fascist anthropoids made the killing of humans a branch of industry. For human beings, the Holocaust is impossible to understand, it is just unexplainable. And the only way to prevent it from happening again is to never forget it.
The reviewed book is multidimensional, emotionally written but unfortunately, as it has been mentioned in some reviews, it has weak points as well. Nevertheless, I was impressed with the book, its main message makes the readers think, and this is a sign of good literature. The advantage of the book is in the strong civic position of the author that, I think, has made the book a bestseller.
This book is about events which were not wide-known; it reminds people about the necessity to be alert. Otherwise, the modern anthropoids will commit a new Holocaust, and now all people can become their victims. They already are trying to convince us that there is nothing to remember; there wasn’t a Holocaust at all.
In general, the book is well written, and author’s voice is strong. In my opinion, the book deserves not less than four stars.
Everybody who cares about human life, who reads books not just for entertainment, will read this book with interest and will continue to return to it in his/her mind.
Sol Tetelbaum.
September 30, 2009
I was intrigued by the plot for this book. A young girl locks her brother in a cupboard at their apartment in Paris before the Police, at the behest of the Nazi's, take away her and her family. They wait for several days in a detention center, in conditions like the Superdome, before being sent to camps in Southern France, and we wonder if she will retrieve her little brother before he dies or starves or hopefully, is rescued. Unfortunately, another storyline involving a two dimensional American woman whining about her insensetive French husband comes in every other chapter and the mediocre writing makes what could have been an interesting story less than satisfying.
March 4, 2009
I might have given this book higher marks if I hadn't just finished the infinitely superior The Book Thief. But as it is I'm feeling pretty generous with my 2 stars. The subject matter was intriguing. I didn't realize what had happened with the Jews in France. But the author spent too little time with Sarah and her experience there and too much time with boring, self-absorbed, present day Julia and her sex life. Snore!
June 17, 2015
*spoilers!!! Lots of spoilers. Don't read this.*
disclaimer: This is a review of the book, Sarah's Key, and not the Holocaust. (I give the Holocaust negative infinity stars, if you were wondering.)
Fuck you Sarah's Key, you manipulative sonofabitching asshole. How dare you make me feel like this at Christmas?! Dead baby brother in a cupboard?! Really?! Gassing the parents at Auschwitz wasn't enough? I don’t give a goddamn what you throw at me for the rest of the story. I WILL NOT CRY AFTER THAT BULLSHIT. I know that’s all you want and you’re not going to get it!* Not from me.
None of the miserable crap in this story would even happen! Here's Sarah and her little brother as the police are banging on the door and taking the whole family away for being Jewish:
"She grabbed him, but he wriggled out of her grasp and slithered into the long, deep cupboard hidden in the surface of the wall of their bedroom. The one they played hide-and-seek in. They hid there all the time, locked themselves in, and it was like their own little house. Maman and Papa knew about it, but they always pretended they didn't."
Do they make cupboards that lock from the inside? No.
If you’ve got two kids who like to play in a cupboard with a lock, do you let them play in it with the key so they can lock each other in? No. You unlock it and hide the key. Duh.
If the police come for you and you want to protect your brother, even if you think you’re coming back in the morning, do you lock your brother in there for the night? No. No one would do that. Not even a 10-year-old. You'd just close him in. If the police try to open a cupboard to look inside and it's locked, they're going to make you unlock it.
In times of extreme fear does a 4-year-old kid decide to stay in a cupboard instead of going with their parents? No.
** see comments for revisions I should make to the two preceding paragraphs based on a fact I missed while skimming like the barbaric, hell-bound skimmer that I am. **
Then on top of all that we're supposed to believe that a new family moves into the apartment right after the old family leaves and no one smells the rotting child in the cupboard?!?! Have you ever had a mouse die under your refrigerator? A raccoon die under your porch? Right. But lets just assume that the family doesn't smell it. Maybe they don't have noses! They would still probably pick the lock so they could USE THE CUPBOARD in their goddamn new apartment!!! The whole premise of the whole plot is just one flaw after another. And then that terrible poem at the end! WHY?!?!
Not to mention the half-assed chick-lit nitwit character I couldn’t care less about. Fucking Julia. I wish she would die in a locked cupboard. She takes up most of the book with her idiotic pregnancy and her arrogant French husband. (How refreshing! An arrogant Frenchman! Where on earth did the author come up with that?!?)
Ok. Ok. Obviously this book made me really really mad and I gave it two stars, which is kind of weird! But here's why: The Sarah part of the story was really quite good. I learned about the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup, which is interesting and upsetting and I'd never even heard of. It made me feel awful and guilty and pissed off, but it made me FEEL. And that's something.
*I shed one small tear at the very end totally against my will, DAMMIT! When she named the baby Sarah, even though I saw it coming a mile away and I hated her anyway so why do I care?!?! URRGH!!! (I hated Julia, not the baby. I'm sure the baby was sweet.)
disclaimer: This is a review of the book, Sarah's Key, and not the Holocaust. (I give the Holocaust negative infinity stars, if you were wondering.)
Fuck you Sarah's Key, you manipulative sonofabitching asshole. How dare you make me feel like this at Christmas?! Dead baby brother in a cupboard?! Really?! Gassing the parents at Auschwitz wasn't enough? I don’t give a goddamn what you throw at me for the rest of the story. I WILL NOT CRY AFTER THAT BULLSHIT. I know that’s all you want and you’re not going to get it!* Not from me.
None of the miserable crap in this story would even happen! Here's Sarah and her little brother as the police are banging on the door and taking the whole family away for being Jewish:
"She grabbed him, but he wriggled out of her grasp and slithered into the long, deep cupboard hidden in the surface of the wall of their bedroom. The one they played hide-and-seek in. They hid there all the time, locked themselves in, and it was like their own little house. Maman and Papa knew about it, but they always pretended they didn't."
Do they make cupboards that lock from the inside? No.
If you’ve got two kids who like to play in a cupboard with a lock, do you let them play in it with the key so they can lock each other in? No. You unlock it and hide the key. Duh.
If the police come for you and you want to protect your brother, even if you think you’re coming back in the morning, do you lock your brother in there for the night? No. No one would do that. Not even a 10-year-old. You'd just close him in. If the police try to open a cupboard to look inside and it's locked, they're going to make you unlock it.
In times of extreme fear does a 4-year-old kid decide to stay in a cupboard instead of going with their parents? No.
** see comments for revisions I should make to the two preceding paragraphs based on a fact I missed while skimming like the barbaric, hell-bound skimmer that I am. **
Then on top of all that we're supposed to believe that a new family moves into the apartment right after the old family leaves and no one smells the rotting child in the cupboard?!?! Have you ever had a mouse die under your refrigerator? A raccoon die under your porch? Right. But lets just assume that the family doesn't smell it. Maybe they don't have noses! They would still probably pick the lock so they could USE THE CUPBOARD in their goddamn new apartment!!! The whole premise of the whole plot is just one flaw after another. And then that terrible poem at the end! WHY?!?!
Not to mention the half-assed chick-lit nitwit character I couldn’t care less about. Fucking Julia. I wish she would die in a locked cupboard. She takes up most of the book with her idiotic pregnancy and her arrogant French husband. (How refreshing! An arrogant Frenchman! Where on earth did the author come up with that?!?)
