Author: Tatiana de Rosnay

This book was on my list for ages; I even had it downloaded to my Kindle. But during a Texada Library sale I was able to pick up the real thing. It sat in the cupboard on Texada for ages but I finally pulled it out. It didn’t take long to read.

Julia and her family are about to move into the Paris apartment that was previously the home of her husband’s grandmother. In the course of research for her job she came to learn of the Vel’ d’Hiv – the rounding up of Jewish citizens in Paris during the occupation. Little did she know that her husband’s family were living in an apartment that had been the previous home of a Jewish family. Sarah was one of the thousands of children that had been rounded up and sent to various camps.

I’ve read so many books about the occupation and the treatment of the Jewish people that maybe I was a bit desensitize. It seemed to me though that the actions of Julia were quite selfish and indulgent, although there was a good conclusion to the story.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Update: December 12, 2022

I recently came across a review of this book from an older version of my website. Most obvious from the two reading is that the first time around “I found the ending a bit contrived” whereas on the second reading I liked the conclusion.

Here is the original review:

The book starts out telling the story of a young French girl, Sarah, living in Paris during the Second World War. She and her family, with the exception of her brother, are arrested and sent to concentration camps in Poland. Sarah’s story is alternated with the present-day story of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist who has married into a well-to-do French family. These two stories intersect in a most interesting way. I loved the book, but I found the ending a bit contrived.