Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publish Date: September 30, 2008
Pages: 320
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780312370848 

Paris, 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by 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 60^th 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.

The beginning of Julia's story alternating with the girl's was strong. The need to find out what happened to Michel (Sarah's brother) and who exactly Sarah would turn out to be. Also enjoyable is 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.

While the story is fictitious, The novel is about actual events which were not well known nor spoken about. The author managed to switch seamlessly between Sarah’s’ story set in 1942 and Julia’s story in 2002. It is an amazing book which evokes all kinds of emotions. It is heart wrenching and though provoking.

My Rating: «««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.