Ok. Ok. Obviously this book made me really really mad and I gave it two stars, which is kind of weird! But here's why: The Sarah part of the story was really quite good. I learned about the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup, which is interesting and upsetting and I'd never even heard of. It made me feel awful and guilty and pissed off, but it made me FEEL. And that's something.
*I shed one small tear at the very end totally against my will, DAMMIT! When she named the baby Sarah, even though I saw it coming a mile away and I hated her anyway so why do I care?!?! URRGH!!! (I hated Julia, not the baby. I'm sure the baby was sweet.)
December 19, 2018
This story could only have been written by a French person because anyone else could, and possibly would, be seen as casting stones. Fortunately, Tatiana de Rosnay is a French citizen and her bravery is outstanding as she brings to light the heartbreaking historical story that runs underneath the fictional story like a dark, terrifying catacomb below the streets of Paris.
On July 16 and 17, 1942, 13,152 Jews were arrested in Paris and the suburbs, deported and assassinated at Auschwitz. In the Véledrome d’Hiver that once stood on this spot, 1,129 men, 2,916 women, and 4,115 children were packed here in inhuman conditions by the government of the Vichy police, by order of the Nazi occupant. May those who tried to save them be thanked. Passerby, never forget!
Those are the words on a plaque near where the original Véledrome d’Hiver (nicknamed the Vel’ d’Hiv’) was located. A huge arena with seats and galleries reaching nearly to the roof where usually races were held; on those days of July, the walls were filled permanently with fear, confusion, desolation, and misery. Over six thousand Parisian policemen were commissioned to carry out this atrocity.
This is the story of Sarah who, with her parents, were part of “the roundup”. This is also the story of Julia who, for the 60th anniversary, was to write the story of this terrible event for the American magazine she worked for in Paris. The stories of these two characters become inextricably bound as Julia’s research for her article branches off into a quest to learn more about one particular little girl, Sarah.
This novel is brilliant, and so well written that when I set the book down the first time after starting it, I was convinced I would never be able to write a review because I was too upset. Not just upset, angry. We are now almost 77 years removed from this event – and how quickly we forget.
I wasn’t going to, but I did edit out several paragraphs of a rant about how close we all are to yet more atrocities in our current world climate. They are already happening. Ultimately, 76,000 Jews were deported from France for assassination during occupation by the Nazis. This could not have happened without the cooperation of the police and the people who informed on their friends, neighbours, doctors, lawyers, teachers, writers, artists, librarians, salespeople, service contractors . . .
I don’t think we have to look very hard or very far to see how close we are to this same level of blind, ignorance-driven and manufactured fear that leads to catastrophe. Yet, power-mongers continue to manufacture and use fear – and continue to be listened to, revered, and in some cases elected to offices of authority and power.
Kudos to Tatiana de Rosnay for her courage in telling this story. It has already been read by millions of people around the world. My hope is that it continues to be read by millions more. Zakhor , Al Tichkah. Remember. Never forget.
On July 16 and 17, 1942, 13,152 Jews were arrested in Paris and the suburbs, deported and assassinated at Auschwitz. In the Véledrome d’Hiver that once stood on this spot, 1,129 men, 2,916 women, and 4,115 children were packed here in inhuman conditions by the government of the Vichy police, by order of the Nazi occupant. May those who tried to save them be thanked. Passerby, never forget!
Those are the words on a plaque near where the original Véledrome d’Hiver (nicknamed the Vel’ d’Hiv’) was located. A huge arena with seats and galleries reaching nearly to the roof where usually races were held; on those days of July, the walls were filled permanently with fear, confusion, desolation, and misery. Over six thousand Parisian policemen were commissioned to carry out this atrocity.
This is the story of Sarah who, with her parents, were part of “the roundup”. This is also the story of Julia who, for the 60th anniversary, was to write the story of this terrible event for the American magazine she worked for in Paris. The stories of these two characters become inextricably bound as Julia’s research for her article branches off into a quest to learn more about one particular little girl, Sarah.
This novel is brilliant, and so well written that when I set the book down the first time after starting it, I was convinced I would never be able to write a review because I was too upset. Not just upset, angry. We are now almost 77 years removed from this event – and how quickly we forget.
I wasn’t going to, but I did edit out several paragraphs of a rant about how close we all are to yet more atrocities in our current world climate. They are already happening. Ultimately, 76,000 Jews were deported from France for assassination during occupation by the Nazis. This could not have happened without the cooperation of the police and the people who informed on their friends, neighbours, doctors, lawyers, teachers, writers, artists, librarians, salespeople, service contractors . . .
I don’t think we have to look very hard or very far to see how close we are to this same level of blind, ignorance-driven and manufactured fear that leads to catastrophe. Yet, power-mongers continue to manufacture and use fear – and continue to be listened to, revered, and in some cases elected to offices of authority and power.
Kudos to Tatiana de Rosnay for her courage in telling this story. It has already been read by millions of people around the world. My hope is that it continues to be read by millions more. Zakhor , Al Tichkah. Remember. Never forget.
July 1, 2020
3.5 stars. This is a dual-timeline historical fiction novel, about the arrests of Jewish families in France during WWII and their terrible experiences, focusing on the actual historic Vel' d'Hiv' roundup in July 1942, and a modern journalist's investigation of that event and her search for some of the people involved.
The inside of the Vélodrome d'Hiver bicycle stadium, demolished in 1959
In the 1942 timeline, in Paris: a 10 year old girl is arrested with her Polish mother and father in the middle of the night. Her 3 or 4 year old brother, terrified, hides himself in their secret hiding place, a hidden cupboard. Sarah locks him in, assuring him that she'll be back in a few hours. Instead her family is taken to the Vélodrome d'Hiver, a bicycle stadium, where they and thousands of other Jewish families, including many children, were held in deplorable conditions, without enough food, water or sanitary facilities, for 5 days before being sent on to prison camps. The family, frantic to get their little boy, plead with the police, but nothing is done.
In the other timeline, the year 2002, also in Paris: Julia Jarmond, an American journalist married to a Frenchman, who has lived in Paris for about 25 years, is asked to write an article about the Vel' d'Hiv's roundup on its 60th anniversary. As she investigates, she finds that her husband's family home is where Sarah's family lived before they were arrested. Julia feels compelled to investigate this particular aspect of the tragedy, and gets involved deeper and deeper, despite resistance from her husband and others.
This book had a major impact on me, and when I first finished it I thought it was an easy 4 stars, despite some significant weaknesses in characterization and what felt like author manipulation. But in the cold light of morning those things are bothering me more. The characters, especially the present-day ones, are mostly stereotypes: the suave, cheating French husband, the wise-beyond-her-years daughter, the over-eager nurse at an abortion facility, people hiding old secrets with a stiff upper lip. It's pretty well written, but they're still thin. It's also an emotionally manipulative book, from Sarah's experiences to Julia's love life. I felt like the author was too obvious in pushing the reader to feel in certain ways.
But there were a couple of unexpected twists for me in the plot, and the Vel' d'Hiv' plotline is truly compelling. It brought tears to my eyes. I don't regret reading it at all, if only because I'm glad to know more about this tragic historical event.
The inside of the Vélodrome d'Hiver bicycle stadium, demolished in 1959
In the 1942 timeline, in Paris: a 10 year old girl is arrested with her Polish mother and father in the middle of the night. Her 3 or 4 year old brother, terrified, hides himself in their secret hiding place, a hidden cupboard. Sarah locks him in, assuring him that she'll be back in a few hours. Instead her family is taken to the Vélodrome d'Hiver, a bicycle stadium, where they and thousands of other Jewish families, including many children, were held in deplorable conditions, without enough food, water or sanitary facilities, for 5 days before being sent on to prison camps. The family, frantic to get their little boy, plead with the police, but nothing is done.
