Book Review: Sarah's Key

The TLC book for December was Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. It is a historical fiction novel that spent more than two years on the New York Times Bestseller List and is definitely a must-read! The novel begins with two perspectives: one is a little girl who lives in Paris during the Jewish round-up of 1942 and is taken (along with her parents) by the French police. The second is an American woman and journalist who resides in Paris with her French husband and daughter during 2002. The two stories come together when Julia, the American, must cover the 60th anniversary of the much-forgotten round-up for an article. She discovers a strong connection between her husband's family and the little girl which eventually leads to a strong connection for her.

I was engaged in this book from the first few pages. Both perspectives were equally interesting and kept me wanting to know more. The unsuspecting connections as well as the stories of the lives both females lived were captivating. I also had no idea that Jewish families living in Paris were arrested by their own police and sent to concentration camps. To see how others in the community responded was a saddening observation on human nature. From the novel, it is clear that many French civilians are not aware of the round-up or those who lived through it may have pushed it from their minds.

While this novel is historical, it is also current. The relationship between Julia and her husband are relevant and complex just as the story of Sarah (the young Jewish girl) is sad but honest. Normally, I am not interested in Holocaust literature as I feel I read quite a few in school or through teaching (Number the Stars, The Diary of Anne Frank, Night) but this was a different perspective from which I appreciated learning. Additionally, I am fascinated by French culture, more-so now that I am planning a honeymoon there, so the mentioning of streets, French ways, and traditions were appealing. I would absolutely recommend this novel to teens and adults. There is also a movie version I have yet to watch. Let's hope it lives up to the book!