Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine and so I had high expectations for this book after reading other recommendations. Also I was looking for a good read for our book group.

The book begins with lots of promise -- juxtapositioning between Nazi-occupied Paris and current day situation. The switching between voices is very effective at the beginning -- the author gives us tantalizing pieces before switching to the other voice. However that is the best part of the book.

For me there was an emotional disconnect with the current time protagonist -- I did not feel the emotional bond she had with the past other than the author was forcing it on us that we had to feel that way also. Manipulation is big here -- you feel like you are blazing through the book, turning page after page. This is because where other authors would begin a new paragraph, she begins a new chapter.

For some reason it seems the historical fiction that I've read recently has the current day/histical time voices being used to tell the story. Most times (99.9%) the historical voice is the one you want to hear, not the current story. This is definitely the case with this book. It takes a lot more research and imagination to write completely in the historical voice. Pope Joan is an excellent example of current good historical fiction. This could have been the case with this book -- Sarah could have escaped at the beginning of the Paris event and followed the lives of her and/or her brother as Jews in Nazi Paris, the parents story being another story line. I would have felt "full" after reading a book with that background instead of empty after reading this one.

But I did learn a little about the history of Nazi occupied Paris so I will give it two stars.