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Sarah's Key
by Tatiana de Rosnay (Goodreads Author)
by Tatiana de Rosnay (Goodreads Author)
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.
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Comments (showing 1-9 of 9) (9 new)
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Actually ma'am, I believe Sarah's father did try and go get his son, but wasn't allowed. When her parents were taken, they pretty much gave up all hope. I wouldn't call that passive, only hopeless.Sarah
That part of the book moved me to tears. The parents' horror and full knowledge of what would happen to the little boy locked in the cupboard. They knew their fate and how hopeless the situation was, while Sarah was still innocent of it all. The loss of her innocence, and the growing awareness of her parents' helplessness and mortality in the face of such evil was what she ultimately couldn't live with. What annoyed me was Julia Jarmond and her narcissism -- that she should be the "savior" of Sarah's family and that they should "understand" her in-laws' intentions. I think it was enough that she should have her eyes opened to what happened, and that she should integrate that into her life awareness. But instead she made it an obsessive personal crusade which ultimately seemed unfair to the survivors.
I'm going to agree with Sarah, that the father did try and you must look at it from the victims of the holocaust perspective. At the same time, the author might have decided to leave information like that out because the editor didn't see the connection or find it necessary. Many of you said you liked the story but it didn't meet your liking at the same time. I would agree and disagree with Hara, the book is emotional and page turner, but I thought the book was put together quite well. The transitions were clear and didn't seem at all to me, to jerk you around the storyline. Hara, you also said something critical was missing. What do you think that critical thing is?
Jessie
The soldiers weren't going to bother looking for the father when they arrested Sarah and her mother. The father turned himself in—he could have stayed in hiding and rescued the brother.Hara, this is SO EXACTLY how I felt reading the book. I honestly can't understand why it is getting so much praise. Yes, we need to tell the stories of the Holocaust; they cannot be forgotten. But this one? Not it.
Maybe the parents knew they were going to die and that the boy would stand a better chance hidden away.
The father had no idea that the boy was hidden when he came out of hiding so how could he have helped? He heard his wife call for him and did what he thought was the right thing by going to be with his family. This was a superb book and the fact that the plot did not work out perfectly is more meaningful and reminiscent of true life stories.
-Amanda-