In the other timeline, the year 2002, also in Paris: Julia Jarmond, an American journalist married to a Frenchman, who has lived in Paris for about 25 years, is asked to write an article about the Vel' d'Hiv's roundup on its 60th anniversary. As she investigates, she finds that her husband's family home is where Sarah's family lived before they were arrested. Julia feels compelled to investigate this particular aspect of the tragedy, and gets involved deeper and deeper, despite resistance from her husband and others.
This book had a major impact on me, and when I first finished it I thought it was an easy 4 stars, despite some significant weaknesses in characterization and what felt like author manipulation. But in the cold light of morning those things are bothering me more. The characters, especially the present-day ones, are mostly stereotypes: the suave, cheating French husband, the wise-beyond-her-years daughter, the over-eager nurse at an abortion facility, people hiding old secrets with a stiff upper lip. It's pretty well written, but they're still thin. It's also an emotionally manipulative book, from Sarah's experiences to Julia's love life. I felt like the author was too obvious in pushing the reader to feel in certain ways.
But there were a couple of unexpected twists for me in the plot, and the Vel' d'Hiv' plotline is truly compelling. It brought tears to my eyes. I don't regret reading it at all, if only because I'm glad to know more about this tragic historical event.
October 22, 2009
October 2009: re-reading this book again for another book club. I hope I like it better than the 1st time but so far I'm not seeing it. Why would she use a word like "ingurgitating" when you can say "ate"?? That kind of writing irritates me a lot. The true story is heartbreaking, and very interesting, but her writing just doesn't impress me as expressing the true horrors experienced by the deported Jews, or any real feeling for Julia's anger at her husband disdainful treatment of her.
Spring 2009: Predictable story, pedestrian & predictable writing: None of the plot surprises were surprising. I felt I wasted my time on this book (selected for a book club I belong to)
Spring 2009: Predictable story, pedestrian & predictable writing: None of the plot surprises were surprising. I felt I wasted my time on this book (selected for a book club I belong to)
September 30, 2025
Frankly, I don't know where to start from.
Something happened and it's still in my mind and heart for this book. These are the kind of books that makes feel like there is nothing outside the world of reading. These are the writers of particular category that always makes me realize that my dream of publishing book someday, even if that come true, I'll never be able to put myself across these authors, ever.
Tatiana de Rosnay had done something exceptional with this book that you can't be left untouched from it. Every single word of it is like the free-float of leave from the branch of its tree. So smooth and so fine. The figures of speech used were fabulous; like, "The eyes of a woman in the face of a ten-year-old girl."
In starting, few chapters make me feel like paranoid. It seemed blurred. It was hard to make connections with the two stories running along, with such type of writing structure, this was so new to me. But the way these stories moved ahead to meet at a junction, I must say I was in some other place, on the chapter that worked as a conjunction to these two stories on the +ve and -ve word scale, to meet at 0 point. And from there it moved in some other direction along.
Sarah is the main character of the story but she's more like a prop. The Story is much stronger only due to the presence of the narration via Julia. If this was from the perspective of Sarah, it could have spoiled far back. But Julia let it go successfully.
The way the guilt feeling of Tezac’s was elaborated, its phenomenon. This is main frame of the whole story. The main theme, I must say. A true historical event of the “Vélodrome d ‘Hiver” roundups of French Jews in Paris in July of 1942 has been taken as the platform to cast the story. In July 1995, Jacques Chirac, the then President of France was the first one (officially) to accept publicly the role & responsibility of French government (specifically, police) in the roundups of 1942. The whole scenario is very well depicted.
Incident of the Michel was the gravest topic came up like the horror to me. Much more than the mass arrest of the French Jews, as per it’s given facts. The Love and care of Sarah for her 4-year old little brother is far ahead of any relation that bring forth in this book. The different places that worked like the interim camps in France were placed with very clarity given due details. Every character and their roles were scripted so well. So Nicely.
In every sort, this book has become much closer to my heart and will remain there forever.
For me its 5.0/5.0; I wish if I could give more to it.
Something happened and it's still in my mind and heart for this book. These are the kind of books that makes feel like there is nothing outside the world of reading. These are the writers of particular category that always makes me realize that my dream of publishing book someday, even if that come true, I'll never be able to put myself across these authors, ever.
Tatiana de Rosnay had done something exceptional with this book that you can't be left untouched from it. Every single word of it is like the free-float of leave from the branch of its tree. So smooth and so fine. The figures of speech used were fabulous; like, "The eyes of a woman in the face of a ten-year-old girl."
In starting, few chapters make me feel like paranoid. It seemed blurred. It was hard to make connections with the two stories running along, with such type of writing structure, this was so new to me. But the way these stories moved ahead to meet at a junction, I must say I was in some other place, on the chapter that worked as a conjunction to these two stories on the +ve and -ve word scale, to meet at 0 point. And from there it moved in some other direction along.
Sarah is the main character of the story but she's more like a prop. The Story is much stronger only due to the presence of the narration via Julia. If this was from the perspective of Sarah, it could have spoiled far back. But Julia let it go successfully.
The way the guilt feeling of Tezac’s was elaborated, its phenomenon. This is main frame of the whole story. The main theme, I must say. A true historical event of the “Vélodrome d ‘Hiver” roundups of French Jews in Paris in July of 1942 has been taken as the platform to cast the story. In July 1995, Jacques Chirac, the then President of France was the first one (officially) to accept publicly the role & responsibility of French government (specifically, police) in the roundups of 1942. The whole scenario is very well depicted.
Incident of the Michel was the gravest topic came up like the horror to me. Much more than the mass arrest of the French Jews, as per it’s given facts. The Love and care of Sarah for her 4-year old little brother is far ahead of any relation that bring forth in this book. The different places that worked like the interim camps in France were placed with very clarity given due details. Every character and their roles were scripted so well. So Nicely.
In every sort, this book has become much closer to my heart and will remain there forever.
For me its 5.0/5.0; I wish if I could give more to it.
May 6, 2020
A tragic and beautifully told story that is moving and evocative. Having read this as a book club read some years ago it was nice to read it again and take it for what it was just a well written and beautifully told story, and a book that will stay with me many years from now.
Sarah's Key is the poignant story of two families, forever linked and haunted by one of the darkest days in France's past. In this emotionally intense, page-turning novel, Tatiana de Rosnay reveals the guilt brought on by long-buried secrets and the damage that the truth can inflict when they finally come unravelled.
I find I read books differently when I am reading them for sit in book club as opposed to leisurely reading for my own enjoyment, I sometimes think I am trying to hard to find the discussion value in the book or how others might see a situation or how my own opinion might become altered in the discussion.
While awaiting a book delivery I am picking out a couple of books that I have wanted to re-read for various reasons and Sarah’s Key is ones that I wanted to revisit.
Based on an event in history Known as the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup French police, directed by Nazis, arrested and deported 13,000 Jewish men, women and children and the majority of those arrested were deported to Auschwitz.
The book follows two main characters Sarah, the young daughter of a Jewish family taken in 1942 and Julia, a journalist in modern day Paris, who has an assignment to write about the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. Both stories are interesting but I was more taken with Sarah’s story and the historical events of the time.
