Saturday, June 25, 2011

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay


Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.


I just finished this book in audio format. Oh, my gosh, this was such a good book and I did not want it to end. But, books have to end. I cried and cried throughout this book and am still crying for Sarah Starcynski DeFor Rainsford. How many people have stories like hers, oh my gosh. Thank you for opening my eyes to this horrible tragedy. I knew about the Germans but did not know about France. It's terrible that lives were shattered like that. Just because you were jewish. Terrible. I can't imagine what Sarah was going through in real life. Thank you, Tatiana for letting everyone know and not to let it die. We will always remember, we will never forget, well, at least I will never forget. I would suggest this book to all my friends and family, in fact, I have done that already. Thanks again.

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