Sarah's Key

( 3268 )

Overview


A New York Times bestseller. Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, ...
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More About This Book

Overview


A New York Times bestseller. Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.
Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.
Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.
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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A wonderful book." --Joy Behar, The View 

“This is the shocking, profoundly moving and morally challenging story...  It will haunt you, it will help to complete you… nothing short of miraculous.”  -Augusten Burroughs “Just when you thought you might have read about every horror of the Holocaust, a book will come along and shine a fierce light upon yet another haunting wrong.  SARAH'S KEY is such a novel.  In remarkably unsparing, unsentimental prose... through a lens so personal and intimate, it will make you cry--and remember.” -Jenna Blum, author of Those Who Save Us "A haunting, riveting novel... This book grabs your heart in the opening chapter, and its scenes and characters stay with you long after you finish." --Publishers Weekly, a PW 2008 Staff Pick “Masterly and compelling, it is not something that readers will quickly forget. Highly recommended.”-Library Journal, Starred Review

“Exceptional, emotional, and compelling…” – Sacramento Bee

“A powerful novel… Tatiana de Rosnay has captured the insane world of the Holocaust and the efforts of the few good people who stood up against it in this work of fiction more effectively than has been done in many scholarly studies. It is a book that makes us sensitive to how much evil occurred and also to how much willingness to do good also existed in that world.” --Rabbi Jack Riemer, South Florida Jewish Journal “A remarkable novel written with eloquence and empathy.” -Paula Fox, author of Borrowed Finery "A story of hearts broken, first by the past, then by family secrets, and the truth that begins to repair the pieces. A beautiful novel." -Linda Francis Lee, bestselling author of The Ex-Debutante “SARAH’S KEY unlocks the star crossed, heart thumping story of an American journalist in Paris and the 60-year-old secret that could destroy her marriage.  This book will stay on your mind long after it's back on the shelf.” –Risa Miller, author of Welcome to Heavenly Heights “This is a remarkable historical novel... it's a book that impresses itself upon one's heart and soul forever.” –Naomi Ragen, author of The Saturday Wife "Sarah's Key is told from both the perspective of an 10-year-old girl whose family is rounded up during the Vel D'Hiv in France in 1942 and an American who presently lives in Paris. The heartbreak is real, the love is true, and the need to find out how their two lives are connected made this one of my absolute favorites!" -Sarah Galvin, The Bookstore Plus, Lake Placid, NY "Just read Sarah's Key and LOVED IT... SUCH FUN TO DISCOVER A TREASURE.  THANKS FOR EVERYTHING." -Diane Garrett, Diane's Books of Greenwich "I was overwhelmed by a novel that I had missed when it first came our way--Sarah's Key.  It is a page-turner about World War II, the Holocaust and contemporary Paris.  I couldn't put it down."  -Roberta, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court (Front Line, Newsletter)  “Just as gripping as The Diary of Anne Frank and Schindler’s List.” -Ginny Thompson, Book Club Member  “Sarah’s Key is the most compelling, gripping novel I’ve read in a long time.  Loved everything about it.” -Audrey Raclaw, Book Club Member “An incredible story, beautifully written.  Could not put it down.” -Georgia Kelly, Book Club Member “I will remember this story…..I enjoyed the characters and learned something about this period that was not a popular tale.” -Barb Toslosky, Book Club Member “Wonderfully written.  Kept me on the edge of my seat every moment.  An emotional journey.  One of my favorite novels.  Up there with the best- If walls could talk.  An outstanding personalization of the horrors of the hococaust.” -Charlotte Hanebuth, Book Club Member  “A beautifully written, poignant novel based on a shameful period in French history.  A must read for all lovers of historical fiction.” -Barbara Mix, Book Club Member  “Totally excellent book.  Read it in one day.  The book made me aware of the French round up.  I would like to know if Julia and William got involved.” -Kathleen McCann, Book Club Member  “Wonderfully written page turner.  Such an interesting and mysterious story!” -Sue Sneary, Book Club Member  “Tatiana’s ability to get me into the ‘head’ of her characters is phenomenal.  I had such empathy for Julia and Sarah.” -Kathleen Voight, Book Club Member  “The book is beautifully written – two stories that intersect in a Paris apartment.  Sarah’s love of her brother filled her life with guilt, overshadowing her life with sadness.” -Beth Carpenter, Book Club Member  “Wonderfully written one woman’s quest for the truth.” -Carol Adams, Book Club Member

