I apologise for starting this thread so early, but ordered this book last week and it was waiting for me to read it...so i have.

Has anyone else read it yet? What did you think?

i have just finished it so am going to get my thoughts and ideas straight in my head then let you know

i enjoyed this book...if thats the word to use

Sarah came accross as a strong young girl caught up in horrific circumstances, which i think had been watered down for reading, but then it is impossible to convey the horror without having first hand experience of what happened to the Jews during the war. It shows what any of us could be capable of during difficult circumstances, and makes you wonder or imagine how you would react in certain circumstances. Also about how experiences can leave lasting scars on individuals

reading some of the chapters was harrowing, but at the start each chapter moves between the 2 main characters... Sarah and Julia..and the chapters are short too so the story is fairly pacey

the book then moves onto Julia only, which i didnt find so interesting, as i wanted to know more about Sarah and her life, and not sure if i felt Julia's character was a bit obsessed with something others would just see as a chapter in history

however as we move towards the end the stories seem to tie up the loose ends, not a predictable story either although i did have a sense of knowing what might happen

and a good ending

most of the characters thought were a bit sketchy, and made you wonder about some of the reactions, for example her father in law Edouard, and her husband. It felt like you didnt get to know anyone in real depth

I did want to know more about Sarah throughout the book which kept me reading


but a good read, let me know what you think

I've just ordered this book so looking forwatd to reading it. I was only interested in it from reading a review about it on here so this site is a real bonus to me when looking for new books to read.

My library catalogue has let me down for the first time so I'll have to buy this one!

thats strange, i couldnt order it either, i got a copy if you want it Jaydee, let me know

Thanks DQ - I started it last night and had it finished by 9 this morning ( I did go to bed in between!). I loved the style - short chapters, switching between characters. Often doing that makes you forget what is happening (or I lose track anyway) but probably because the chapters are short that didn't happen in this book.

I knew without detail about the round up of the Jews in Paris and the fact it was done by the French police but some of the information was new to me. I too would have liked to know more about Sarah as the book went on - but we did find out a bit of what had happened to her as the book ended. In fact I think the way it was done in someway mirrored the way she hid in America where no one knew her story. I thought the poem she had written to her brother was very poignant.

A good read - I 'enjoyed' it too DQ, not sure if there is a better word to use!

Have not bought it yet, still have 6 books to read that I have been sent

Am looking forward to it though.

I finished the book a couple of weeks ago and then my husband read it.
I found the switching from sarah to Julie quite refreshing as I felt I needed a 'break' from the terrible experiences of Sarah's life [just to gather my thoughts]
But I agree Julie does appear to be obsessed with the story and i felt her life story as it was unfolding wasn't 'connected' to Sarah in anyway. Even her father in laws involvement didn't really have much influence on the story. But I was touched at the end when she met ????????? {Won't say in case others have still to read it.]

Am about to start this, funnily it's only the 9th of the month and I feel I am behind

I did enjoy the book. I felt I wanted to know more about Sarah as an adult, but I think that was the point.. no-one did! Julia's story was a bit less interesting but a very good contrast.