Sarah’s Key

This past weekend I finished reading “Sarah’s Key,” by Tatiana dey Rosney. In 1942 ten year old Sarah is arrested with her family by the French Police in the Vel’ d’Hiv  roundup during World War II. Sarah locks her brother in the cupboard thinking that he would be safe and that they would be back shortly to rescue him. On 2002 of the 60^th anniversary of the tragic event American expat Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about that terrible event in France’s past. During the investigation Julia discovers somehow Sarah’s history is connected to her husband’s family somehow.

Pros & Cons

While I wouldn’t call it my favorite story I like the fact that it touches on a lesser known part of World War II history France. Many Jewish people both foreign and French born were rounded up and either killed there or sent to various concentration camps. Many of the poor unfortunate souls were Jewish children.  Even though you know the inevitable tragedy that happens with Sarah’s brother Michel, you have to admire Sarah for being determined to save him. I like Julia’s tenacity to figure out what happened. For some reason I felt the going back and forth in time in the book every chapter didn’t work for me. I think it should have been the first half being 1942 and then the second half could have been 2002 with Julia’s story. I also felt Julia’s husband Bertrand was the stereotypical Frenchman who took a mistress. I was also glad Julia did not go through with the abortion he was pressuring her to have. The ending had to have been my favorite part which I won’t spoil here.

Overall

Overall it was decent. Would I call it my favorite? Nope. I think if it was written differently it would have gotten higher marks from me.