Sarah's Key

A Novel

By: Tatiana de Rosnay

Narrated by: Polly Stone

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

©2007 Tatiana de Rosnay (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Polly Stone's delivery of Sarah's story is riveting with its spare emotional power.” —AudioFile Magazine

“This is a remarkable historical novel, a book which brings to light a disturbing and deliberately hidden aspect of French behavior towards Jews during World War II. Like Sophie's Choice, it's a book that impresses itself upon one's heart and soul forever.” —Naomi Ragen, author of The Saturday Wife and The Covenant

“Sarah's Key unlocks the star crossed, heart thumping story of an American journalist in Paris and the 60-year-old secret that could destroy her marriage. This book will stay on your mind long after it's back on the shelf.” —Risa Miller, author of Welcome to Heavenly Heights

Interesting history, fair story.

I learned some history I didn't know, and that's good. I was very disappointed with the character development. This should have been a strong, memorable story, but it fell way short. I would have much preferred to see only Sarah's story told. The current day characters were shallow, boring, and added pretty much nothing to the book.

HIstorical "chick-lit??"

I found the historical portion of this tale interesting, but the modern part is annoying. the writer seems very immature in style, the narrater's voice is too young and whiney, though that might be more a matter of the script.

Just ehhhhh.....

Great plot: French Jews are rounded up and taken to camps. Young girl tries to save her little brother by hiding him in the house and will retrieve him after they're sent home. We all know the devastating and horrific things that happened to the Jews at the camps. We rejoice as Sarah escapes and makes her way back to Paris. The story is good for a while but then takes a tragic turn and becomes too coincidental and soap opra"y" for my taste. It really could have been a good book. I wanted DESPERATELY to like it but the end just became too unbearable. I did finish it though because I'm no quitter.

Thought provoking and intelligent

I found this book hard to turn off, especially after the first few chapters, which were a little slow. Whenever I read a book like this, I always ask myself how I would have responded if I had been in that situation. The ending was perfect and brought me to tears, but they were hopeful tears.

Beautifully haunting.... And yet....

It's quite understandable why this work is a Bestseller.
It truly is a memorable work.
Historically accurate, the overall story is not one I've come across before regarding the French and WWII.

Normally, when I'm reading historical fiction from this period (European WWI and WWII), I do not choose an author that writes from the perspective of " looking back" from the present time.
However, Tatiana de Rosnay is a wonderful exception to my self imposed "rule".

Without giving any spoilers or even a suggestion of the ending, I have to admit it was the reason I have the story 4 stars instead of 5.

That said, I think it's just a matter of preference on my part ( the way a story ends) and it truly takes nothing away from the novel.

I highly recommend "Sarah's Key"