You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was hard to read at times, I actually cried. I haven't done a lot of reading of WWII but I am inspired to read more. I think that what spoke to me the most about this story was the importance of knowing, not hiding or turning your head from the truth. I felt like the ending came too soon.
This book was excellent and very emotionally charged. I loved all the historical details, I also enjoyed the author's choice to write from two points of view, this made the story much more engaging. Additionally, this book had a very good ending, it left some details up to my imagination. I haven't been this satisfied by a book ending in a while.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Got this as an audiobook. Sarah's story was interesting and I would have liked to read more from her point of view. I also felt like the book could have ended earlier.
Spoilers I guess
After a while I found I had a hard time understanding Julia's continued obsession with Sarah.
Spoilers I guess
After a while I found I had a hard time understanding Julia's continued obsession with Sarah.
This book follows the story of Sarah, a young girl growing up in Nazi occupied France.
When the Nazis come and arrest her and her parents, Sarah locks her little brother in a cupboard.
In Auschwitz, Sarah struggles with the guilt of leaving her brother behind.
The story jumps to a present day journalist, Julia who is commissioned to write a piece on the round-up that had Sarah and her family arrested. Julia learns the story of Sarah and her family and needs to know how her story ended.
Alternating between present day and 1942 we see these two lives, intertwining in a beautifully written story.
When the Nazis come and arrest her and her parents, Sarah locks her little brother in a cupboard.
In Auschwitz, Sarah struggles with the guilt of leaving her brother behind.
The story jumps to a present day journalist, Julia who is commissioned to write a piece on the round-up that had Sarah and her family arrested. Julia learns the story of Sarah and her family and needs to know how her story ended.
Alternating between present day and 1942 we see these two lives, intertwining in a beautifully written story.
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Holocaust books are almost always hard to read. This one is no exception. Some of the scenes are doozies. I liked it although you sadly could see where the story was leading. Thankfully, the payoff of the most heartbreaking plot occurs somewhat in the middle. So, you're able to recover...much like the characters in the novel. I would have like more scenes with William and learned more about his journey about discovering the past about his mother. Overall, it's a good book if you can make it through.
This book was fantastic! I had never heard of the Vel' d'Hiv before but this book really brought out the tragedy of it and the effect that it still has on the people of paris. My only complaint it that the end was a little long.