While I really enjoyed the book for its page turning value and memorable characters. I wasn’t a fan of the romantic element of the story and the ending didn’t really work for me either.
However I really did enjoy the novel and any book that highlights important events in history in my option are worth their weight in gold.
Sarah's Key is the poignant story of two families, forever linked and haunted by one of the darkest days in France's past. In this emotionally intense, page-turning novel, Tatiana de Rosnay reveals the guilt brought on by long-buried secrets and the damage that the truth can inflict when they finally come unravelled.
I find I read books differently when I am reading them for sit in book club as opposed to leisurely reading for my own enjoyment, I sometimes think I am trying to hard to find the discussion value in the book or how others might see a situation or how my own opinion might become altered in the discussion.
While awaiting a book delivery I am picking out a couple of books that I have wanted to re-read for various reasons and Sarah’s Key is ones that I wanted to revisit.
Based on an event in history Known as the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup French police, directed by Nazis, arrested and deported 13,000 Jewish men, women and children and the majority of those arrested were deported to Auschwitz.
The book follows two main characters Sarah, the young daughter of a Jewish family taken in 1942 and Julia, a journalist in modern day Paris, who has an assignment to write about the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. Both stories are interesting but I was more taken with Sarah’s story and the historical events of the time.
While I really enjoyed the book for its page turning value and memorable characters. I wasn’t a fan of the romantic element of the story and the ending didn’t really work for me either.
However I really did enjoy the novel and any book that highlights important events in history in my option are worth their weight in gold.
August 27, 2008
I finished "Sarah's Key" this morning and I have so many thoughts going through my head about it. I loved the pacing of the story, how it switched between Sarah's story and Julia's story up until the point where the two merged. I loved how the style of Sarah's story was completely different than the style of Julia's story. I loved how both stories made me cry, even though I knew what was coming. I loved how realistically the characters were portrayed. Nobody was all good or all bad, just human with human frailties. I loved the depictions of the small acts of conscience and kindness. I had no idea about the roundups of Jews in France. I did know that the Nazis tended to just send children who were too young to work straight to the gas chambers. I think the author did a good job of illustrating why the French people seemed to forget what had happened and how the Holocaust indirectly affected them. I hope writers continue writing stories like "Sarah's Key" that bring the atrocities of the Holocaust to light so we can learn and not repeat those mistakes.
February 3, 2010
I agree with Katie on this one. I did not enjoy this book. It tells two stories -- one, about a young French girl whose family is rounded up and taken away during the Holocaust, and the other about a modern-day journalist who is tracking down her story. Julia, the contemporary narrator, was self-obsessed, clueless and downright annoying. I couldn't stand her husband, or even her perfect little kid, for that matter. It made it hard to root for them because they were just so unlikeable. The premise behind Sarah's story was good, but her character was so underdeveloped that I didn't feel emotionally invested in her story at all. I wanted to feel something, because it was a Holocaust story, for crying out loud, but maybe once you've read The Book Thief, everything else pales in comparison. Plus, rather than showing the horrible conditions Sarah went through and letting the audience feel sad because they cared about her, the author just kept telling us how sad and terrible everything was, so there was nothing left to feel. It seemed like lazy writing. Also, the story was sooooooo predictable. Every major plot point I saw coming from a thousand miles away -- I kept hoping that the author was intentionally misleading her readers, only to surprise them in the end, but no, everything turned out EXACTLY as I predicted from probably the first twenty pages. Sigh.
March 16, 2009
3 1/2 stars
This author grew up in France and was never taught at school about the French complicity in rounding up Jews for the Nazis. When she discovered information about the Vel' D'Hiv' roundup, she knew she had to write about it. The book is her tribute to the 4,000 children who were victims of that roundup.
I cried for these little people. They were robbed of their chance at life before it ever really got started. Bad enough that they were killed, but before that, they were left in the French camp without their parents. Some of these kids were toddlers, left there with no one to comfort them and no understanding of what was happening. The least we can do is to know their story and remember them.
I felt like the Vel' D'Hiv' story was diluted by the current day drama of Julia and her "vain Frog" husband Bertrand. I suppose the author was trying to connect the two time periods, but I would have liked to have more information about the families of children like Sarah. Of course, it doesn't help that I hated Bertrand and all his petty little concerns. Regardless of that complaint,I still think everyone should read this book. It highlights an important story.
This author grew up in France and was never taught at school about the French complicity in rounding up Jews for the Nazis. When she discovered information about the Vel' D'Hiv' roundup, she knew she had to write about it. The book is her tribute to the 4,000 children who were victims of that roundup.
I cried for these little people. They were robbed of their chance at life before it ever really got started. Bad enough that they were killed, but before that, they were left in the French camp without their parents. Some of these kids were toddlers, left there with no one to comfort them and no understanding of what was happening. The least we can do is to know their story and remember them.
I felt like the Vel' D'Hiv' story was diluted by the current day drama of Julia and her "vain Frog" husband Bertrand. I suppose the author was trying to connect the two time periods, but I would have liked to have more information about the families of children like Sarah. Of course, it doesn't help that I hated Bertrand and all his petty little concerns. Regardless of that complaint,I still think everyone should read this book. It highlights an important story.
February 7, 2016
Let me start off by saying I could not put this book down. I must also say, that this book ripped my heart into tiny pieces and I'm not sure I'll ever be the same. Really. Maybe it's because I'm a mom or maybe I'm just an incredibly sensitive person. But I now have images in my brain that will never leave.
Sarah's Key takes place in France - switching between the modern day and the early days of World War II. I really like books like this, and I think the author did a fine job of transitioning us back and forth and filling in the blank spots. Sarah is a 10 year old girl living in Paris when her life is shattered by the French Police, who come into her home to arrest her parents and deport them, along with thousands of other French Jews. Her haunting story is intertwined with that of Julia, a journalist who stumbles upon Sarah's story as well as learning about the involvement of the French Police in the deportations.
Julia's fascination with the story leads her on a journey of not only self-discovery, but also a discovery of a her family's past, a country's past, and the consequences of a terrible secret.
Sarah's Key takes place in France - switching between the modern day and the early days of World War II. I really like books like this, and I think the author did a fine job of transitioning us back and forth and filling in the blank spots. Sarah is a 10 year old girl living in Paris when her life is shattered by the French Police, who come into her home to arrest her parents and deport them, along with thousands of other French Jews. Her haunting story is intertwined with that of Julia, a journalist who stumbles upon Sarah's story as well as learning about the involvement of the French Police in the deportations.
Julia's fascination with the story leads her on a journey of not only self-discovery, but also a discovery of a her family's past, a country's past, and the consequences of a terrible secret.
February 10, 2017
My first by this author and I found it very readable. I was aware of the treatment of the Jews in Paris as a group but I had never heard of this particular event where the children were separated, subjected to terrible cruelty and finally killed. Horrible.
Actually my worst moment in the book was right at the beginning when Sophie turns the key in the cupboard door. I spent the next few chapters praying that it would be okay
I enjoyed the way the book was written, in both modern day and WW2 Paris. The two stories were so bound up in each other that it did not seem forced when the main characters' chapters alternated. A slightly ambiguous ending leaves the reader making the final decision on what happens next.
I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction especially involving WW2.
