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All the Light We Cannot See
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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Anything Goes BOM) Start Date March 19, 2015
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At NRBC we use a more structured approach to our BOMs. We have a discussion leader and a reading date is set to start the book. A reading schedule is posted prior to the start date and discussion questions are posted each day regarding that section of the book.
“Books of the Month” (“BOMs”) include:
• A reading schedule which can range from 50, 75, to 100 or so pages a day.
• Discussion questions posted daily by moderators and volunteer group members
who help one of us out. We love members who volunteer to write discussion questions. If you'd like to give it a go, just post in the thread the date you'd like.
• If the book is over about 400 pages, we'll usually plan a break day.
• Members do NOT have to answer every question, they are meant to stimulate
conversations about the books AND allow us to glance back upon them when the
sequels come out. This helps us to remember what exactly happened in the previous
book.
• We find this style of reading to be more fun than just posting one or two
sentences about a book. We feel this is what distinguishes us as being a ‘book club’
rather than just another GoodReads ‘group.’
• If you can NOT start the book on time, feel free to join in at a later date. They are
set up to make it easy to do so.
• Moderators are people too, so occasionally we get sick, have to work late at our real
jobs, or have something that keeps us from writing the questions. Please forgive us;
we're only human and we don't get any compensation for what we do--not even
free books!
• Likewise, if you volunteer to write discussion questions, but then real life gets in the way, please let the moderators know as soon as possible so we can organise a replacement
• Discussions and questions are set up to make you think, analyze, and see things you,
or even we, may have missed. Feel free to add your own thoughts at any time, if you
think we've missed something.
• If you've read the book, feel free to let us know what you thought about the book.
You can do so at the end of the read, or, if you can't wait, add spoiler tags
before you comment
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(last edited Mar 27, 2015 08:42PM)
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Chapter Breakdown
Date Chapters Pages PPDQs
March 19 Zero-Rumors 1-61 Catherine
March 20 Bigger Faster Brighter-Brittany 62-119 Corey
March 21 Madame Manec-Museum 120-180 Megan
March 22 The Wardrobe-Entropy 181-240 Imke
March 23 ***BREAK DAY***
March 24 The Rounds-East 241-326 Ashley
March 25 One Ordinary Leaf-Delirium 327-383 Rachel
March 26 Water-Music#3 384-457 Logan
March 27 Out-The End 458-531 Brie
Breakdown is based on this version of the book
Please use the chapter names rather than page numbers if you are using a different version
Tagging. Should have this from the library soon and looking forward to reading it.
so i have already read this book , finished it last month, can i still join in the discussion?
Mod
Of course! Just use spoiler tags if you refer to anything past where we are up to
Mod
Mod
I volunteer for DQ. March 24th if available:)
Mod
I'm in - my first bookclub book!
My sister bought this book for me for my birthday and I have been waiting for this book club to read it - can't wait! This is my first book club book with Goodreads.
Welcome to your first Book of the month buddy read Zayde, Tammy, S Napier & Kathy!
I'm looking forward to this one, too.
This is my first BOM, I'm very excited!
Mod
oh yay me too!! I've been waiting to read this!
I'll volunteer for March 21.
Mod
I volunteer for DQ's for March 22.
I'll volunteer for March 25.
I can do DQs for a day. Doesn't matter which.
Mod
Logan, I've put you as March 26
Just one day remaining if anyone wants to volunteer - the last day March 27
Can't wait to read and discuss this! Picked it up about a week ago and it looks amazing!!! Happy reading friends!
I've been eyeing this book for some time, good reason to pick it up and read it. I'll take the last day if it's still available for DQs.
Just finished this one. Will join you. Failed my first attempt. A busy vacation got in the way
Can I still volunteer for DQs and do the last day and have it count for Wheel-a-thon?
Mod
Sorry, Corey beat you to it! Would you like day 2? I can opt out as Logan is also on my team, and I just put myself down as we didn't have enough volunteers
-Karen
I guess I will pass. I have a trip this weekend planned. But thanks anyway.
Mod
The 20th would still count for wheel-a-thon even if it doesn't start until the 22nd?
Mod
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-Karen
I'm looking forward to reading this book. A friend of mine bought me the book. This should be fun!
Mod
1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or acutally) any phrases?
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
Questions: Zero - Rumours1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
They didn’t affect my approach. I can see now that they represent the two stories told in this book. The upper one for Marie Laure and the other one the story of Werner.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
I like the style so far, but the chapters could be a little longer. I think he created the short chapters to keep the pace in the story and to create tension on when the main characters might meet. For me it is successful and I hope it won’t bore me.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
It definitely drew me in, I wanted to know what happened after the bombs were dropped. I don’t need story lines to be chronological if there is a reason for the story not to be chronological.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
I like his descriptions of Paris and Germany, but what I like more is how he describes the way he describes the lives of Marie Laure and Werner. You can almost feel the love Marie Laure’s father has for her in the way he cares and encourages her. The curiosity and inquisitiveness of Werner and his loneliness.
