The Hidden Truths of History

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay is a historical novel set in a frame story published in 2007. According to dictionary.com, a frame story is “a narrative providing the framework for connecting a series of otherwise unrelated stories.” Sarah’s Key tells the story of a young journalist, Julia Jarmond, as she uncovers the story of Sarah and her family when writing an article on the sixtieth anniversary of the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup in Paris. This story has been relatively unheard of, but it is one of those books that everyone should read at least once in their lives, even if the subject matter is not the most uplifting.

The Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup was done in Paris during July of 1942. Parisian Jews were rounded up and held in an indoor stadium for days before being shipped off to Auschwitz and gassed. The French still do not like to admit that they had any part in this horrific event, but when the police came knocking to arrest the Jews, it was the French Police at the doors (De Rosnay). Lily Yengle says, “I always think it’s interesting when authors find obscure events that have been overshadowed and forgotten about within major chapters of history and bring them to life…the story of what happened at the Vel’ d’Hiv’, and the unraveling of Sarah’s life, is definitely worth the read” (Yengle). The historical aspect of the novel is what really pulls at the readers’ heart. The fact these events actually happened seems unbearable in today’s society, but the story makes readers’ stop and really think about the horrific history entwined into this story. This very fact is what keeps many people from thinking to read the novel.

Sarah’s Key was unheard of until Target chose the story to be its Bookmarked Club Pick, “a choice for a program that designates titles for prominent display throughout the chain’s stores”. De Rosnay knew her book had a better chance of selling when a friend sent her a picture of her book filling out a shelf in Target (Rich). The story has since gained a bigger following and has even been made into a movie. Sarah’s Key is not only meant to entertain its readers, but also to show the truth behind one of history’s lost events.

Sarah’s Key is a novel that deserves much more praise than it has previously gotten. The entwined stories of Sarah and Julia keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. The twisted ending leaves people crying with both joy and sorrow. The depressing subject matter of the story should not stop people from reading this book. Summer reading in high school consists of having students read Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, which is about a young, bullied victim who goes into his school and shoots some of his classmates within the span of nineteen minutes. If students can read about gruesome subject matter that is so close to them, then they should be able to read about the historical context of Sarah’s Key. Both novels also have the common ground of using characters that many people can easily relate with.

In Sarah’s Key, De Rosnay uses simplistic terms to get across the full message of the story. In some of Sarah’s flashbacks, there are French terms that readers may not understand, but De Rosnay does a good job of explaining the meaning or giving enough context clues. The characters of Sarah and Julia are different because of their sixty years of separation, but they both learn some important life lessons in their own ways. Sarah is a young girl who loses everything of importance in one single night, whereas Julia slowly loses the things she thought were most important over the span of the novel. Learning of Sarah’s story and following in her footsteps changes Julia’s life. Sarah’s Key is a novel that teaches these lessons to its readers and causes them to stop and think of their own lives.

Tatiana De Rosnay’s novel, Sarah’s Key should be read by everyone. The historical context mixed with the fictionalized storyline make for an amazing story. The fact that the events set forth in the novel are all real is something that no one can ever forget after reading this novel. De Rosnay’s rich descriptions of what the Holocaust was really like for many families and how it ruined so many lives stays with readers, but the hope they feel for Sarah and Julia make the story worth the struggles. This conflict the readers feel is what makes the book an unforgettable must-read for all young adults.

Works Cited

"Frame Story." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

DeRosnay, Tatiana. Sarah's Key. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2007. Print.

Rich, Motoko. “When big-box store smiles on a book, sleepy titles can become best sellers.” New York Times 22 July 2009: Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

Yengle, Lily. “That’s what she read: Sarah’s Key – by Tatiana de Rosnay.” UWIRE Text26 Jan. 2012: Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.