I have no idea how this snuck up on me.
All day long yesterday I kept thinking that it seemed like I had something to do on March 31st and I couldn’t for the life of me remember what it was. And then, finally, when I was at Bible Study yesterday morning I mentioned Sarah’s Key for some reason I can’t even recall and it all came together that, YES, March 31st was the day I’d scheduled for the second meeting of our very informal, very casual book club.
And how much more casual and informal can you get than having a hostess who completely forgets all about it?
I think I’ll refrain from posting any official book club questions this go round because no one really seemed to care to get that technical last time. Instead, I will sum up my feelings in one sentence.
I thought Sarah’s Key was very sad.
I guess I should have seen it coming seeing as how it was about the Holocaust, but I don’t think I was prepared for the level of sadness and how hard some of it would be to read. I think I was under the impression that most of it was written in the present and didn’t realize that almost the entire novel would have the past and present intertwined. Which makes me think I need to do a better job of reading the description on the back of books.
I will say that I read the entire thing in two days. I couldn’t put it down. And I was amazed to realize I’d never heard of the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup that took place in France by French police. It made me wish I’d paid more attention in all those History classes I took in college. But, you know what they say, college tuition is wasted on people who are a lot more worried about their next date party than history.
Overall, I thought it was a really good book. It held my attention, although I think I was more captivated by Sarah’s story than by Julia’s, even though it was much harder to read. And, honestly, I thought the ending was a little too Danielle Steele.
But maybe that’s just me.
It also cemented my theory that I prefer a good memoir over a fiction novel. I guess I just think real life is more interesting and less predictable.
But, again, maybe that’s just me.
I would love to hear y’alls thoughts on the book. What did you love? What did you hate? Would you recommend it?
And if you have any suggestions for next time, I’d love to hear that too. I’m thinking something light and funny that preferably doesn’t have to do with one of the greatest tragedies in human history.