Actually my worst moment in the book was right at the beginning when Sophie turns the key in the cupboard door. I spent the next few chapters praying that it would be okay
I enjoyed the way the book was written, in both modern day and WW2 Paris. The two stories were so bound up in each other that it did not seem forced when the main characters' chapters alternated. A slightly ambiguous ending leaves the reader making the final decision on what happens next.
I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction especially involving WW2.
February 9, 2017
Added 11/8/09.
In _Sarah's Key_ the chapters alternate between the war era and the time sixty years later. We watch as a reporter tries to find out more about what happened during the 1942 round-up of Jewish people in France (known as the "Vel' d’Hiv’ Roundup") (Vélodrome d'Hiver). We also watch the actual round-up as it is happening. The alternating views keep you reading as the suspense builds up.
This is a heartbreaking piece of fiction. It brings home the horror of those Holocaust days and warns that the events of that time must not be hidden away and forgotten.
Below is a quote from a review at Amazon:
“This is a remarkable historical novel, a book which brings to light a disturbing and deliberately hidden aspect of French behavior towards Jews during World War II. Like Sophie's Choice, it's a book that impresses itself upon one's heart and soul forever.”
–Naomi Ragen, author of The Saturday Wife and The Covenant
I finished reading this book in a very short time (for me). It's so compelling. I think I'll remember it for a long time.
PS-I'm looking forward to seeing the movie adapted from the book in 2010:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Sar...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1668200/
PPS-The movie was well done. I watched it in January 2012 via a Netflix DVD. The young actress, Mélusine Mayance, who played Sarah as a little girl was terrific. Below is a link to her IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3274621/
In _Sarah's Key_ the chapters alternate between the war era and the time sixty years later. We watch as a reporter tries to find out more about what happened during the 1942 round-up of Jewish people in France (known as the "Vel' d’Hiv’ Roundup") (Vélodrome d'Hiver). We also watch the actual round-up as it is happening. The alternating views keep you reading as the suspense builds up.
This is a heartbreaking piece of fiction. It brings home the horror of those Holocaust days and warns that the events of that time must not be hidden away and forgotten.
Below is a quote from a review at Amazon:
“This is a remarkable historical novel, a book which brings to light a disturbing and deliberately hidden aspect of French behavior towards Jews during World War II. Like Sophie's Choice, it's a book that impresses itself upon one's heart and soul forever.”
–Naomi Ragen, author of The Saturday Wife and The Covenant
I finished reading this book in a very short time (for me). It's so compelling. I think I'll remember it for a long time.
PS-I'm looking forward to seeing the movie adapted from the book in 2010:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Sar...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1668200/
PPS-The movie was well done. I watched it in January 2012 via a Netflix DVD. The young actress, Mélusine Mayance, who played Sarah as a little girl was terrific. Below is a link to her IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3274621/
March 20, 2016
This book is difficult for me to rate. It was so beautifully written. The characters were people that I felt I had known my entire life. I felt I could see them, hear them, feel their pain... Yet I wish the author would have evolved Mame's story. Honestly I wanted for Mame to be Sarah. Julia and Mame had a relationship I wanted to read more about and the author took that from me. I didn't care for the ending or how Sarah died... I wanted Julia to find her. I wanted for Michel to get out of the cupboard and find Sarah. There were so many things I wanted from this book. It just fell short for me. Not a horrible read... But not as I expected.
Thank you Tracey for the buddy read :)
Thank you Tracey for the buddy read :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2019
An emotional, harrowing, poignant and well written book. This revolves around two periods of time. Set in July 1942 during the roundup of Jews in Paris to send them to their deaths in Auschwitz, known as the vel d hiv.Ten year old Sarah Starzynski's life is forever changes when the Vichy police come to her family's apartment to arrest her and her parents, She hides her four year old brother in a cupboard and promises him she will return for him. She is deported to an internment camp in route to Auschwitz but escapes with another little girl and takes refuge with an old couple in a farmhouse near Orleans. The author succeeds in tying this to the story. The Nazis raid the house and take Sarah's critically ill friend Rachel to her death. Sarah remains hidden. she later returns to the flat with her adoptive grandparents and find a new family living in the apartment, as well as the corpse of her baby brother. De Rosnay
succeeds in conveying the horror and fear of the times and the love which Sarah receives from her adoptive family.
The story is paralleled by that of Julia Jarmond, an American born journalist living in Paris in 2002, married to an arrogant and selfish Frenchman. Jarmond begins work for her magazine on the vents surrounding the Vel d hiv, she stumbles upon Sarah's story and though pregnant her life begins to revolve around tying up the story when to her horror she discovers that the apartment her husband's family moved in to in 1942 that the the Jewish Starzynski family was brutally seized from.
Hence Sarah's story ties in with that of Julia and her family.
I would have preferred to read more of Sarah's life after the war, as a fascinating beautiful young woman living with her adoptive family, but this is mainly revealed through Julia's story.
De Rosnay is a talented writer who has crafted a thoroughly readable, penetrating, poignant and harrowing work, that I finished in two days. Succeeds in bringing to life the vel d hiv and the fate of the French Jews, and has informed many readers of the horrific events surrounding that ruthless action in which the French vichy police played an equal role to that of the German Nazis.
succeeds in conveying the horror and fear of the times and the love which Sarah receives from her adoptive family.
The story is paralleled by that of Julia Jarmond, an American born journalist living in Paris in 2002, married to an arrogant and selfish Frenchman. Jarmond begins work for her magazine on the vents surrounding the Vel d hiv, she stumbles upon Sarah's story and though pregnant her life begins to revolve around tying up the story when to her horror she discovers that the apartment her husband's family moved in to in 1942 that the the Jewish Starzynski family was brutally seized from.
Hence Sarah's story ties in with that of Julia and her family.
I would have preferred to read more of Sarah's life after the war, as a fascinating beautiful young woman living with her adoptive family, but this is mainly revealed through Julia's story.
De Rosnay is a talented writer who has crafted a thoroughly readable, penetrating, poignant and harrowing work, that I finished in two days. Succeeds in bringing to life the vel d hiv and the fate of the French Jews, and has informed many readers of the horrific events surrounding that ruthless action in which the French vichy police played an equal role to that of the German Nazis.
September 18, 2012
This is one of those books with an interesting idea that was executed very poorly. It's always disappointing to read books like this because I can't help but think with every wrong turn, every cringe worthy sentence that this could have been so much better in a capable writer's hands.
First off, as I said, it's a very interesting idea. The basic story of Sarah is intriguing and the story of the Vel' d'Hiv' children should be read. However, de Rosnay just doesn't pull it off. She simply is not a good enough author. She uses so many cheap tactics throughout the entire novel. First, the awkward beginning without any sort of set up or characterization. She jumps straight into the roundup without introducing any of the characters. We hardly get to know them, even Sarah, during the entire novel. Second, the modern, parallel story that every single WWII book published in the last few years seems to have. This is an overused tactic that has been run into the ground and beaten down. It's difficult to find a recent book about the Holocaust that doesn't use a parallel story line. Thirdly, the short chapters were very jarring. It felt as if she was using the short chapters to avoid ever having to delve too deep. If the point of view was changing every few pages than maybe no one would notice how much she glossed over.