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
They both have people in their lives who care deeply about them and also encourage them to make more of their lives, to explore and learn.
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
Not yet, I can’t wait to see what will happen to them and when/if they will meet.
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or acutally) any phrases?
I haven’t highlighted anything, but the way things are described is lovely.
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
I think it will become significant. I suspect it is the stone Marie Laure holds into her hand when she hides under her bed in the 1944 part of the book. I might have if I were the same age as she was at that time.
Mod
Questions: Zero - Rumours
1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
I really like this set up. It is foreshadowing the two storylines to come. The Goebbels quote really made me stop and think and I re-read it a few times.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
I really like this because it makes me read more at a time. Books with long chapters I find difficult. I think Imke is right that it helps with the pacing.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
I like this glimpse into the future, although it is worrying because we know at that point our two characters are not together. So maybe they find eachother at that point?
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
I am enjoying it. Although I started on the audio and struggled to engage so re-started the paperback and then went back to the audio which seems to have worked for me. I think it was just switching gears into this writing style after the poorly written Snow Like Ashes
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
Nice question. Well I think they are both thrown into these "prisons" and are trying to make the most of it. How that manifests will be interesting
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
Not at the moment, although I love the interactions with Marie-Laure and her father
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or actually) any phrases? I haven't, but I am enjoying it
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
Yes isn't this interesting. I guess setting up that WWII coincided with putting The Sea of Flame on display perhaps?
No, I wouldn't throw it. It reminds me of the story of the Hope Diamond which is just that... a story ;)
Questions: Zero - Rumours1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
I often skim over these types of things. The same as quotes at the beginning of chapters.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
I liked the short chapters in that I can fit in a little bit here and a little bit there. I was the opposite to Karen though, I found that I was reading less in one go than I usually do.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
I don't mind jumping timelines as long as they are clearly marked. I find chronological easier to follow.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
He is doing a great job of creating the atmosphere. It is a very innocent view of things, coming from two childrens perspectives, without all the politics.
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
They are both innocent children who want to make the most of their lives.
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
I'm more intrigued my Marie-Laure at the moment.
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or actually) any phrases?
There is a lot of beautiful descriptive language. I don't generally highlight and haven't yet.
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
They fairytale version of myself might throw it in the ocean - but in reality I couldn't destroy/lose something so valuable.
Questions: Zero - Rumours1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
They didn't really affect my approach.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
I like the shorter chapters. I feel like I'm accomplishing more.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your story lines to be strictly chronological?
I have no preference, as long as the story moves at a nice pace.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
His descriptive language really draws me into the story and helps paint a picture in my head.
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
They're both young and trying to survive.
5. Do you have a preference for either of the story lines? If so, why?
It depends what's going on, but I find myself drawn more to Marie-Laure's story. I find her adaptation to blind life intriguing.
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or actually) any phrases?
I haven't highlighted anything specific to the natural History Museum.
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
I believe it will play an important role in the future of the story. I don't know if I would suggest throwing it in the ocean, but it's probably better for her since there are people looking for it.
Questions: Zero - Rumours1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
~These two epigrams represent the two different points-of-view in this book. Right away, you know you will be hearing from two people who view the world differently, who think differently.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
~I enjoy shorter chapters, as, personally, it keeps my attention and I feel like I'm making more progress. I think Doerr is trying to instill a sense of uneasiness and growing panic. Everything seems very rushed and clipped. It is definitely successful.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
~I like when a story begins at the climax, as then the remainder of the novel focuses on the build-up (for the most part). I like to see all of the turn of events that lead the characters to the ultimate breaking point. I find I can better focus on the moment-to-moment action if I already know part of the outcome.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
~I enjoy how Doerr focuses his descriptions of people, places, and things on sensory adjectives -- the smells, the feelings, the sounds. It all becomes very poetic. I feel like I am actually in that setting. However, when describing Werner's environment, it is all very visual.
5. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
~While they may both be imprisoned by certain restrictions, they are also quite nurtured and encouraged to break the bonds that hold them by their respective caretakers. Their primary difference comes in how they view the world around them. Marie-Laure's world is her imagination. She thrives in the world she finds in books, she lives in the little wooden town her father builds for her. Werner's reality is all too literal. It's calculated, mapped out, like the wires and pathways in the radios he repairs.
6. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
~I don't. They're both so different and beautiful, yet tragic in different ways. I relate to Marie-Laure in her adventurous spirit and her curiosity. However, my heart breaks for Werner, perhaps because I know his innocence is doomed purely for the fact that he is German.
7. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or acutally) any phrases?