Publishers Weekly
In the summer of 1942, the French police arrested thousands of Jewish families and held them outside of Paris before shipping them off to Auschwitz. On the 60th anniversary of the roundups, an expatriate American journalist covering the atrocities discovers a personal connection—her apartment was formerly occupied by one such family. She resolves to find out what happened to Sarah, the 10-year-old daughter, who was the only family member to survive. The story is heart-wrenching, and Polly Stone gives an excellent performance, keeping a low-key tone through descriptions of horror that would elicit excessive dramatics from a less talented performer. Her characters are easy to differentiate, and her French accent is convincing. De Rosnay's novel is captivating, and the powerful narration gives it even greater impact. A St. Martin's hardcover. (June)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780312370848
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press
  • Publication date: 9/30/2008
  • Edition description: First Edition
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 24,337
  • Product dimensions: 5.68 (w) x 10.88 (h) x 0.81 (d)

Meet the Author


TATIANA DE ROSNAY was born in the suburbs of Paris and is of English, French and Russian descent. She is the author of nine French novels. She also writes for French ELLE, and is a literary critic for Psychologies magazine. Tatiana de Rosnay is married and has two children. SARAH'S KEY is her first novel written in her mother tongue, English.
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Read an Excerpt


SARAH'S KEY (Chapter 1)

Paris, July 1942

 

The girl was the first to hear the loud pounding on the door. Her room was closest to the entrance of the apartment. At first, dazed with sleep, she thought it was her father, coming up from his hiding place in the cellar. He'd forgotten his keys, and was impatient because nobody had heard his first, timid knock. But then came the voices, strong and brutal in the silence of the night. Nothing to do with her father. "Police! Open up! Now!"

The pounding took up again, louder. It echoed to the marrow of her bones. Her younger brother, asleep in the next bed, stirred. "Police! Open up! Open up!" What time was it? She peered through the curtains. It was still dark outside.

She was afraid. She remembered the recent, hushed conversations she had overheard, late at night, when her parents thought she was asleep. She had crept up to the living room door and she had listened and watched from a little crack through the panel. Her father's nervous voice. Her mother's anxious face. They spoke their native tongue, which the girl understood, although she was not as fluent as them. Her father had whispered that times ahead would be difficult. That they would have to be brave and very careful. He pronounced strange, unknown words: "camps," "roundup, a big roundup," "early morning arrests," and the girl wondered what all of it meant. Her father had murmured that only the men were in danger, not the women, not the children, and that he would hide in the cellar every night.

He had explained to the girl in the morning that it would be safer if he slept downstairs, for a little while. Till "things got safe." What "things," exactly? thought the girl. What was "safe"? When would things be "safe" again? She wanted to find out what he had meant by "camp" and "roundup," but she worried about admitting she had eavesdropped on her parents, several times. So she had not dared ask him.

"Open up! Police!"

Had the police found Papa in the cellar, she asked herself. Was that why they were here, had the police come to take Papa to the places he had mentioned during those hushed midnight talks: the "camps," far away, out of the city?

The girl padded fast on silent feet to her mother's room, down the corridor. Her mother awoke the minute she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"It's the police, Maman," the girl whispered. "They're banging on the door."

Her mother swept her legs from under the sheets, brushed her hair out of her eyes. The girl thought she looked tired, old, much older than her thirty years.

"Have they come to take Papa away?" pleaded the girl, her hands on her mother's arms. "Have they come for him?"

The mother did not answer. Again the loud voices down the hallway. The mother swiftly put a dressing gown over her night dress, then took the girl by the hand and went to the door. Her hand was hot and clammy, like a child's, the girl thought.

