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A story that I will hold close to my heart... Always. July 16, 1942. This date will forever be imprinted in my brain. A cruel day in history that took place in Paris during WWII. Lives of thousands of Jewish men, women, and children forever changed. The most horrendous detail is many people never even heard of the occurrences that took place at the Vel'd'Hiv and the camps that these human beings were later sent to. Tatiana de Rosnay expressed her initial shock about the events and decided to pay homage to it by writing this novel about a journalist, Julia, who researches the roundup of the French Jews. She stumbles across a 10 year old, Jewish girl's story. Julia visits the places of the events, talks to people who experienced the horrible tragedy and the people who witnessed it to find out everything she could about this little girl, Sarah. It takes her on a rough path of awareness and strength. Her cognizance of July 16, 1942, she realizes, will always remain with her. She feels Sarah's presence and the responsibility she bestows on herself to figure out the truth. In the midst of discovery, she grows and realizes her own worth, as well as her family's. The author structures the book with the alternating perspectives and stories of Julia and Sarah. Sarah's story takes place in the 1940s, while Julia's takes place in the 2000s. It interweaves perfectly together, taking the reader on a journey experiencing Sarah's pain and Julia's search discovery firsthand. This is a must-read. Whether you're interested in history, mystery or love, this book will take you on a ride that you will not regret. You will smile, cry, learn and also discover the importance of knowing. No one can truly know what it is like to live in the conditions they were forced to be in. The lives ripped away. The childhoods stolen. Zakhor. Al Tichlah. Remember. Never Forget.

2022-10-21 05:46