Tuesday, Feb 10, 2009

Book Review: Sarah’s Key

Author:      Tatiana de Rosnay

Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin

Website:    http://www.tatianaderosnay.com/

ISBN #:    978-0-312-37084-8

Type:        Fiction – Historical

Pages:     293 Paperback

The SUMMARY

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the 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 60th 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. Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode. (Section is from the website of St. Martin’s Griffin)

The REVIEW

The March selection for my new book club is Sarah’s Key.  I have been seeing that there is noon-time discussion amidst our blogging community regarding this book.  So, I picked it up early and started my fascinating read. 

The summarization of the book’s storyline, above, is the best condensed version about this very intricate and complex read.  I was completely spellbound by this book and had difficulty putting it down.  As a matter of fact, having insomnia doesn’t seem to be bothersome when you have this book to read.  It’s engaging, horrifying, scary, wonderful, and redeeming simultaneously.  I found myself holding my breath as I read the chapters as told by Sarah, Hel’ d’Hiv’s innocent little victim.  I prayed, despite the realistic odds, for her brother Michael.  I loathed Julia’s husband, Bertrand, for being the horrifically pompous, cheating, and egotistical misogynist that he was.  I fell in love with Mame and Eduardo.  I prayed for William and praised Zoe.  I fell inside of Julia’s mind and heart.  All of these feelings wrapped up into one little book.  The book was, to me, completely unforgettable.

What I discovered on Tatiana’s website:

“Sarah’s Key is her first novel written in her mother tongue, English. Sarah’s Key is to be published in 28 countries and has sold over 700 000 copies worldwide. Film rights have also been sold.”

Yes, the book is that great!

Albeit this book is sad, however discovering the emotional side of human atrocities most always is.  I won’t walk you through this intricately impeccable read because this is one that you should discover on your own.  It’s a personal road to travel, one which I am glad that I did.  I read this book with little forehand knowledge of it and that made this book such a rich read for me.  I wish the same for you.

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

This book tugged at my heart like very few do.  I was completely committed to Julia and Sarah and grew to love them both, for many reasons.  As such, all I can say is that this superb read gains from me, under the genre Fiction:Historical, a 10 out of 10!  I absolutely cannot wait for our book club discussion on it.

14 Comments