"Yes?" the mother said timidly, without opening the latch.

A man's voice. He shouted her name.

"Yes, Monsieur, that is me," she answered. Her accent came out strong, almost harsh.

"Open up. Immediately. Police."

The mother put a hand to her throat and the girl noticed how pale she was. She seemed drained, frozen. As if she could no longer move. The girl had never seen such fear on her mother's face. She felt her mouth go dry with anguish.

The men banged again. The mother opened the door with clumsy, trembling fingers. The girl winced, expecting to see green-gray suits.

Two men stood there. One was a policeman, wearing his dark blue knee-length cape and a high, round cap. The other man wore a beige raincoat. He had a list in his hand. Once again, he said the woman's name. And the father's name. He spoke perfect French. Then we are safe, thought the girl. If they are French, and not German, we are not in danger. If they are French, they will not harm us.

The mother pulled her daughter close to her. The girl could feel the woman's heart beating through her dressing gown. She wanted to push her mother away. She wanted her mother to stand up straight and look at the men boldly, to stop cowering, to prevent her heart from beating like that, like a frightened animal's. She wanted her mother to be brave.

"My husband is . . . not here," stuttered the mother. "I don't know where he is. I don't know."

The man with the beige raincoat shoved his way into the apartment.

"Hurry up, Madame. You have ten minutes. Pack some clothes. Enough for a couple of days."

The mother did not move. She stared at the policeman. He was standing on the landing, his back to the door. He seemed indifferent, bored. She put a hand on his navy sleeve.

"Monsieur, please--," she began.

The policeman turned, brushing her hand away. A hard, blank expression in his eyes.

"You heard me. You are coming with us. Your daughter, too. Just do as you are told."

SARAH'S KEY Copyright © 2007 by Tatiana de Rosnay

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 3268 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1763)

4 Star

(873)

3 Star

(375)

2 Star

(140)

1 Star

(117)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 3288 Customer Reviews

  • Posted September 17, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Change of Heart
    Love's Eclipse Of The Heart
    Night

    Sarah's Key

    In this book, Tatiana DeRosnay creates two parallel stories which eventually intersect and each completes the other. One story takes place in 1942 when a young Jewish girl and her family are rounded up by the French police who detain them before sending them to the Nazi gas chambers. The second story concerns a modern-day journalist who discovers the fact that the French turned Jews over to the Nazis and decides to write a story about it. The journalist has troubles of her own and her pursuit of the truth threatens her husband's family and her marriage. This is an engrossing story which is based on an actual incident and is one of the best books I've read in awhile. Profoundly moving.

    115 out of 117 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted November 16, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    The Well and the Mine
    City of Thieves
    Sophie's Choice
    The Poisonwood Bible

    Disappointing

    Sophie's Choice meets Bridges of Madison County...

    I'm surprised how positive the reviews of this book have been.

    I expected a lot and was disappointed.

    de Rosnay attempts to mix several genres,combining a work of historical fiction, a psychological profile, and a female midlife crisis/romance into one coherent read - but her attempt fails.

    Like a cheap TV-VCR combo - Sarah's Key ends up being a convenient and barely passable book that is ultimately not very satisfying on any of its individual merits.

    The two parallel story lines start out equally compelling, but the modern tale quickly unravels into melodrama. Substituting caricatures for characters, and trivializing the hard work and rewards that marriage provides - de Rosnay ends up diluting the historical importance of the subject of her novel with a sloppy and fantastical romance.

    Kudos to Sarah's Key for drawing attention to an underpublicized event in WWII. de Rosnay's recounting of events is very compelling - but like the main character's editor points out - the reported facts of the story leaves many unexposed and more interesting lines of investigation begging to be discovered, but left untouched here.

    52 out of 80 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 2, 2008

    Powerful read.

    Bought this book in Ireland. What a wonderful but sad story - never knew France had this 'dirty little secret' the Vel d'Hiv roundup. Historically correct. Written from the perspective of a young girl, Sarah, and a journalist investigating the events. The story is inspiring and heart-wrenching, clearly identiying the impact the events had on Sarah, her family, her adopted family, her children, the journalist and her family. Didn't want to put it down. Disappointed her other books are not written in English. A must read.