~I think it is amazing and rare to read descriptions based entirely on every other sense apart from sight -- especially smells. This particular quote really got to me and I wrote it down immediately:
"What is blindness? Where there should be a wall, her hands find nothing. Where there should be nothing, a table leg gouges her shin. Cars growl in the streets; leaves whisper in the sky; blood rustles through her inner ears."
This is a girl who is so full of light and so positive. Here is a moment, albeit a brief one, where she lets herself be frustrated and lost, similar to that beautiful moment she shared with her father in the park.
8. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
~Greed makes people do ugly things. It changes people. I would throw it in the ocean, or, at least, I can say that. But once that diamond is in my hand?
Mod
That is a great quote you have selected
1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?They didn't affect it. I often find epigrams to have no relation to the story they preface, so I barely pay attention.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
I think this is a really interesting approach. We learn little shards of information about each character as we progress through each chapter. I'm not sure what effect the author was going for, but I find it very enjoyable. I thought it would make the story seem choppy, but it fits perfectly with the narrative.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
I love flashbacks/prefaces that are sneak peeks, etc. I think they grab the audiences attention and set the stage in an engaging manner.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
Paris seems to be thriving while rural Germany is suffering - at least until Hitler comes to power. I think Doerr does a pretty good job at showing us the differences between the two scenes without being overly wordy and descriptive, which is nice.
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
They both also seem to have one person who really means the world to them (Marie-Laure's father and Werner's sister). I also see that both of them explore their worlds quite freely and both are quite inquisitive. Both children experience poverty, although I think the levels are quite different. Werner has a mother figure, but no father while Marie-Laure has a father but no mother. Marie-Laure has a love of books and Werner loves the radio - both are exploring worlds beyond their immediate environment.
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
Not yet. I am really enjoying both.
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or acutally) any phrases?
I do enjoy the language, but I am not the sort of person who highlights phrases, even mentally. I have loved reading about the shells, especially, though.
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
Sea of Flame. Seems significant as we know Saint-Malo will burn. Sea of Flames - Hell? Being devoured by flames. Also, flames = passion/lust. It will be interesting to see where this goes!
Hey guy, I'll have today's questions up in the next couple of hours. Couldn't finish it last night and had a full day today at work. My apologies I will say this book is much better than I thought it would be haha I've been wanting to read it but heard some negative reviews that had me doubting but I am thoroughly enjoying it and hope you are too.
Questions: Zero - Rumours1. There are two epigrams at the start of the book. How do they affect your approach to the book?
The epigrams at the start of the book are wonderful choices. I think this question should be asked again at the end of the book and I encourage everyone to reread them when they finish the book. Well chosen.
2. The chapters are all very short (so far). How do you find this style? Do you think Doerr has chosen to use short chapters to generate a particular effect? Is it successful or not?
Personally I love short chapters. Keeps my attention longer and makes me feel like I'm making progress. In the case of this book I think the short chapters are appropriate as Doerr tries to paint a picture of the surroundings from multiple perspectives.
3. The first section is set in 1944, and we jump back to 1934 at a critical point. Does this sneak peek into the future draw you in, or do you prefer your storylines to be strictly chronological?
I think starting the book at essentially the end prepares the reader for the story that is about to unfold and gives some reasoning for the seemingly unrelated points of view at the beginning of the story.
4. What are your impressions of inter-war Paris? and rural Germany? How effective is Doerr at creating the atmosphere?
At this point I would say pre-War Paris other than the foreshadowing at the beginning. The picture of people going about their daily lives while war may or may not be brewing paints what is likely a very true picture of events at that time. No one wanted to believe what was coming.
As for Germany, what struck me was the callousness of the man and his wife that visited the children's home. To take away what amounted to a text book from a child because it was written by a Jewish person....and to destroy a child's dreams by telling him he would be in the coal mine in 5 years. So sad. The radio propaganda that started early on and disguised as children's programming was also very interesting.
4. Marie-Laure and Werner have very different home-lives, but each are under a form of imprisonment (blindness / rigidly constrained future). What other parallels and differences are there?
They both have vivid imaginations and passion. Neither uses their personal limitations as excuses to learn and experience life.
5. Do you have a preference for either of the storylines? If so, why?
I prefer Marie Laure at this point because I love the descriptions of her life as a blind child.
6. The Natural History Museum and its exhibits are described in loving detail. Do you enjoy the use of language? Have you highlighted (mentally or acutally) any phrases?
I'm not a detail kind of reader. It's lovely but an edit wouldn't bother me either.
It has nothing to do with the museum but I did find this phrase striking on page 48 spoken by the man in the radio "Open your eyes, concludes the man, and see what you can with them before they close forever" In the most literal sense, Marie Laure experiencing and remembering everything she could before she lost her sight. And looking more broadly...and in the case of Werner...experience everything in life that you can until it is no longer possible...either through life circumstance or death.
