Sarah’s Key
Where to buy Sarah’s Key books online?
- ISBN13: 9780312370848
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
A New York Times bestseller.
Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-ancient girl, is cruelly arrested with her family tree by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family tree’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 questioned 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 tree secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s suffering, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she starts to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is questioned 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 tree secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s suffering, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she starts to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly devious, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.
Tatiana de Rosnay was born in the suburbs of Paris and is of English, French and Russian descent. She is the leader of nine French novels. She also writes for French Elle, and is a literary critic for Psychologies magazine. Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two children. Sarah’s Key is her first novel written in her mother tongue, English.
Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-ancient girl, is cruelly arrested with her family tree by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family tree’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 questioned 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 tree secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s suffering, from that terrible term in the Vel’ d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she starts to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Tatiana de Rosnay offers a brilliantly devious, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround the painful episode in that country’s history.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is questioned 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 tree secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s suffering, from that terrible term in the Vel’ d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she starts to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Tatiana de Rosnay offers a brilliantly devious, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround the painful episode in that country’s history.
“De Rosnay’s U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-ancient Julia Jarmond, American by birth, stirred to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-ancient daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to take in the 60th anniversary of the Vél’ d’Hiv’ roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plot to go into was bought by Bertrand’s family tree when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the ex- occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-ancient Sarah and four-year-ancient Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family tree to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family tree, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay’s 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It perfectly conveys Julia’s conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah’s trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to place down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This is the shocking, very much moving and morally challenging tale . . . It will haunt you, it will help to perfect you . . . nothing fleeting of miraculous.”—Augusten Burroughs
“A powerful novel . . . Tatiana de Rosnay has captured the insane world of the Holocaust and the efforts of the few excellent people who stood up against it in this work of fiction more effectively than has been done in many scholarly studies. It is a book that makes us sensitive to how much evil occurred and also to how much willingness to do excellent also existed in that world.”—Rabbi Jack Riemer, South Florida Jewish Journal
“Just when you thought you might have read about every horror of the Holocaust, a book will come along and shine a fierce light upon yet another haunting incorrect. Sarah’s Key is such a novel. In remarkably unsparing, unsentimental prose . . . through a lens so personal and intimate, it will make you weep—and remember.”—Jenna Blum, leader of Persons Who Save Us
“A remarkable novel written with eloquence and empathy.”—Paula Fox, leader of Borrowed Best clothes
“A tale of hearts broken, first by the past, then by family tree secrets, and the truth that starts to repair the pieces. A gorgeous novel.”—Linda Francis Lee, bestselling leader of The Ex-Debutante
“Sarah’s Key unlocks the star crossed, heart thumping tale of an American journalist in Paris and the 60-year-ancient secret that could ruin her marriage. This book will stay on your mind long after it’s back on the shelf.”—Risa Miller, leader of Welcome to Heavenly Heights
“This is a remarkable past novel . . . it’s a book that impresses itself upon one’s heart and soul forever.”—Naomi Ragen, leader of The Saturday Wife
“Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“De Rosnay’s U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-ancient Julia Jarmond, American by birth, stirred to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-ancient daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to take in the 60th anniversary of the Vél’ d’Hiv’ roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plot to go into was bought by Bertrand’s family tree when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the ex- occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-ancient Sarah and four-year-ancient Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family tree to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family tree, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay’s 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It perfectly conveys Julia’s conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah’s trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to place down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Just when you thought you might have read about every horror of the Holocaust, a book will come along and shine a fierce light upon yet another haunting incorrect. Sarah’s Key is such a novel. In remarkably unsparing, unsentimental prose . . . through a lens so personal and intimate, it will make you weep—and remember.”—Jenna Blum, leader of Persons Who Save Us
“A remarkable novel written with eloquence and empathy.”—Paula Fox, leader of Borrowed Best clothes
“A tale of hearts broken, first by the past, then by family tree secrets, and the truth that starts to repair the pieces. A gorgeous novel.”—Linda Francis Lee, bestselling leader of The Ex-Debutante
“Sarah’s Key unlocks the star crossed, heart thumping tale of an American journalist in Paris and the 60-year-ancient secret that could ruin her marriage. This book will stay on your mind long after it’s back on the shelf.”—Risa Miller, leader of Welcome to Heavenly Heights
“This is a remarkable past novel . . . it’s a book that impresses itself upon one’s heart and soul forever.”—Naomi Ragen, leader of The Saturday Wife
“Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“De Rosnay’s U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-ancient Julia Jarmond, American by birth, stirred to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-ancient daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to take in the 60th anniversary of the Vél’ d’Hiv’ roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plot to go into was bought by Bertrand’s family tree when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the ex- occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-ancient Sarah and four-year-ancient Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family tree to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand’s family tree, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay’s 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It perfectly conveys Julia’s conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah’s trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to place down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Buy Cheap Sarah’s Key Online
No related posts.