    31 out of 36 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 16, 2010

    Sarah's Key will move you to tears...

    It has been a long time since I read a book that truly made me weep. It is amazing to read about the 1942 Jewish roundups in France, known as the Vel d'Hiv. It is a part of history that has been buried. De Rosnay weaves a quite personal and believable fictional story about the character Sarah and her family with facts about the Vel d'Hiv atrocity. It is a very moving novel about something we should never accept nor forget. This is a book you cannot put down once you get started. Highly recommended!

    22 out of 23 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 3, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    The Pillars of the Earth
    Italian for Beginners

    A Tad Juvenile

    First of all, this was a very easy read. The author's writing style is very simple and with the way the chapters are set up every other page was only half filled, making the 300 page book feel like 150 instead.

    Every other chapter for the first half of the book was about war-torn France and Nazi death camps. The book was very educational in this sense on the Vel' d'Hiv', an event of which I was unaware until reading this book. I felt that this portion of the book was actual believable and I wished that more time was spend on the 11-year-old who was main character of this section.

    Every other chapter, however, was set in modern-day Paris from the point-of-view of a 45-year-old. Her so-called romantic life did not thrill me in the least and I found it an absolute bore. I don't know if it was lack of depth in all the characters or if it was the 45-year-old acting like a 17-year-old or what but I was almost frustrated by how juvenile the entire story was. It made the touching story from the 1940s that was happening on every other page seem less important, less sensitive, and less meaningful.

    I would have preferred a stronger protagonist, deeper characters, and more impressive writing from the author. If you end up liking this book, below are a couple of books I recommend that are easy to read and have uncomplicated storylines, much like this one.

    19 out of 22 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 24, 2010

    Sarah's Key a Bit of a Disappointment

    Sarah's Key starts out pretty good, but after the initial chapter or two I found that I kind of lost interest. I could have completely done without the modern day character and her jerk of a husband and wish that the author had developed the story line of Sarah more fully. I was especially disappointed when she just completely abandoned her after the gruesome discovery in her former home in Paris. I would have liked to understand how she dealt with the death of her brother, and her attempt to start over in America. But, we had to learn about that (in very sketchy details) after the fact. Also, the ending was strange. Call me old fashioned, but I want "details" - not just an assumption of an outcome. Yes, it has a happy ending, but instead of fleshing it out, I felt that she just left me dangling (kind of like she did with Sarah). I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone.

    12 out of 20 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 14, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Shanghai Girls

    Sarahs key

    Awsome strong powerful, A great way to learn ,the travesty in France . The struggles of the Jews. Truly emotional, reviting .sad beautifuly writen. This author brings to life all the wrongs and you feel as though you new the people in this story .
    I have recomende this book to several people and friends who have read this agree .

    12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 8, 2009

    I Also Recommend:

    Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
    Explosion In Paris

    RIVETING AND TOTALLY ABSORBING!

    An American Journalist in Paris unlocks a multitude of secrets that will keep you completely enthralled and hungry for more with every turn of the page! A haunting masterpiece! Beautifully done Rosnay!! .....

    Another exciting and compelling read I came across lately is EXPLOSION IN PARIS by Pirrung. If you enjoyed Sarah's Key, I think you will be completely captivated by this one, as I was. I also loved SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME.

    12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 8, 2011

    Heartwrenching at times but a great read. I really liked how she broke up the book between past and present.

    10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 24, 2011

    Amazing!

    One of the best books i have ever read!

    9 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 12, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Hauntingly Beautiful

    I found this novel to be a hauntingly beautiful story. The primary subject is a heart-wrenching tale originating in Paris in 1942. The author provides haunting details of the French authorities' cooperation with the Nazis in facilitating the Holocaust as related to French citizens.

