Currently Reading: Sarah's Key

I'm currently reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana DeRosnay. It tells the parallel story of a Jewish girl, Sarah, in occupied France during the Vel' d'Hiv, 1942 and a journalist, Julia, in Paris writing an article on the sixtieth anniversary of the Vel'd'Hiv in 2002.

The Vel' D'Hiv was a "round-up" of Jewish people in Paris by the French police over a two day period in July of 1942. The majority of the people arrested during the Vel' D'Hiv were sent to Auschwitz and never made it back.

Sarah is ten-years-old when France is invaded by the Nazi's. Suddenly they are forced to wear stars on all of the clothing, they are not allowed in the same places they used to, and her father is forced to leave his job. On the morning of July 16, 1942 French police come to each Jewish home and arrest everyone in the family. When this happens to Sarah's family, Sarah's locks her four-year-old brother in a hidden cupboard so that the police will not know he is there. Sarah is to young to understand exactly what is happening and thinks they will be back. Once Sarah realizes that they will not be allowed to return to their home her thoughts turn to her brother, locked in the cupboard in their apartment with no way out, and she is determined to escape and save him.

The story is an emotional portrayal of the events of  France in1942. You get so wrapped up in the lives of both Sarah and Julia. There is so much hope and fear for Sarah. This has been an incredible read so far.