SARAH'S KEY

In July 1942, Paris police rounded up thousands of Jewish families, eventually sending them to the gas chambers of Auschwitz. Told in flashback, this event alternates and overlaps with the story of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist writing an article for the sixtieth anniversary of this dark, almost-forgotten chapter in French history. Polly Stone's delivery of Sarah's story is riveting with its spare emotional power. When Stone becomes Julia, she’s less successful; however, this weakness is not her fault as Julia’s part of the story is predictable and detracts from the power of Sarah's story. The story broadcasts well in advance hidden connections between Sarah and Julia, leaving no surprises, just disappointment that Julia's less-compelling story overpowers Sarah's tale. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]