    The heartbreaking account of the events of 1942 are expertly juxtaposed with a contemporary tale of an American journalist in Paris. I loved the way the author alternated chapters, boucning back and forth between 1942 and the present. I thought that the details of the two stories were beautifully interwoven. This is, for the most part, a quite sad story, but was so beautifully written. It is definitely worth a read.

    7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 23, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    A Rough Journey but a Memorable Read

    This book is one of the roughest subjects to read about: the Holocaust. The author's writing style is so smooth that as you're reading, you feel as if you're in the pages yourself. For the first half of the book or so, the plot switches back and forth between 1942 (the perspective of the little Jewish girl, Sarah) and 2005 (the perspective of Julia Tezac, a Parisian journalist researching the Vel' d'Hiz' roundup of French Jews). The struggle Sarah goes through is beyond our comprehension, though the author depicts it with a graphic truth. The story picks up the pace quickly as Julia uncovers many hidden secrets about this little Jewish girl named Sarah and the burden she carried with her.
    A rough journey through France but a memorable read that will keep you thinking even after you've finished the book, Sarah's Key is perfect if you enjoy historical fiction and don't mind the pages tugging at your heartstrings. Real and crisp, the author tells it like it was.

    7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 27, 2012

    Could Have Done Without Julia's Story

    At first, I found myself having difficulty putting this book down. The chapters were short, Julia’s mission clear, and Sarah’s storyline was gripping, fast-paced, and terribly tragic. However, after Sarah’s voice ends, so does the interest for me. Upon first reading, I thought that this book would be more about Sarah and her journey through the holocaust, focusing on her emotions, development, and grief. Rather, it was more about the life of Julia, the journalist, which I didn’t particularly care about. I was less interested in reading about Julia’s failed marriage and mid-life baby crisis.

    I felt more satisfaction in reading about Sarah’s life and the Vel d’Hiv round-up (of which I was previously, sadly unaware), and would have liked more on the aftermath of the war and its impact on Sarah and her family. I am glad to have read the book because of the historical significance of Vel d’Hiv. However, Julia’s story took up too much of the end, felt contrived, and was too predictable.

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 13, 2010

    Enjoyable Read

    I enjoyed this book and it's one that was difficult for me to put down...I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

    6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 21, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    The Shadow of the Wind
    North River
    The Book Thief

    Recommended to me by a friend as a touching yet unconceivable story based on truth!

    If you enjoy historical fiction that is very affecting, you will enjoy adding this WWI holocaust-related story to your list. It's hard to say it was an enjoyable read, but the plot was enticing and well-told. a very good book.

    5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 14, 2011

    Drags on adding things to the plot that don't need to be there

    I lost total respect for the main character in the middle of the book.

    4 out of 18 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 11, 2011

    A must read for sure!

    I would give this one 10 stars if I could! One of the most moving stories ever! I would read anything by Tatiana de Rosnay!I give it 5 stars!

    4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 21, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    a page turner

    This book was a personal approach to history, I could not put it down. I quickly became attached to the characters and the story became alive. The story is told from the past and present and intertwined perfectly.

    4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 27, 2010

    A Great Blend of Fiction And History

    I really enjoyed this book. It was a great blend of fiction and history. Going back and forth from history to modern times kept me at the edge of my seat. It is a heartbreaking story, but there's no changing history. I found the characters appealing and the ending satisfying.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 9, 2010

    Book Club Gives a Mixed Review

    The majority of our book club members didn't know about the events in Paris 1942 so we were overwhelmingly appalled by the atrocities which occurred during the Vel d'Hiv round-up. The author's vivid descriptions of the conditions in the Vel D'Hiv reveal not only the horror but also the many human reactions (good and bad) of all the participants. Our book club had a lively discussion about the Vichy government, collaboration and on a more personal note, the personality traits and displays of character by Sarah's parents.
    AND ... we all agreed that the contemporary time story fell short and disappointed us in many ways. The appearance of Sara's son and Julia's connection to him were the last in a long line of trite and coincidental events that marred the contemporary time story.
    BUT ... if your book club is looking for a book that will spark discussion, read Sarah's Key.

    4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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