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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The plot was compelling enough, but I still had some issues with it, particularly that I couldn’t imagine that after a while a four-year-old child wouldn’t have made enough noise to be found in almost any apartment building. I had more problems with the writing, though, particularly of Sarah’s sections, and the characterization. For my complete review, see https://whatmeread.com/2025/04/28/review-2572-sarahs-key/
At first I was mad when Sarah's part of the story ended. Not interested in Julia - my age, too familiar. But it won me over. Excellent. Thoughtful.
This is NOT one to listen to on audio - the alternating narrators are not nearly as clearly delineated as on paper, which changes font between them.
Mind blowing book. Absolutely well researched and eye opening. The story structure pulls you in as it switches from 1942 to early 2000's. really quite an amazing story.
Sarah's story intertwining with Julia Jarmond makes for a fast paced, detailed read. It's romantic, heartbreaking and honestly even though it's fiction it's an important book to read. Even though I AM Jewish, I knew very little about the roundup of thousands of Jewish French families that were put into the Vel' d'Hiv' to await deportation to the concentration camps. Horrifying . I love when fictional books stay with you and cause you to think deeper about the real life situations that inspired the story.
4.5 out of 5! Beautiful and bittersweet!
Sarah's story intertwining with Julia Jarmond makes for a fast paced, detailed read. It's romantic, heartbreaking and honestly even though it's fiction it's an important book to read. Even though I AM Jewish, I knew very little about the roundup of thousands of Jewish French families that were put into the Vel' d'Hiv' to await deportation to the concentration camps. Horrifying . I love when fictional books stay with you and cause you to think deeper about the real life situations that inspired the story.
4.5 out of 5! Beautiful and bittersweet!
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Heartbreaking events of the Nazi occupation in France. The gathering inside the school was written in such detail that I could almost feel it. What happened to her little brother absolutely wrenched me.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want so badly to say I liked this book more than I did. The story of the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup was new to me and incredibly compelling. I was grateful to learn about it, as not knowing does seem to be a betrayal of those who were killed. That said, it was disappointing that the story was so poorly crafted. The tale of Sarah and her family was better written and far more affecting. The soap opera aspect of the modern half of the tale was just too...too... sappy and trite.
The characters were stereotypical, the situations contrived and, most of all, Julie was really a terrible journalist.
The characters were stereotypical, the situations contrived and, most of all, Julie was really a terrible journalist.
De Rosnay had a great opportunity to write a compelling novel. I had never heard of the Vel D'Hiv roundup nor knew much about France's contribution to Hitler's war effort. Sarah's story was very intriguing and profound. However, Julia's story (her marriage troubles, homesickness etc) did not measure up to Sarah's tragedy. The comparison sounded a little bit vapid and was sort of tedious. As soon as Sarah's narration stopped, I wanted to put the book down. It wasn't interesting anymore. At times, I felt the plot and Julia's search for Sarah was contrived; and at other times, I felt De Rosnay could have been a little more creative. It was disappointingly predictable.
A moving story that goes back and forth between present day and occupied France. The life and times of Sarah Stanyzlawski unfold as an American journalist, Julia, uncovers her past.
I liked the strong female roles in the story, Sarah, Zoe, and Julia and how they stood up for what they believed to be right.
While it's sad to read about the events of WWII, I'm glad that De Rosnay has given readers a platform to inform and openly discuss the events mentioned in the book so that we may never forget.
I liked the strong female roles in the story, Sarah, Zoe, and Julia and how they stood up for what they believed to be right.
While it's sad to read about the events of WWII, I'm glad that De Rosnay has given readers a platform to inform and openly discuss the events mentioned in the book so that we may never forget.
WW2 in France, Jewish girl locks her 4year old brother in a cupboard when the police come, thinking they’ll be back later that day. Instead her family is part of the Velodrome d’Hiver (Vel d’Hiv) roundup. He dies. Her parents die in the camps. She escapes, finds a nice family who helps her get back to Paris. Then they take her in. She happened to live in the apartment where the current day mother is moving to and researches Vel d’Hiv for her newspaper.