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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
A compelling book on a little known piece of the history of the Holocaust, centered on the roundup of Jews in France. It tells the story of the survival of a young girl, Sarah, and her guilt about leaving her brother behind, though she thought she was protecting him.- Pat T.
A book that haunts you long after you have finished it.
Loved it from the beginning and overall, I was pleased with the ending.It initiated my own research on the children and the adults who suffered under the Vel d'Hiv roundup, and of which I knew nothing about before this book. The next time I'm in Paris,I plan to visit the memorial. Thanks to Ms. de Rosnay for bringing this tragedy to light with sensitivity, compassion and dignity.
This is an inspiring, and sad story, about a summer that France would love to forget. Julia Jarmond is determined to learn everything she can about this horrible incident and the treatment of Jewish families by the French police. Once she starts to learn what happened that fateful summer in 1942, she cannot let the past be the past. What she discovers changes her life, and the lives of connected to her, forever.
This book, in parts, was like watching a horror movie. I almost couldn't bear to read it, such was the dread I felt as the book opened with one of the worst atrocities perpetrated against Jewish French citizens in Paris during World War II. As the round up begins 'the girl' helps her brother to hide in a cupboard, locking him in. She tells him she will be back. But she is forced to leave him behind. As 'the girl's' story develops neither she, nor the reader, can escape from that awful vision of her little brother locked in a cupboard, waiting for her to come back and get him. Her own harrowing experiences, as she is trapped in the velodrome with her parents, and no food and water, almost pales because we cannot forget that little boy.
The first part of the book alternates between two time periods, July 1942 and the aftermath, and Paris in the early twentieth century, as Julia, an American journalist living in Paris with her French husband, is asked to write a story about what happened in the Vel d'Hiv' round-up. Julia's story serves two purposes - it places the silence surrounding France's history under the microscope, and it also almost serves as a breathing space as Sarah's story continues.
The book is uncomfortable to read - not only because the history is uncomfortable, but also because of the reticence Julia encounters as she tries to shine a light on the darker side of French involvement in the atrocities perpetrated against its own citizens, as though the collaboration with the Nazis is something that needs to be buried, forgotten.
The book is profoundly upsetting. But given the subject matter is engages with, it needs to be. If it was not upsetting it would have failed in its purpose. This is hard to read. But at the same time, I had to read it.
Well-written, well-researched, and not shrinking away from some of the more difficult aspects of French history, this is one book that I will not forget.
The first part of the book alternates between two time periods, July 1942 and the aftermath, and Paris in the early twentieth century, as Julia, an American journalist living in Paris with her French husband, is asked to write a story about what happened in the Vel d'Hiv' round-up. Julia's story serves two purposes - it places the silence surrounding France's history under the microscope, and it also almost serves as a breathing space as Sarah's story continues.
The book is uncomfortable to read - not only because the history is uncomfortable, but also because of the reticence Julia encounters as she tries to shine a light on the darker side of French involvement in the atrocities perpetrated against its own citizens, as though the collaboration with the Nazis is something that needs to be buried, forgotten.
The book is profoundly upsetting. But given the subject matter is engages with, it needs to be. If it was not upsetting it would have failed in its purpose. This is hard to read. But at the same time, I had to read it.
Well-written, well-researched, and not shrinking away from some of the more difficult aspects of French history, this is one book that I will not forget.
Very good first novel that highlights regret and hope
It's a different take on the Holocaust giving two seperate point of views, one from a present day journalist and the other of a 10 year old girl going through the round up of Jews in France. Instead of emphasis on the Nazis and Germany like most are used to, it focuses on the French police and they're actions during Vel d'Hiv. The book was very enticing up until half way through then I found my interest starting to fall off. A solid read and if you're interested in historical fiction, definitely pick this one up.
I read Nightingale and this book to back (not intentionally - just found good deals on both) and because they were of the same subject matter I can't help but compare them. This story falls short of Nightingale - not quite as deep. The writing is good but nothing like Nightingale and the story is not as haunting even though I think it tries to be. Still a good read.
I started off really liking this book and like how it switches between 1942 and 2002 and how Julia does her detective work.
However, as the focus changed from the title character to the present day character, I liked it less and less.
I visited Sachsenhausen while I was reading this book, so I could really visualize the camp and all the horrors.
While the message is "Never Forget" - the book seems to drift away from this and focus on Julia's character and her rich, white girl problems. She is not a likeable character.
And I don't think the interaction between her and her daughter (who is only 11) very realistic.
Most of what happens towards the end is very predicatable. Too bad we don't find out any more about Sarah and what she goes through after the war.
However, as the focus changed from the title character to the present day character, I liked it less and less.
I visited Sachsenhausen while I was reading this book, so I could really visualize the camp and all the horrors.
While the message is "Never Forget" - the book seems to drift away from this and focus on Julia's character and her rich, white girl problems. She is not a likeable character.
And I don't think the interaction between her and her daughter (who is only 11) very realistic.
Most of what happens towards the end is very predicatable. Too bad we don't find out any more about Sarah and what she goes through after the war.
An interesting take on a holocaust novel. It's switches between present time and past. I found the past story much more interesting than the present.