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yuri_kana 's review for:
Sarah's Key
by Tatiana de Rosnay
OH my gosh. I just wrote this long review and everything just erased. SO ANNOYED.
I'll try to type it all out again. Aaaah!!!!
I was not aware of the Vel d’Hiv round-up of the Jewish people living in France by the French police. I could not put this book down and finished it in 3 days, only because I had other things I had to do (such as touring and performing). Still, I can't give this book a 5-star rating.
The book takes the reader through parallel stories that intertwine. One story, set in 1942, starts when a young girl (Sarah) is arrested at her house by the French police, along with her family. Being naive and believing she would return soon, she locked her 4-year old brother in a hidden cupboard and promised him she would free him. The author describes the young girl's horrific experience and what she had to endure with vivid detail.
The other story takes place in the year 2002 and follows a journalist named Julia as she researches the Vel d'Hiv round-up. She soon learns there is a hidden secret in her family regarding the round-up and gets personally invested in finding out the truth and what happened.
As I said earlier, it took me 3 days to read the book because I had things to do. Still, every time I put the book down, I kept thinking about Sarah, her family, and the round-up. I wanted to know what happened to them. Would Sarah escape? Would someone rescue her brother? I wanted to research the events on my own and the thought of visiting Paris to go to some of the places mentioned in the book crossed my mind a few times. I felt very involved in the story and had a difficult time thinking about anything else.
So why the 4-star rating?
Julia's story.
When the first chapter ended (which was Sarah's story), and Julia's started, I felt disappointed. The disappointment didn't last long and the book was an easy read. I found myself wanting to finish Julia's chapters so I can get back to Sarah's story.
I haven't felt so emotional reading a book in a long time, and yet, I didn't cry. I think it's because every few pages, Julia's story kept interrupting! Bertrand? No, thank you. C'mon, Julia. For a modern woman, you took a lot of crap. I thought her drama was holding me back somehow. I also felt incomplete about many of the characters, which I don't like.
Towards the end of the book, when Sarah's story ended and Julia's continued, I was really frustrated. I wanted more of Sarah! I felt unsatisfied and at the same time, Julia's story (that I didn't really care for) continued. Chapter after chapter. I SO wanted to read more of the 1942 setting. For me, the end really dragged.
Because of all the above, this book would be more like a 3-star rating... maybe even 2.5 or a 2..., but I haven't been this involved in a book in awhile and I discovered something I didn't know before. I couldn't put the book down and it made me want to go learn more. If it weren't for the above, I would probably give it a 4.5 or a 5. The theme of the book, "Remember, don't forget" is a strong one. 4-star seemed right as the average of the 2. I mean, I really was moved.
I'll try to type it all out again. Aaaah!!!!
I was not aware of the Vel d’Hiv round-up of the Jewish people living in France by the French police. I could not put this book down and finished it in 3 days, only because I had other things I had to do (such as touring and performing). Still, I can't give this book a 5-star rating.
The book takes the reader through parallel stories that intertwine. One story, set in 1942, starts when a young girl (Sarah) is arrested at her house by the French police, along with her family. Being naive and believing she would return soon, she locked her 4-year old brother in a hidden cupboard and promised him she would free him. The author describes the young girl's horrific experience and what she had to endure with vivid detail.
The other story takes place in the year 2002 and follows a journalist named Julia as she researches the Vel d'Hiv round-up. She soon learns there is a hidden secret in her family regarding the round-up and gets personally invested in finding out the truth and what happened.
As I said earlier, it took me 3 days to read the book because I had things to do. Still, every time I put the book down, I kept thinking about Sarah, her family, and the round-up. I wanted to know what happened to them. Would Sarah escape? Would someone rescue her brother? I wanted to research the events on my own and the thought of visiting Paris to go to some of the places mentioned in the book crossed my mind a few times. I felt very involved in the story and had a difficult time thinking about anything else.
So why the 4-star rating?
Julia's story.
When the first chapter ended (which was Sarah's story), and Julia's started, I felt disappointed. The disappointment didn't last long and the book was an easy read. I found myself wanting to finish Julia's chapters so I can get back to Sarah's story.
Spoiler
I haven't felt so emotional reading a book in a long time, and yet, I didn't cry. I think it's because every few pages, Julia's story kept interrupting! Bertrand? No, thank you. C'mon, Julia. For a modern woman, you took a lot of crap. I thought her drama was holding me back somehow. I also felt incomplete about many of the characters, which I don't like.
Towards the end of the book, when Sarah's story ended and Julia's continued, I was really frustrated. I wanted more of Sarah! I felt unsatisfied and at the same time, Julia's story (that I didn't really care for) continued. Chapter after chapter. I SO wanted to read more of the 1942 setting. For me, the end really dragged.
Because of all the above, this book would be more like a 3-star rating... maybe even 2.5 or a 2..., but I haven't been this involved in a book in awhile and I discovered something I didn't know before. I couldn't put the book down and it made me want to go learn more. If it weren't for the above, I would probably give it a 4.5 or a 5. The theme of the book, "Remember, don't forget" is a strong one. 4-star seemed right as the average of the 2. I mean, I really was moved.