Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

About the Author : There was no information about the author on the cover of the book and the assumption was made that this might be Tatiana Roy’s first novel. However a Google search established that Tatiana de Rosnay was born on September 28th 1961 in the suburbs of Paris. She is of English French and Russian decent. Her father is French scientist Joel de Rosnay, her grandfather was painter Gaetan de Rosnay. Tatiana's paternal great grandmother was Russian actress Natalia Racheweskia, director of the Leningrad Pushkin Theatre from 1925 to 1949. Tatiana's Mother, Stella Jebb, daughter of Lord Gladwyn, is I.K. Brunel's great-great-granddaughter. Tatiana is also the niece of historian Hugh Thomas. Tatiana was raised in Paris and then in Boston, when her father taught at MIT. She moved to England in the early 80's and obtained a Bachelor's degree in English literature at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich. Returning to Paris in 1984. Tatiana became press attache for Chrissie's and then Editor for Vanity Fair magazine till 1993.

Since 1992, Tatiana published 8 novels in French (publised at Fayard and Pion) . Tatiana also works as a journalist for French ELLE and is literacy critic for Psychologists Magazine.

Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two teenagers, Louis and Charlotte. She lives in Paris.

About the Book; Though a work of fiction, it is fact-based, recounting though a work of fiction, it is fact-based, recounting the horrific events that occurred in occupied France in the summer of 1942, and in particular the Valedrome d’Hiver round up of Jews which took place on 16th July 1942, in the heart of Paris. As the author herself said – “This is not a historical work and has no intention of being one. It is my tribute to the children of the Vel’ d’Hiv’. The childen who never came back. And the ones who survived to tell.”
The narrative is based on a dark period in the history of France and one seldom mentioned, when thousands of Jewish families were forcibly kept in the Velodrome d’Hiver before being separated from their children and being sent in to transit camps such as Drancy prior to being despatched to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. The chilling fact being that this was perpetrated by the French Authorities. The author alternated between the events of 1942 and the present day. The past centring round a 10 year old Jewish girl Sarah Strazynski to go to the Vel’ d’Hiver with her mother and father having left behind her 4 year old brother locked in a secret cupboard with the promise she would return to him soon. The present revolves round an American writer, Julia Jarmond, married to a Frenchman whose family was connected to the deportation of Jews, and her subsequent involvement to the exclusion of all else.

The Review; The group’s discussion opened with agreement that the book was fascinating in illuminating an event that was unknown to all. General comments were, intriguing, a good read, thought –provoking and depressing. Most agreed that the attention was held and one was totally absorbed in the first half of the book, but that when Sarah was out of the picture it lost its impact. The ensuing narrative of unfolding events was considered to be laboured and trite, but necessary to cover the question of guilt caused by suppression of secrets and subsequent start of the healing process.
The discussion widened to cover the parallels of collaborators in Holland and Italy, the reluctance of most Jewish people to discuss events, anti-Semitism in general and posing the question – what if it had happened here? Would it have been any different? One member had a personal contribution to make regarding family history and another had moving account of a visit to Auschwitz. So we are left to ponder how easily unchallenged, passive indifference and intolerance, when fired, escalate to active persecution and brutality. Why do we never learn from the past?

In summing up the book was poignant and gripping and its value for stimulating through across a wide spectrum involving many moral questions relevant today overrides any shortcomings in the story line itself.

The three books out forward by the host were:

Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale
Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

Thanks to Mike and Lorraine for hosting the meeting