Now the writing. Frankly, let's face it, the writing was terrible. The best I can say is that it did seem to get a little better as the book went on (or maybe I just got used to it). While reading it, I had to stop at times to read parts out loud to my friends because there were passages that were so awkward. The sentences were short and simple. Too often it felt as though she had looked up words in a thesaurus. Also, she failed to ever completely draw me in. I'm a total sucker when it comes to sad books and cry very easily while reading, however, I never once cried during Sarah's Key, despite the subject matter which I think speaks greatly to the poor quality of the writing.
Next, Sarah's story seemed to be end way too quickly. Taking all the chapters, there was very little time with Sarah. It would have been nice had de Rosnay actually spent more time developing Sarah's character. As I mentioned before, it was frustrating that the book starts with the roundup because we get absolutely no chance to get to know Sarah and it doesn't get any better later. It also would have added a lot to have more from Sarah's perspective instead of those chapters simply ending so soon. Julia's story really isn't that interesting and I would much rather have heard more about Sarah. It just felt like lazy writing.
It gets two stars mostly because I reserve one star for books that I actively hate which is not the case with Sarah's Key. It is, however, a very disappointing and underwhelming book.
First off, as I said, it's a very interesting idea. The basic story of Sarah is intriguing and the story of the Vel' d'Hiv' children should be read. However, de Rosnay just doesn't pull it off. She simply is not a good enough author. She uses so many cheap tactics throughout the entire novel. First, the awkward beginning without any sort of set up or characterization. She jumps straight into the roundup without introducing any of the characters. We hardly get to know them, even Sarah, during the entire novel. Second, the modern, parallel story that every single WWII book published in the last few years seems to have. This is an overused tactic that has been run into the ground and beaten down. It's difficult to find a recent book about the Holocaust that doesn't use a parallel story line. Thirdly, the short chapters were very jarring. It felt as if she was using the short chapters to avoid ever having to delve too deep. If the point of view was changing every few pages than maybe no one would notice how much she glossed over.
Now the writing. Frankly, let's face it, the writing was terrible. The best I can say is that it did seem to get a little better as the book went on (or maybe I just got used to it). While reading it, I had to stop at times to read parts out loud to my friends because there were passages that were so awkward. The sentences were short and simple. Too often it felt as though she had looked up words in a thesaurus. Also, she failed to ever completely draw me in. I'm a total sucker when it comes to sad books and cry very easily while reading, however, I never once cried during Sarah's Key, despite the subject matter which I think speaks greatly to the poor quality of the writing.
Next, Sarah's story seemed to be end way too quickly. Taking all the chapters, there was very little time with Sarah. It would have been nice had de Rosnay actually spent more time developing Sarah's character. As I mentioned before, it was frustrating that the book starts with the roundup because we get absolutely no chance to get to know Sarah and it doesn't get any better later. It also would have added a lot to have more from Sarah's perspective instead of those chapters simply ending so soon. Julia's story really isn't that interesting and I would much rather have heard more about Sarah. It just felt like lazy writing.
It gets two stars mostly because I reserve one star for books that I actively hate which is not the case with Sarah's Key. It is, however, a very disappointing and underwhelming book.
August 25, 2008
I wasn’t sure how the back and forth chapters between one girl in 1942 and a different woman in 2002 were going to work for me, but this story is so well told.
I thought I’d be interested in the 1942 story but wasn’t sure how much I’d become involved with the 2002 story, but much to my relief I enjoyed both stories, although I did think Sarah’s 1942 story was slightly stronger than Julia’s 2002 story. However, I do think my favorite character might be Zoe from the 2002 story.
Reading this was chilling, suspenseful, devastating, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. It’s about loss and the destructive power of secrets, both of which are subjects close to my heart, so it was very emotionally powerful for me.
I thought that the author created perfect cadence in her writing style; I loved it. I read it in two days as I was loathe to put it down.
The tale seemed mostly authentic, occasionally something rang slightly off but I didn’t take note and those moments were ones I forgot because the story as a whole rang true. It’s one of those tales made as vivid by fiction as by a non-fiction account, not diluted at all by the parallel story lines.
There were a couple of plot points that I think were meant to be subtle mysteries and that were glaringly obvious to me ahead of the reveal but, even though I noticed them and could tell the author was not being as clever as she meant to be, they did not really diminish my enjoyment of the book, but they did almost cause me to deduct a star from my rating.
I was ignorant of the specific event that took place in Paris in Nazi occupied France that’s the center of this story and I’ve read a lot of non-fiction and fiction holocaust books; I really appreciated this one because I do always enjoy learning new things, however disturbing.
The back of this paperback (advance readers’) edition has an author interview, historical perspective notes, recommended reading (many of the listed books will now go on my to-read shelf) and reading group questions.
This is now one of my treasured books. I am so grateful that I won it at Goodreads’ First Reads program. As soon as I saw it listed there, it went on my to-read list, but given the length of that list I’m not sure when I’d have actually read it; I am so glad that I did.
I thought I’d be interested in the 1942 story but wasn’t sure how much I’d become involved with the 2002 story, but much to my relief I enjoyed both stories, although I did think Sarah’s 1942 story was slightly stronger than Julia’s 2002 story. However, I do think my favorite character might be Zoe from the 2002 story.
Reading this was chilling, suspenseful, devastating, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. It’s about loss and the destructive power of secrets, both of which are subjects close to my heart, so it was very emotionally powerful for me.
I thought that the author created perfect cadence in her writing style; I loved it. I read it in two days as I was loathe to put it down.
The tale seemed mostly authentic, occasionally something rang slightly off but I didn’t take note and those moments were ones I forgot because the story as a whole rang true. It’s one of those tales made as vivid by fiction as by a non-fiction account, not diluted at all by the parallel story lines.
There were a couple of plot points that I think were meant to be subtle mysteries and that were glaringly obvious to me ahead of the reveal but, even though I noticed them and could tell the author was not being as clever as she meant to be, they did not really diminish my enjoyment of the book, but they did almost cause me to deduct a star from my rating.
I was ignorant of the specific event that took place in Paris in Nazi occupied France that’s the center of this story and I’ve read a lot of non-fiction and fiction holocaust books; I really appreciated this one because I do always enjoy learning new things, however disturbing.
The back of this paperback (advance readers’) edition has an author interview, historical perspective notes, recommended reading (many of the listed books will now go on my to-read shelf) and reading group questions.
This is now one of my treasured books. I am so grateful that I won it at Goodreads’ First Reads program. As soon as I saw it listed there, it went on my to-read list, but given the length of that list I’m not sure when I’d have actually read it; I am so glad that I did.
January 2, 2022
This is a very hard hitting Historical Fiction that takes place during WWII. The books jumps between Sarah has a child and Julia in present day (an reporter that her in laws lived in Sarah's childhood home). In the reviews people said that did not like Julia's parts, but I enjoyed both Sarah's and Julia's part. I have to say there is parts of this book that is super hard to read, so if you get upset because of things you read then Please look more into this book before reading this book. This book is well written, and the characters where very developed.
August 17, 2015
Julia Jarmond, an American journalist living in Paris, is assigned to cover the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Vel 'd 'Hiv, the day French Jews were arrested in the "roundup," and ultimately sent to the death camps in Auschwitz. She becomes obsessed with what she learns, particularly about the fate of one young girl and her family.