7. The Sea of Flame: is this significant? Would you suggest throwing a famed (albeit cursed) diamond in the ocean, as Marie-Laure did?
No comment. I've read the entire book. Will leave it at that.
Questions: Bigger Faster Brighter-Brittany8. Up to this point we've been introduced to Marie-Laure and Werner, and a big part of Doerr's story telling regards sound, Marie-Laure being blind most of her story is told through what she hears and smells, and Werner is capitvated by the radio, do you believe this has some significance?
9. What do you believe is the significance in Werner learning to build the radio and his fascination with the technical information in the French science program? Do you believe this will come to play as we learn more of what is happening in 1944? Do you believe the French science program will have significance should our two protagonists meet?
10. We are beginning to see the start of War World II, Marie-Laure and her Father are on the run, and it seems like he may of the diamond with him. What do you believe this will mean for their family? Do you believe they will be cursed as the stories of the gem propose, is it truly magical will we see miracles with Marie-Laure and her eyesight? Or is it just a gem that can buy 5 Eiffel Towers?
11. Back to 1944 we get a very short glimpse into this period, Werner is trapped and disoriented, Marie-Laurie can tell that her Uncle's house is on fire. All we see if negative things happening to these characters, what do you make of that? Do you believe Doerr is just trying to prepare the reader for the awful fate that awaits our protagonists or is something else? Do you feel more engaged with this break up of the chronology of the story?
12. Marie-Laure and her father arrive in Saint-Malo, Marie wishes she was really going back home to Paris but at the same time is intrigued by the new place they are in, what do you think Saint-Malo holds, it seems to be the final resting place for Marie-Laure in this story, is that good or bad? What significance do you think this holds for the diamond now that she is close to the Ocean?
8. Up to this point we've been introduced to Marie-Laure and Werner, and a big part of Doerr's story telling regards sound, Marie-Laure being blind most of her story is told through what she hears and smells, and Werner is capitvated by the radio, do you believe this has some significance?Well, I do think the author was aware of this, and I think that it's significant that the protagonists are both auditory characters, but I'm not sure yet where this is going. However, I do find it interesting that Werner has lost his hearing in 1944 (ruptured ear drums?)
9. What do you believe is the significance in Werner learning to build the radio and his fascination with the technical information in the French science program? Do you believe this will come to play as we learn more of what is happening in 1944? Do you believe the French science program will have significance should our two protagonists meet?
I think that if Werner hadn't taught himself about radios, we wouldn't see him as a character. Basically, it was his ability to repair radios that brought him to the attention of the Herr Siedler, and thus out from the limited future in the coal mine. I think Werner was in a advantageous position to be able to understand French, living with Frau Elena (it's my understanding that this is why he can understand French, but perhaps I am wrong). Werner is a child raised in poverty but he at least is given encouragement to enrich his mind, and I think it's again a matter of it being necessary to the story. I think that if/when Marie-Laure and Werner meet, they will have some common ground.
10. We are beginning to see the start of War World II, Marie-Laure and her Father are on the run, and it seems like he may have the diamond with him. What do you believe this will mean for their family? Do you believe they will be cursed as the stories of the gem propose, is it truly magical will we see miracles with Marie-Laure and her eyesight? Or is it just a gem that can buy 5 Eiffel Towers?
I think the gem may bring trouble, but not because of a curse. And I sincerely hope that the gem doesn't magically heal Marie-Laure's eyesight...
11. Back to 1944 we get a very short glimpse into this period, Werner is trapped and disoriented, Marie-Laurie can tell that her Uncle's house is on fire. All we see if negative things happening to these characters, what do you make of that? Do you believe Doerr is just trying to prepare the reader for the awful fate that awaits our protagonists or is something else? Do you feel more engaged with this break up of the chronology of the story?
I don't believe this is building up to an awful fate for Werner and Marie-Laure. I think we're going to see them overcome these adverse conditions and emerge stronger. I quite enjoy the breaking up of the story, actually! It makes it interesting.
12. Marie-Laure and her father arrive in Saint-Malo, Marie wishes she was really going back home to Paris but at the same time is intrigued by the new place they are in, what do you think Saint-Malo holds, it seems to be the final resting place for Marie-Laure in this story, is that good or bad? What significance do you think this holds for the diamond now that she is close to the Ocean?
I think that arriving in Saint-Malo is a good thing. We're going to see some interesting things happen here.
I hadn't thought about the diamond being near the ocean - interesting. Well, it could be nothing (it certainly seems cursed still if we only look at the events we've read so far in 1944) or it could mean everything, as Marie-Laure's father has returned it to the ocean, or nearly.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
All the Light We Cannot See (other topics)Snow Like Ashes (other topics)
All the Light We Cannot See (other topics)
This thread is to discuss All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Be prepared for spoilers.
Book Synopsis:
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.