This book’s only redemption is that it introduced me to the Vel d’Hiv or whatever it was called, of which I had never heard.
Additional than that it just was not appealing or fun to read.
I can’t know how anyone gave it more than one star.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
When I first saw the book take in, I thought it was odd that it reminded me of the take in for “Persons Who Saved Us”. Upon closer look, I realized that the two covers were similar in that they both had children in it. Coincidence? How about the format? The chapters alternate between 1942 and 2002. Yet another coincidence. Then there’s the topic. The Holocaust… it seems to be a topic that is very lucrative. Does Tatiana de Rosnay even have any kind of Jewish heritage? She writes in the back of the book that she stumbled upon the Vel D’Hiv by browsing the Internet. Is that how writers tackle a potential theme? They browse the Internet? If right, it would be a bit unfortunate. If anything, I would expect writers to have a real bond to their theme. Seems as if Ms. de Rosnay read “Persons Who Saved Us,” chose that she should write with the same format, then surfed the Net for possible Holocaust tales.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This book was highly recommended to me and at first not sure of why nor of its contents. I am a WWII history buff and painstakingly loved the journaling of Julia and her deep desire to reach the conclusions of Sarah’s tale. Throughout the book, the history of the rounding up of the Jews in France in 1942 was appalling. It is time that we all acknowledge the treason that the French police implemented towards their own countryman whether Jewish or otherwise. The tale is very captivating and truly worthwhile. I highly recommended this book to a lady that was in the bookstore in the San Diego Airport. I’m a church librarian and have a fantastic like of books and history. I gently questioned “are you looking for recommendations”. She took my advice and bought Sarah’s Key. She said she didn’t want to “weep”, but I said it was very sad time in our history. Question: were the French police held reliable for the deaths of the Jews in France? Yes, they had their orders, but so were the Nazi police in Germany and eventual trials. The back of the the book offers additional suggestions. I also highly recommend Trudy’s Promise which shares the time of occupation after the Berlin Wall was erected. Blessed reading.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
This book has a fantastic tale to tell, but they could have done a better job of telling it. The leader starts right off the bat going back and into the world in time and by the end of the third chapter, I was already confused. I Like the tale – I don’t like the format. See what I mean? Confused!
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
I don’t judge this book. Nor tears of people who read this book either. While its’ vital to know the past facts, this book is all about leader’s and/or her creation Julia’s pride, sentiments, and self-satisfaction rather than Jewish family tree itself. Among them, I felt her pride most. Gorgeous tears hide right scenery of this work. I wish there was more weight on Jewish people on this book, but I don’t judge this leader was capable of doing it. It’s too much about “me” Julia. And the leader couldn’t resist showing it.
And maybe, I realized afterwards, that was why, I had problem seeing the things through Sarah’s eyes where it’s proposed to be read that way. I beleive all the details of terrible events described here are based on, or something very close to what acctually happened, but I felt Sarah was somewhere far, and not real at all. I first thought the writer was not skilled enough, and it still might be a part of it, but now I judge it is mainly because the writer wanted show herself more, adage, “I am a excellent person, and I did a fantastic job”, wearing a mask of an american. And that is why Julia is much more realistic than Sarah, I reflect.
Moreover, at one point I felt like I wanted to see more of Sarah so terribly, she suddenly disappears from pages. I guess it’s because Sarah is only vital for Julia to make her feel excellent about herself, no more no less. She seems care less about Jewish people than she tries to look. The novel tells itself.
This is vital work, but I don’t like this kind of presentation.
I live in Boston, no american, no french, nor have relationship with Jewish famly, but I felt a small rage inside me after reading this. Why this book have to be so much about the Journalist? I let Julia weep and I don’t care a bit. I am not going to be stirred by tears of american or french, whatever. They can weep all the way through the ends, and I don’t care a bit. I care more about Jewish people who acctually suffered, or so I wish to be that way myself, and if I ever write a book about it, I would never say “I care so much about these people!” out loud just like this leader did.
You need modesty.
Showing tears simply don’t do the job.
I only know a few fiction books that clarify the suffering of Jewish people in at least some parts of their storylines, and Beach Composition by Pat Conroy is one of them. If I read a fiction, I prefer something like that, a more modest approach. But I have to admit I don’t know much about it, too.
I like to read excellent documentaries or excellent novels, not like this one.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5