I completed another book a week or so ago----THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ ALL YEAR!!! It was SOO good. Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosney. This is not a light beach read, but a tear jerker from page one. This book tells the story (a story I had no idea about) of the French Jews during Hitler's rule over Germany. Actually there are 2 stories being told--1st the story of Sarah, a French Jew--and 2nd the story of Julia a modern day journalist who is researching and writing a story about the Jewish people for the 60th anniversary of the horrible events of 1942. It goes back and forth between the story of Julia and the story of Sarah until the stories collide and Julia finds out that Sarah's story will change her life, and the lives of her family members FoReVeR. Sarah's story is heartwrenching. The event that changed her life was the Vel'd' Hiv' Roundup. It was essentially a roundup and imprisonment of the French Jews by the French police (not the Nazi police). The turning point of Sarah's life occurs during this round-up as the police knock on her families door to take them away. She helps her 4 year old brother to hide in a hidden cabinet in their apartment, locks him in with a key, and then keeps the key. As she is taken, imprisoned, marched, re-located, shaved, beaten, starved, and orphaned---she is always thinking about her little brother and whether or not he is still in the cupboard (can you imagine???). The details of the horrible conditions of the concentration camps was not NEW information to me, but it never ceases to amaze and horrify me. This book was mesmerizing, but not always easy to read. I would recommend this book to ANYONE---actually EVERYONE!!!
4 comments:
You have good taste in books Jess. You would like the books my grandma Linda gives to me too. Her and Aunt Betty, Nancy and Susan share good books. We should start a family book club.
I'm a brand new follower and I love your blog!
I actually just read this book a few months ago and I felt exactly the same about it! I always knew about the concentration camps and the basics of the situation but I never knew the extent of how horrible it was. I learned so much from this book and although it was very hard to read at times, I am glad that I now have a new appreciation of exactly what these people went through.
I just read this book last week and you are right it was a very good book even if it was a tear jerker
I will never get around to reading this book, but can you email me and tell me if they ever say what happens to the boy in the cabinet? I'm thinking it's obviously, but curious if he gets out or something.
Post a Comment