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Se numea Sarah

Tatiana de Rosnay (Goodreads Author)

4.16 · Rating details · 430,489 ratings · 29,367 reviews

Paris, iulie 1942: Sarah, o fetiţă evreică în vârstă de zece ani, este arestată în toiul nopţii, împreună cu părinţii ei, de poliţia franceză, dar nu înainte de a-şi încuia fratele în ascunzătoarea lor secretă, convinsă fiind că se va întoarce după numai câteva ore pentru a-l elibera.

Paris, mai 2002: Julia, o jurnalistă americană, stabilită de mulţi ani la Paris şi măritat ...more

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published November 15th 2010 by Litera (first published September 2006)

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Dec 06, 2008 Sol rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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 ne 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.
...more

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Dec 11, 2008 Molly rated it did not like it · review of another edition

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 ...more

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Feb 28, 2009 Teri rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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! ...more

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Dec 18, 2018 Jaline rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: xx2018-completed, x-favourites

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 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. ...more

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Nov 23, 2011 smetchie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: depressing, hippies-or-hate-or-lurking, book-club

*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 BU ...more

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Nov 19, 2008 Carol Wagers rated it did not like it · review of another edition

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 200 ...more

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Jan 16, 2017 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club-reads, wwii, france, historical-fiction

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.

description

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 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.

description

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. ...more

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May 04, 2020 Dem rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: war, ww2

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 ...more

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Aug 11, 2008 Sandi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Sandi by: First Reads

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2008, first-reads

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 w ...more

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Feb 03, 2010 Kim rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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 premis ...more

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Feb 28, 2009 Jeanette (Again) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Jeanette (Again) by: Tyra

Shelves: all-fiction, europe-and-british-isles, world-war-two-fiction

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 Fren ...more

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Oct 12, 2019 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, historical, literature, fiction, war, 21th-century

Sarah's Key, Tatiana de Rosnay

The first plot follows the Starzynski family. On 16 July 1942, French police raided the Starzynski apartment in Paris, arresting ten-year-old Sarah and her parents.

First, the family is sent to an enclosed stadium that housed a bicycling track for racing. The captors held more than 7,000 Jews, mostly women and children in the stadium, which was made to hold far fewer people, and they were eventually sent to Drancy, a refugee camp, to separate the men from the women ...more

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Nov 08, 2009 Joy H. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, adapted-to-film, watched-film-too, two-plot-lines, suggested-by-goodreads-member

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 war ...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Corinne Edwards rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, historical-fiction, war, tragedy, brothers-and-sisters, advance-reader-s-copy, grief, world-war-ii, jewish-interest, holocaust

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 ...more

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Apr 20, 2015 Mandy rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 09, 2017 Phrynne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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 (view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 27, 2008 Lisa (not getting friends updates) Vegan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: all who enjoy holocaust literature, historical fiction novels, well crafted novels

Shelves: reviewed, historical-fiction, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, z2008, fiction, goodreads-author, won-at-goodreads, holocaust, readbooks-female-author-or-illust, 1-also-at-librarything

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 chil 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.
...more

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Jun 08, 2016 Gary rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 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. ...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Grace rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: wwii, books-to-movies-or-tv, parallel-timelines

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 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. ...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Jonetta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, audiobook, nc-br-digital-library

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 ...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Annalisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, historical-fiction

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, childre 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.

(view spoiler)

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. (view spoiler)

It's a heart-wrenching story and I'd recommend it for anyone interested in the Holocaust. ...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Dan Schwent rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: homework-from-the-ladies, 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, ...more

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Dec 05, 2019 Tina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hard-hitting-topics

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 bo ...more

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Jun 22, 2008 Hara rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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 o ...more

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Nov 29, 2016 Chris Horsefield rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ww2-ya-holocaust-ya-novels-wwii

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. Franc ...more

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Jun 21, 2017 Dorie - Cats&Books :) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, literature

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 t ...more

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Feb 13, 2009 Amy (Bossy Bookworm) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

If I'm going to read hundreds of pages past the horrifying situation set up at the beginning of this book, the writing's going to need to be more than sub-par. Telling me that characters are interesting and complex instead of self-indulgent and one-dimensional doesn't make it so.

Don't tell me you actually drove me away from a Holocaust book, de Rosnay. That's pretty hard to do.

File under "Life's too short to read this book," please. ...more

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Sep 04, 2013 Megan Baxter rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Let me try to explain why I didn't like this book very much. I believe one of the sales quotes on the back of the book can help me communicate why. Keep in mind that this is, at least in part, a book about French complicity in the Holocaust:

"Sarah's Key unlocks the star-crossed, heart-thumping story of an American journalist in Paris and the sixty-year-old secret that could destroy her marriage."

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and en ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Merphy Napier rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, historical-fiction, two-stars

I know I'm in the minority with my review, and I know that this book meant a lot to a lot of people. I'm happy it did, and while I love the main story (Sarah's story) I did not like the book as a whole. I'll tell you why.

What I loved:
- this is an important time in history to remember. I love that this book helps us remember.
- Sarah's story was heartbreaking and beautiful. I'm happy I know it.
- Juilia's choice at (view spoiler). I was on the edge of my seat a I know I'm in the minority with my review, and I know that this book meant a lot to a lot of people. I'm happy it did, and while I love the main story (Sarah's story) I did not like the book as a whole. I'll tell you why.

What I loved:
- this is an important time in history to remember. I love that this book helps us remember.
- Sarah's story was heartbreaking and beautiful. I'm happy I know it.
- Juilia's choice at (view spoiler). I was on the edge of my seat and so proud of her!

What I did not like:
- This book is gruesome. And while that's necessary at times as this is a gruesome time in out history, a lot of the scenes we got didn't further the plot or expand on the situation. It just felt like some of the stuff was there for shock factor and nothing more.
- Julia. I didn't dislike her as much as some seem to. She was in a marriage with a manipulative and selfish man and she didn't stand up for herself - it was very realistic. What I didn't like was her lack of character growth (view spoiler)
- THE LAST 100 PAGES (view spoiler)

In the end, I'm glad I read this book just for the sake of learning more about this time in history. I did NOT enjoy the book as a whole though. ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 Rebecca Skane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: europe, wwii, historical-fiction, tearjerker

A journalist stumbles upon the story of a young Jewish girl who was rounded up with the other Parisian Jews in 1942, and learns of her harrowing tale.
*Buy tissues.
Sarah's Key Book Review ...more

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About Tatiana de Rosnay

Tatiana de Rosnay

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"The Rain Watcher"
Saint Martins Press USA
October 2018

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