SARAH'S KEY- by tatiana de rosnay

I was craving a good read and a friend suggested this one. When I stopped at Borders after jury duty to pick it up, the cashier said "this is supposed to be fantastic!". Though she hadn't read it, I was encouraged by her strong response, and started it on the T ride home.
The story switches between the perspectives of Sarah, a ten year old Jewish girl living in Paris in 1942 and Julia, a 45 year old American journalist living in Paris in 2002 with her French husband of 15 years and their eleven year old daughter, Zoe. Sarah and her family are rounded up in the Vel' d'Hiv- the Nazi driven effort carried out by French police that sent thousands of Jewish families living in France to extermination camps. We follow her story from the initial arrest to transport between holding locations, separation from family, and arrival at a camp in Beaune-la-Rolande.
As the sixtieth anniversary approaches, Julia is given the assignment of writing an commemorative article about the Vel' d'Hiv. She realizes how little people know about the roundup, and how little French citizens are willing to discuss what they do know. As she digs into the past, she learns things that change her current relationships and outlook on what is important in life.
I loved this book. I found myself reading late into the night without falling asleep (something that's almost unheard of for me), and itching to read anytime I could. The emotional connection I felt to the characters and outcome was stronger than I usually find. The author's progression between characters and periods was smooth and well thought out, and the ending tied up appropriately without being too idealistic.
Netflix rating? 5/5 stars.