I found the story extraordinary on several levels. First, I was unaware of this historic event and found it astounding that so little is ever mentioned of France's involvement in the Holocaust. It's especially troubling given that it was French soldiers, not the Nazis, who orchestrated the roundup. Secondly, the contrasts between the attitudes of the French people in 1942 and those in the modern day portion of the story was chilling. The roar of indifference was deafening. Lastly, what was happening in Julia's personal life provided another opportunity to view the attitude of indifference more closely. Though her story wasn't as compelling, it helped me absorb those prevalent themes more deeply. I liked the ending, which seemed rather poignant given the journey of both people involved.
I listened to this book and felt the narrator's performance elevated the story. She provided a different tone to the historical portion, which helped me manage the transitions between the two periods. She was excellent.
I found the story extraordinary on several levels. First, I was unaware of this historic event and found it astounding that so little is ever mentioned of France's involvement in the Holocaust. It's especially troubling given that it was French soldiers, not the Nazis, who orchestrated the roundup. Secondly, the contrasts between the attitudes of the French people in 1942 and those in the modern day portion of the story was chilling. The roar of indifference was deafening. Lastly, what was happening in Julia's personal life provided another opportunity to view the attitude of indifference more closely. Though her story wasn't as compelling, it helped me absorb those prevalent themes more deeply. I liked the ending, which seemed rather poignant given the journey of both people involved.
I listened to this book and felt the narrator's performance elevated the story. She provided a different tone to the historical portion, which helped me manage the transitions between the two periods. She was excellent.
December 14, 2011
3.5 stars. A little predictable and melodramatic for a subject that doesn't need anyone playing with your emotions, but still a solid read. It was interesting learning about the French police involvement in the round up of Jews in what was the first deportation of women and children. I was left with not only a sadness for all those families torn from their lives and torn apart, but also for the lost culture and religion for the survivors. Children hidden and raised as Christian children, children who never knew they were of Jewish descent, children who lost the connection to their family line and heritage.
The beginning of Julia's story alternating with the girl's was strong. I had to find out what happened to Michel and who exactly Sarah would turn out to be. I also enjoyed Julie's own family drama and the mystery she uncovered that connected her to Sarah and her sad story, not only through geography but emotion as well.
But then Sarah's point of view ends and Julia's story flounders. I think some of the later points in the story would have been better told from Sarah's point of view, even if Julie never discovered them (driving home the point of these lost stories and people). It would have made the story drag less. Also, I could have used a little more selling on why discovering Sarah's story was so important to Julia. As it is, it felt like it was important only because the reader wanted to know, and urgent only because Rosnay didn't want to languish through an unrelated vacation. Once Julia met with William the story kind of fizzles and dies.
I don't think Rosnay knew how to end her story. After the big dramatic meeting, she fizzles through a bunch of pointless half scenes that feel more like notes that never make it into a final manuscript until she could make it to the final scene that would have worked better as an epilogue anyway.
It's a heart-wrenching story and I'd recommend it for anyone interested in the Holocaust.
The beginning of Julia's story alternating with the girl's was strong. I had to find out what happened to Michel and who exactly Sarah would turn out to be. I also enjoyed Julie's own family drama and the mystery she uncovered that connected her to Sarah and her sad story, not only through geography but emotion as well.
But then Sarah's point of view ends and Julia's story flounders. I think some of the later points in the story would have been better told from Sarah's point of view, even if Julie never discovered them (driving home the point of these lost stories and people). It would have made the story drag less. Also, I could have used a little more selling on why discovering Sarah's story was so important to Julia. As it is, it felt like it was important only because the reader wanted to know, and urgent only because Rosnay didn't want to languish through an unrelated vacation. Once Julia met with William the story kind of fizzles and dies.
I don't think Rosnay knew how to end her story. After the big dramatic meeting, she fizzles through a bunch of pointless half scenes that feel more like notes that never make it into a final manuscript until she could make it to the final scene that would have worked better as an epilogue anyway.
It's a heart-wrenching story and I'd recommend it for anyone interested in the Holocaust.
April 1, 2013
Reporter Julia Jarmond is investigating the events of 1942, when French authorities rounded up the Jews of the cities and put them in concentration camps, an investigation that uncovers links to her husband's family. But how will her tale intersect with that of the title character, a 10 year old girl separated from her family during the 1942 roundup?
First off, this is not something I would pick for myself. However, in the aftermath of a dinner featuring the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had, my girlfriend mentioned it being really good and subsequently brought it home from the library. In order to keep the biscuits and gravy train rolling smoothly, here we are.
Sarah's Key features two parallel plotlines for a good portion of the book, that of Sarah Starzynski and that of Julia Jarmond, the reporter who stumbles upon her story. The portion of the tale set in the past was my favorite by far but the present day tale had it's moments. I wasn't overly attached to Julia or her husband Bertrand, though. Especially Bertrand. He in no way conveyed the charm that was repeatedly attributed to him. Without spoiling anything, I longed for something bad to happen to him.
I was pretty sure I knew how the two plotlines would intersect and wound up being right in some ways. I loved how Julia's obsession chewed up the other aspects of her life and spat them every which way. The ending was pretty satisfying, if a little predictable. I'd give it a three and a half if such a thing was possible.
First off, this is not something I would pick for myself. However, in the aftermath of a dinner featuring the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had, my girlfriend mentioned it being really good and subsequently brought it home from the library. In order to keep the biscuits and gravy train rolling smoothly, here we are.
Sarah's Key features two parallel plotlines for a good portion of the book, that of Sarah Starzynski and that of Julia Jarmond, the reporter who stumbles upon her story. The portion of the tale set in the past was my favorite by far but the present day tale had it's moments. I wasn't overly attached to Julia or her husband Bertrand, though. Especially Bertrand. He in no way conveyed the charm that was repeatedly attributed to him. Without spoiling anything, I longed for something bad to happen to him.
I was pretty sure I knew how the two plotlines would intersect and wound up being right in some ways. I loved how Julia's obsession chewed up the other aspects of her life and spat them every which way. The ending was pretty satisfying, if a little predictable. I'd give it a three and a half if such a thing was possible.
June 28, 2021
This book has been on my TBR for a very long time. Why I do not know.
This is the haunting story of a little girl who hides her brother in a cupboard She and her parents are arrested in Paris in 1942, because they are Jewish.
Sarah needs to get back to Paris to rescue her brother. She keeps the key secretly in her pocket. Time is the essence. Will she succeed?
Current day Julia Jarmond is an American journalist doing a story on the 60th anniversary of Vel d’Hiv, the roundup of Jews in Paris. She is committed to find out what happened to Sarah and her family.
This is the haunting story of a little girl who hides her brother in a cupboard She and her parents are arrested in Paris in 1942, because they are Jewish.
Sarah needs to get back to Paris to rescue her brother. She keeps the key secretly in her pocket. Time is the essence. Will she succeed?
Current day Julia Jarmond is an American journalist doing a story on the 60th anniversary of Vel d’Hiv, the roundup of Jews in Paris. She is committed to find out what happened to Sarah and her family.
November 7, 2023
'The truth is harder than ignorance'.
Sarah is rudely awakened one night by incessant pounding on the front door. She rushes to wake up her mother, who hastily wraps a robe over herself and opens the door to the Vichy police. Frightened, Sarah's brother, Michel, begs to hide in their secret spot. Sarah agrees, locking the hidden cupboard with a promise to come back soon. It's only the French police, surely they won't be long. Eventually, it becomes tragically clear that they won't be back and her brother won't be freed. In fact, they have become a part of the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup. A collaboration between the Vichy and the Germans.
