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Review
'Sarah's trials are so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, the book is hard to put down.' (Starred review) (Publishers' Weekly )
'Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.' (Library Journal )
'Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.' (Library Journal )
'A gripping story of loss, family secrets and silence'
Library Journal
'Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
67 of 69 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"In the author's own words "This is not a historical work and has no intention of being one. It is my tribute to the children of the Vel d'Hiv." Although not as detailed as some historical fiction, this novel certainly succeeds in dragging the reader headfirst into the events of 16th July 1942 when French Police conducted a massive round up of Jews in Paris in order to "forward" them to Auschwitz.We are drawn into two intertwining stories, the first, that of Sarah, a 10 yr old girl who experiences these horrific events in 1942 and the second, contemporary story, that of Julia Jarmond, an American born journalist who is investigating events surrounding the Vel d'Hiv round up. As their stories unfold we see how the past is inextricably linked to the present and we share Julia's intense interest in the fate of Sarah and her family. This is a gripping, poignant story based on real events and is filled with vivid, charismatic characters. The dual time frame is never unwieldy and the reader is swept along by flowing, seamless writing from the 40s to the present day - symptomatic perhaps of how the events of the past still dictate and inform present events and how we should "never forget". I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a well written story with engaging characters and having an interest in World War II fiction is not a prerequisite. Sarah's Key is a story about people rather than events and Sarah will stay with me for a very long time."
53 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you only read one book in 2008 ,let this be it...from the first page I was hooked and didn't come up for breath until the story was finished and Sarah's tale was told. Historically accurate, and focused on a largely unknown historical period in WW2 Paris, Sarah's story will keep you reading long into the night.I felt grief stricken when the story was done and mourned for the characters who had become part of my life and who will remain with me for a very long time.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
My husband's family is Jewish. His grandfather's parents and siblings were killed in a concentration camp; his grandmother was French. So, I wondered if they had told my husband anything about this round-up of Jews by the French police. Unfortunately, my husband's grandparents are deceased now, so we can't ask them for details, but my hsuband said, "Yes. That was how my grandfather lost his family - that's why they died in a concentration camp."
Even though the characters are entirely fictitious, the story is based on a historical event. On July 16th, 1942, the French police rounded up Jewish families. Very few survived - most were sent on by train to be killed in the German camps.
Apparently, everyone likes to think that it was all the fault of the Germans. That is the basis of the story. A journalist, Julia Jarmond, is told to write about this round-up. While she is gathering details, she finds out that her French husband's family moved into the apartment of a Jewish family that was taken away by the French police. Her husband's family, particularly her father-in-law, tells her to leave the past alone. She soon realizes that something specific happened during the round-up, involving her in-laws.
The book actually begins with Sarah's story, from her point in time. (The author uses different type-setting for Sarah's and Julia's perspectives, so when you begin each chapter, you already know which point in time to expect.) When the police come for Sarah's family, she thinks they will be able to return - after all, it is the FRENCH police, not the Nazis themselves. Her brother chooses to hide in a hidden cupboard, so Sarah locks him in, and takes the key with her. While they are leaving, Sarah is trying to decide where she could leave the key for her father to find. Her father was already hiding because the Jews were under the impression that only the men had to fear being taken away to the camps. As we find out later, not only were the children taken as well, but they were torn from their parents, and were among the first to be killed in the camps.
Sarah escapes; she is obsessed with returning to her brother, even though a part of her thinks it may already be too late for him. This is where Julia's story takes over the rest of the book. Julia finds out that Sarah grew up, and had a son of her own; however, Julia wants to find out if Sarah ever made it back to her brother, for better or worse. Julia discovers that her own in-laws know the fate of the brother, and that of Sarah.
