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A review by jenbsbooks
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
sad
2.75
This was just okay for me ... I appreciated learning yet another aspect of the holocaust (it always amazes me how far reaching it was, this treatment across so many countries, here, in France).
NO chapters, which is a HUGE annoyance to me (as I had the book in all formats, physical, kindle and audio). Almost impossible to find my place from one to the other with NO chapters. Seriously, the physical format doesn't even have a Table of Contents, and the ebook just had Paris, July 1942 and Paris, May 2002 and then no other distinctive break (my kindle said "four+ hours left in this chapter). The two timelines switched (the dates changed, moved on) ... I didn't know why there weren't chapters, new "date" headings given. This really was a major frustration for me (I realize it's something many probably didn't even notice).
Two timelines - the past, told in an omniscient and detached 3rd person/past tense. The MC (Sarah) is "the girl" for a majority of the book. For me ... I think this kept me a little disconnected. The present was told in 1st person, Julia being the MC. An American journalist married to a Frenchman, they have a 10 year old daughter. Julia is researching the Vel' d'Hiv's 60th "anniversary" and a personal family connection.
The past storyline was just sad. Yes, it's the war and the treatment of the Jews was beyond terrible. So many horrible things happening, yet here, the thought of a scared little four-year old being locked into a cupboard to hide ... and then being left. SPOILER I'll admit, I was really hoping that Julia's inlaws HAD moved in immediately, HAD heard him and rescued him, and I wondered for a moment if perhaps he WAS the father-in-law. I don't know if that would have been too unrealistic, too "happy" for this book. Instead, we have to imagine the little boy slowly dying of dehydration in the cramped space, thinking no one cared enough to come back for him. There likely WERE horrible things like this, byproducts ... honestly, Michel likely would have died anyway, w/Sarah in the camp ... would that have been a "happier" end? Even with her survival, new family, marriage and son ... that she lived in the past and killed herself. Would it have been better to just have had the whole family perish together? In the present day, I didn't like how it seemed Julia was being set up to be with several other men (even long before the divorce ... her relationships with some co-workers seemed to be showing the "good man" in contrast with her playboy husband. Even the meeting with William (Sarah's son) ... both times, seemed to tease at a possible relationship. The present storyline was depressing too. While I know many will say that divorce was inevitable, and they are both better off, I can't help but wonder if she hadn't gotten pregnant, if they would have stayed somewhat-happily married, and if that would have been so bad ... Bertrand was a jerk, but Julia didn't have a "happily ever after" with a good man either, which I guess IS realistic
I was just left feeling very negative about the book upon its completion. Not one I'd recommend, or want to keep/reread. No highlights or profound thoughts I wanted to record. I think I'll remember it, at least the gist of it.
ProFanity (x5), some sexual situation/nothing explicit. Words I watch ... scowl, smirk, adroit. Song sung ... Carley Simon's "You're So Vain" ... narrator DID sing the snippet, which I usually like, but it felt a little out of place amidst all the depression.
NO chapters, which is a HUGE annoyance to me (as I had the book in all formats, physical, kindle and audio). Almost impossible to find my place from one to the other with NO chapters. Seriously, the physical format doesn't even have a Table of Contents, and the ebook just had Paris, July 1942 and Paris, May 2002 and then no other distinctive break (my kindle said "four+ hours left in this chapter). The two timelines switched (the dates changed, moved on) ... I didn't know why there weren't chapters, new "date" headings given. This really was a major frustration for me (I realize it's something many probably didn't even notice).
Two timelines - the past, told in an omniscient and detached 3rd person/past tense. The MC (Sarah) is "the girl" for a majority of the book. For me ... I think this kept me a little disconnected. The present was told in 1st person, Julia being the MC. An American journalist married to a Frenchman, they have a 10 year old daughter. Julia is researching the Vel' d'Hiv's 60th "anniversary" and a personal family connection.
The past storyline was just sad. Yes, it's the war and the treatment of the Jews was beyond terrible. So many horrible things happening, yet here, the thought of a scared little four-year old being locked into a cupboard to hide ... and then being left. SPOILER
I was just left feeling very negative about the book upon its completion. Not one I'd recommend, or want to keep/reread. No highlights or profound thoughts I wanted to record. I think I'll remember it, at least the gist of it.
ProFanity (x5), some sexual situation/nothing explicit. Words I watch ... scowl, smirk, adroit. Song sung ... Carley Simon's "You're So Vain" ... narrator DID sing the snippet, which I usually like, but it felt a little out of place amidst all the depression.