It's 60 years later and Julia Jarmond, an American living in France, as a journalist, is tasked with writing an article to commemorate the anniversary of the Vel' d'Hiv' tragedy. The real issue is, no one will either talk about it or claim they don't know anything about it. 'Bringing back the past is never a good idea, especially whatever happened during the war. No one wants to be reminded of that, nobody wants to think about that'.
This dual-time story alternates chapter by chapter; navigating the past that people are determined to bury with a need to remember in order to have a future. For me, this wasn't a WW2 book which, although may be heart-breaking, is ultimately uplifting. For me, it was about not only learning more about a specific event in history but also countering a pervasive, selfish desire to keep quiet and keep secrets, in order to save face. And by doing so, actually perpetuate hurt - even if unwittingly. If we're going to remember the war, we need to remember it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is even more imperative as time marches on and future generations continue to be further removed from the reality of the events. 'Remember. Never forget'.
A worthwhile read to enhance your broad understanding and perspective on WW2.
Sarah is rudely awakened one night by incessant pounding on the front door. She rushes to wake up her mother, who hastily wraps a robe over herself and opens the door to the Vichy police. Frightened, Sarah's brother, Michel, begs to hide in their secret spot. Sarah agrees, locking the hidden cupboard with a promise to come back soon. It's only the French police, surely they won't be long. Eventually, it becomes tragically clear that they won't be back and her brother won't be freed. In fact, they have become a part of the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup. A collaboration between the Vichy and the Germans.
It's 60 years later and Julia Jarmond, an American living in France, as a journalist, is tasked with writing an article to commemorate the anniversary of the Vel' d'Hiv' tragedy. The real issue is, no one will either talk about it or claim they don't know anything about it. 'Bringing back the past is never a good idea, especially whatever happened during the war. No one wants to be reminded of that, nobody wants to think about that'.
This dual-time story alternates chapter by chapter; navigating the past that people are determined to bury with a need to remember in order to have a future. For me, this wasn't a WW2 book which, although may be heart-breaking, is ultimately uplifting. For me, it was about not only learning more about a specific event in history but also countering a pervasive, selfish desire to keep quiet and keep secrets, in order to save face. And by doing so, actually perpetuate hurt - even if unwittingly. If we're going to remember the war, we need to remember it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is even more imperative as time marches on and future generations continue to be further removed from the reality of the events. 'Remember. Never forget'.
A worthwhile read to enhance your broad understanding and perspective on WW2.
December 17, 2013
Knjiga koja govori o istinitom dogadjaju koji se zbio tokom Drugog svetskog rata u Parizu, o kome se kod nas malo zna... Kada su Francuzi pokupili Jevreje, zatvorili ih na velodrom i poslali ih u konc. logor... Potresno, prosvetljujuće i guta se u dahu... Kod nas je objavljena pod naslovom Sarin ključ...
February 22, 2019
Quite good story of Paris during the round up of 1942, Vel di Hiv (so named for the stadium where the Jewish people were initially held). The French police by orders of the Nazi's rounded up thousands of their own Jewish citizens, mostly women and children. They were held under horrible conditions and then sent to Auschwitz. This is the story of one little girl who escaped, Sara.
Parallel story current time, American woman married to a French man, one child, who is a journalist. She is assigned to write a story of the round up on it's anniversary. She finds much resistance from the French people on trying to get facts, people who remember, etc.
The story switches back and forth in time, well done. Julie (American) eventually fins a connection to her husband's family and a secret kept for 60 years.
Well written with interesting characters. Not as special as I had hoped it would be, however I hadn't heard of the French involvement in the Holocaust so that was enlightening.
Parallel story current time, American woman married to a French man, one child, who is a journalist. She is assigned to write a story of the round up on it's anniversary. She finds much resistance from the French people on trying to get facts, people who remember, etc.
The story switches back and forth in time, well done. Julie (American) eventually fins a connection to her husband's family and a secret kept for 60 years.
Well written with interesting characters. Not as special as I had hoped it would be, however I hadn't heard of the French involvement in the Holocaust so that was enlightening.
February 14, 2023
Ultimately I wasn’t willing to read hundreds of pages past the horrifying situation set up at the beginning of this book. Telling me that characters are interesting and complex instead of self-indulgent and one-dimensional doesn't make it so.
It’s tough to drive me away from a Holocaust book, but I didn’t finish this one.
It’s tough to drive me away from a Holocaust book, but I didn’t finish this one.
June 28, 2008
Two horrible situations form the premise of this novel. The first is the factual story of the French roundup of the Jews during World War II, which took place in Paris under the auspices of the French Police. It was the French Police, not the Nazis, who dragged French Jews from their homes, separated parents from children, and sent them on to their deaths, all of which was witnessed by French citizens who did little to stop these horrific events. Because so few people are aware of this chapter of history, the author was compelled to create a story based on these events. The second situation is fictional, yet meant to stand in for the many personal horror stories of that time. When the police come to take her family away, a ten year old girl locks her four year old brother in the cupboard, thinking he will be safe and that she can come back and get him. Without giving away the story, there are no happy endings here. All of this is juxtaposed with a modern-day story about an unhappily married American woman living in Paris who discovers the story of what happened during the war and becomes obsessed with it. This book is a page turner because of the need to find out what happens to the little boy, and what happens to his sister. In telling the story of the French Jews it certainly provides an important service. The tale is compelling and I couldn't put the book down. Yet the story is ultimately emotionally manipulative and doesn't quite hang together. It is never clear why the girl's parents did nothing when they knew she had locked the brother in the cupboard, at the very first moment. What were they thinking? It's believable that the girl didn't understand what was happening, but the parents knew. Their passivity in the face of brutality makes sense, yet even so there is something critical missing.
November 29, 2016
World War II and its legacy in France, and a project on the "rafle du Vel d'Hiv"- the massive round-up of Jews that took place in Paris on July 16th, 1942. The story is haunting, and interesting, as we follow it in flashbacks. I am doing an annotated bibliography of books on the subject for my seminar project. This story will appeal to my younger students, teaching them at the same time of this shameful episode of French collaboration with the German occupiers, under the Vichy government. France was the only occupied European country to pass its own laws regarding Jews, which were even stricter than those of the Third Reich. By looking the other way,and pretending not to know where the Jews were being transported after the local French camps at Drancy and Pithiviers (they were immediately transported to Auschwitz) some 9,000 French police catalogued and arrested over 13,000 French and foreign Jews residing in France, and sent them to the Velodrome d'Hiver, a large stadium in Paris. This is a shameful episode in French history, retold in a poignant and gripping fashion.
It is without a doubt first rate fiction and de Rosnay artfully keeps mystery and surprise alive in each chapter, sliding back and forth from the 1940s to 2004, even to the final page. She paints a wrenching portrait of the inhumanity of the death camps, the incomprehension of those sent to their deaths and the willing participation of average people in the brutality. This novel does more to bring home the horror of that era than any account in my fairly wide reading experience, principally through the device of reporting via a child's-eye view of the terror.
It is without a doubt first rate fiction and de Rosnay artfully keeps mystery and surprise alive in each chapter, sliding back and forth from the 1940s to 2004, even to the final page. She paints a wrenching portrait of the inhumanity of the death camps, the incomprehension of those sent to their deaths and the willing participation of average people in the brutality. This novel does more to bring home the horror of that era than any account in my fairly wide reading experience, principally through the device of reporting via a child's-eye view of the terror.
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