Sarah’s Key by Tatianna de Rosnay
Review by Lorraine Blatt
The novel Sarah’s Key takes place in Paris in 1942 and in Paris in 2002. In July 1942, the French police round up the Jews of Paris and send them out of occupied France to a concentration camp. This event is called Vel’ d’ Hiv in French history.
When 10-year-old Sarah, hears the police coming, she locks her 4-year-old brother in a hidden cupboard, telling him to be very quiet and tat him she will come get him in a few hours. But Sarah and her family are rounded up by the police and sent away with the other Jews of Paris. Sarah has no way to go back for her brother.
The story moves to Paris in May of 2002. An American journalist, married to a Frenchman and working for a paper in Paris, is asked to write about Vel’ d’ Hiv on its 60th anniversary. As Julia Jarmond investigates the story, she finds she has a connection to Sarah through her husband’s family. She finds a family secret: Her husband’s family was given Sarah’s apartment not long after Sarah’s family was taken away. Julia and her husband are now supposed to move into the apartment. Julia retraces Sarah’s ordeal and in the process she begins to question her own place in France and she finds she must reevaluate her marriage and her life.
This is an excellent story told with compassion and care for the plight of the Jews in France during the German occupation. It is definitely a worthy read. Contact Lorraine at 772-359-7370 to borrow the book from the Sha’are Shalom library.