Sarah's Key in Crazy Challenge Connection

Apr 22, 2012 Anne (Booklady) Molinarolo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: permanent-library, good-fiction, summer-2013, read-around-world, historical

Truly a10 Star Book

My Goodreads friend, Debbie recommended this book to me a while back and I kept putting it back on my bookshelf. Did I really want to read another Holocaust story? Not really, since I'm again horrified by the evil that was the Nazis and I usually get into a funk after reading one. But Sarah's Keyis different. It truly is a beautiful book. And I learned about an event in Paris, France that I new absolutely nothing about: Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. Almost none of the Jews rounded up o Truly a10 Star Book

My Goodreads friend, Debbie recommended this book to me a while back and I kept putting it back on my bookshelf. Did I really want to read another Holocaust story? Not really, since I'm again horrified by the evil that was the Nazis and I usually get into a funk after reading one. But Sarah's Keyis different. It truly is a beautiful book. And I learned about an event in Paris, France that I new absolutely nothing about: Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. Almost none of the Jews rounded up on that July early morning survived, including over 4000 children. This "Operation Spring Breeze" was solely carried out by 450 French Policeman and is a dark stain in France's history. All afternoon, I have been reading about Vel' d'Hiv and I can understand why Tatiana de Rosnay wanted to write about it. Intertwining Sarah's story and Julia's story seems natural, since L'Amerecaine journalist is writing a story commemorating the tragic Vel' d'Hiv Roundup exactly 60 years later.

Alternating between the past and the present, both Sarah and Julia's voices shine through. Never do they sound alike or contrived. The little girl's fear and bewilderment of leaving her home to the awful conditions in the stadium under the watchful eyes of the armed French policemen. My heart broke for the little girl when she realized that she has not protected her 4 year-old brother. Michael is still locked in their secret hiding place at their apartment. I felt her sadness and guilt all through the novel. And I wasn't surprised by the connection between Sarah and Julia. Sarah keeps the key with her at all times. It almost becomes a talisman for the girl. Julia uncovers secrets as well and Sarah is her "key". Her life and her husband's family will never be the same. The ending really surprised me. It has a Gone with the Wind ending. I'd like to believe what I wanted to happen: Both Sarah and Julia are finally at peace as Julia opens her eyes to the set of turquoise that are peacefully staring at her.

Giving a plot summary seems indecent to do, because I loved the story as it unfolded. That young Jewish girl and the middle-aged woman are bound together in Julia's heart. I can't do their story justice by a clumsy summary. Tatiana de Rosnay's writing is just to beautiful to hack both stories down to a few sentences. These characters will stay with me for a long while until I pull the book down from its place and re-read it. ...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Megan rated it really liked it

I have been wanting to read this one for a while. That is the problem with my obnoxiously large 'to read' pile, and not being able to say no to new review opportunities!! I just cannot read them all at once! I am so glad I finally brought Sarah's Key to the top of my pile! It was a great read. While definitely not a "feel good" novel, it was well-written, emotional, and filled with vivid characters and history. I would highly recommend this book, especially for those who like historical fiction ...more

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May 10, 2021 Rusty rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, tbr-when-i-find-them

There are two parts to this novel and the author moves from one to the other weaving the two into one fascinating story. In 1942, little Sarah and her family are taken from Paris home by the French police at the direction of the Nazis. Ten-year-old Sarah hides her younger brother in a secret area, hoping to keep him safe. She believes the trip with the police will be short and promises to be back to let him out. With the key in her pocket, she and her parents join others sent to the Vel' d'Hiv f ...more

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Dec 22, 2010 Sue rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zl-crpl-club-kit, 01-flc-reading-bee, zq-audio-repeat-0, historical-fiction, holocaust, world-war-ii, fiction, france, zl-crpl-mp3-reread, zl-crpl-cd-reread

"Zakhor. Al Tichkah. Remember. Never forget." "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay is an important book. It brings to light the story of the Holocaust in German-occupied France; a story which many of us did not learn in our history classes or in other books about the second World War. Holocaust survivors have expressed appreciation for de Rosnay's book in their reviews. This is not an easy book to read. We live the events of the roundup and the camps with a young girl who apparently is emotionally ...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Nadine Smith rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2011

I thought the story of Sarah and her family was very interesting. Julia's story was ok. I learned a lot about the deportation of Jews in France that I didn't know before. I was shocked that it was the French police who did all the gathering and deporting of so many Jews, to send them on to their deaths. I think we do need to know and remember what happened to so many people. And lets pray that we learn from the past, and make sure it doesn't happen again. ...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Samantha rated it really liked it

I watched the movie they made last year and was so intrigued I started the book. It is very emotional and in opinion not for those who think Anne Frank is brutal. I tried imagining myself in these situations and I couldn't handle it. Very well written, but be warned, bring tissues. ...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Elle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-reads, historical-fiction

A moving and powerful book based on a horrific real event. An amazing book that I would recommend highly. Sad, but poignant. For the full review: http://erraticprojectjunkie.blogspot.... ...more

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