All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - 5 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

Set in WWII France and Germany, All The Light We Cannot See is a multifaceted novel filled with finely drawn and completely realistic characters. The first is Marie-Laure, a young blind girl in Paris, whose father is a locksmith at the Natural History Museum. She has learned to feel her way around her neighborhood because her father carved an elaborate scale model of the city for her. She studies it with her hands and learns to navigate the streets by herself. Her father also buys her books in Braille when he can afford them, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea becomes her favorite. The second is Werner Pfenning, who has grown up in a German mining town orphanage with his sister Jutta. He knows that dying in a mine is his future, much like it was his father's. His only chance to escape will the the prodigy-like aptitude he has for radios.

The story takes place between 1934 and 1944, and is divided into dated (1941, May-1944, etc.) sections with very short chapters, sometimes only a page or two. The novel is told as two parallel stories by Marie-Laure and Werner in alternating chapters. There is also an occasional chapter by an evil Nazi sergeant-major who is seeking a lost (and possibly cursed) gemstone called the Sea of Flames that rumor says will allow the holder to live forever. This may sound completely stupid but it's woven into the story in a way that makes it one of the most interesting parts of the book.

This was a fascinating and engrossing story. I found myself slowing down my usual reading speed so I could fully experience everything that the characters were going through. It was a fairly long book, at over 500 pages, but I was certainly not in a hurry to have it end. There's so much more to this story than this inadequate summary but I don't want to spoil the discovery for anyone else interested in reading it. It's a wonderful story filled with unforgettable characters.

[Joanne]

I really liked this one too Oliver

[Joy D]

I loved this one!

[Patricia]

Nice review!

[Peacejanz]

A sweet book. Good review. Makes me hopeful that that are more good people in the world. peace, janz

[Holly R W]

This is an unforgettable story - one of the best I've read. I can understand why it appealed to you.

[Robin P]

I found this book a struggle myself. It's mostly because I thought this was the story of the two young people together and it turns out they only cross paths for about one page. I did find it fascinating how in one sense war was the best thing that could have happened to Werner as far as developing his interest in electronics (though later plenty of bad things offset that.)

[Karin]

I loved this book, just loved it. 5 stars and 3 hearts; I listened to the audiobook. I am so very happy that you liked this one so much!

[Book Concierge]

I am also in the "Loved it" camp. Looking foward to his new book.

[Robin P]

Book Concierge wrote: "I am also in the "Loved it" camp. Looking foward to his new book."

I signed up for the event thru Boswell that includes getting the book.

[Joy D]

Just a heads up that his new book is nothing like this one. I was lucky to get an arc of it. The writing is outstanding, as one would expect but the type of story is very different.

[Karin]

Joy D wrote: "Just a heads up that his new book is nothing like this one. I was lucky to get an arc of it. The writing is outstanding, as one would expect but the type of story is very different."

I noticed that and am really excited about the other concept. I love it when excellent authors can be so versatile.