I thought this was one of the saddest stories I have ever read, but it was definitely one of the best. It was very well written - never any confusion with the two different timelines, and the author merges the two personal stories quite smoothly towards the last chapters. I was eager to find out more about the real historical event, and happily found a list of recommended books in the back, including:
Not the Germans Alone: A Son's Search for the Truth of Vichy
Betrayal at the VEL D'HIV
Those Who Save Us
Even though the characters are entirely fictitious, the story is based on a historical event. On July 16th, 1942, the French police rounded up Jewish families. Very few survived - most were sent on by train to be killed in the German camps.
Apparently, everyone likes to think that it was all the fault of the Germans. That is the basis of the story. A journalist, Julia Jarmond, is told to write about this round-up. While she is gathering details, she finds out that her French husband's family moved into the apartment of a Jewish family that was taken away by the French police. Her husband's family, particularly her father-in-law, tells her to leave the past alone. She soon realizes that something specific happened during the round-up, involving her in-laws.
The book actually begins with Sarah's story, from her point in time. (The author uses different type-setting for Sarah's and Julia's perspectives, so when you begin each chapter, you already know which point in time to expect.) When the police come for Sarah's family, she thinks they will be able to return - after all, it is the FRENCH police, not the Nazis themselves. Her brother chooses to hide in a hidden cupboard, so Sarah locks him in, and takes the key with her. While they are leaving, Sarah is trying to decide where she could leave the key for her father to find. Her father was already hiding because the Jews were under the impression that only the men had to fear being taken away to the camps. As we find out later, not only were the children taken as well, but they were torn from their parents, and were among the first to be killed in the camps.
Sarah escapes; she is obsessed with returning to her brother, even though a part of her thinks it may already be too late for him. This is where Julia's story takes over the rest of the book. Julia finds out that Sarah grew up, and had a son of her own; however, Julia wants to find out if Sarah ever made it back to her brother, for better or worse. Julia discovers that her own in-laws know the fate of the brother, and that of Sarah.
I thought this was one of the saddest stories I have ever read, but it was definitely one of the best. It was very well written - never any confusion with the two different timelines, and the author merges the two personal stories quite smoothly towards the last chapters. I was eager to find out more about the real historical event, and happily found a list of recommended books in the back, including:
Not the Germans Alone: A Son's Search for the Truth of Vichy
Betrayal at the VEL D'HIV
Those Who Save Us
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Thoughful and beautifully written
Sarah's Key is one of those books you tell every one about. It's a sad tale but an insight into a terrible period in the history of modern time. Read more
Published 4 days ago by custard nottingham
Good book
Great book but slightly weak ending. Very informative as it tells a forgotten part of Parisian history that some people are unaware of and others would wish to forget. Read more
Published 6 days ago by MISS KEWISH
Sarah's Key
Really interesting style of writing, and kept me involved to the end. We read this for book club and members had different thoughts on how it ended. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Jilly
Heartbreaking
I wasn't truly heartbroken by this novel until the end. I had expected the writing to be more powerful - it felt a little basic and didn't seem to do the sophisticated story the... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Nina
Brilliant, tear jerker!
I decided to read the book after I watched the film. This is an amazing (albeit very sad) book! I throughly enjoyed reading Sarah's key. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Becky26
Sarah's Key
I absolutely loved this book. It is so well written so engaging, an absolute page turner. It is very emotional, but not too sad that you wouldn't want to read it.
Published 1 month ago by A2lonso
Best ever.
I read a lot, always have. Many, many good books but `Sarahs Key` was/is the best ever. I bought this book on my Kindle and enjoyed it so much that I bought the paper back edition... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brian E. Pond
A sense of place
When a little girl says, `I don't believe anything any more' you know you are reading about grim times. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. D. P. Jay
Loved the first 2/3rds of this book
I was recommended this book by a friend and I stayed up all night to finish it as it was so gripping. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Clj Legge
Sarah's Key
A heart rending tale of man's cruelty to our fellow man. Much of what the Nazis did in WW2 was "eased", made possible, by a sizeable percentage of French people who collaborated... Read more
Published 2 months ago by olddormouse
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