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All the Light We Cannot See, March2015 Group Read
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I totally agree, Sheila. Both Werner and Marie Laure (not to forget Etienne) begin to gather their own strength and determination as the war continues. They come into their own adulthood and opinions and this section is leading us toward some sort conclusion. I don't know that I can say climax, because of the timeline Doerr creates. It's unclear where the climax will exactly be.
There is so much happening. Werner's looking for transceivers. He also sees a dead girl hunting him. Who does this girl represent? I'm following Reinhold von Rumpel and the stone. Marie is looking for her father.
There is so much happening. Werner's looking for transceivers. He also sees a dead girl hunting him. Who does this girl represent? I'm following Reinhold von Rumpel and the stone. Marie is looking for her father.
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Oh man, I totally forgot about the ghost chasing Werner! That part was an interesting choice...maybe his guilt over leaving Jutta (even if he didn't really have a choice) was preying on him, and seeing the young girl dead, mixed with the fevers he suffers fed into that? Symbolism for the youth and innocence dying in the war and a reminder that we can't let that go?
I read this book last summer and I LOVED it :)
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What did you think? Were you satisfied with the ending?
What did you think of Werner's death?
What are your thoughts on the stone?
I felt the book was hard to follow based on how the author had the book set up. Skipping around in the time period didn't help either. I could handle dual story lines but not dual story lines and the time change. I liked Marie's Story and that is what I mainly focused on. I think it would have been easier to have read Marie's story and then gone back and read Werner's story.
In regards to the stone, the keeper of the stone lives forever, but who has the stone (Marie or Frederick) a mystery.
One can think that Werner's tragic death was because Marie took an interest in him, that is if he slipped it back , or if he gave it to Frederick, as the legend of the stone indicates death will come to those around the keeper of the stone.
The symbolism of birds in the novel is of a bad omen.
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I was a little disappointed with the ending of the novel. I enjoyed it up to the point where Werner randomly dies and then Doerr brings us up to speed with the rest if the characters lives. I dint need an ending to be all tidy - or to know how each character spent the rest of their days.
Sheila wrote: "Did Marie leave the stone with the snails in the alcove by the sea? Werner went back and got the house, but it just had the key in it. So if it is with the snails, which Marie loved, will they an..."I read those parts and I can't figure out how the stone got to the river, unless Werner got is and dropped it in the river. Do you think it really held that power or was it coincidence?
I agree that the tidy wrapping up was a let down of an ending.The stone thing confused me also. I did not think the stone held any power other than the power of suggestion. But, what happened to it at the end and what its significance was, baffled me.
I have just finished! Overall, this is a 3-star book for me. I liked it alright, although I felt the pacing was a bit slow at times and the jumping time-frame and POVs was too much. I've come to the conclusion that any WWII book can end one of two ways: with someone overcoming incredible odds and living an inspiring story, or with someone who dies tragically. This book had both, which left me with conflicted feelings. I think the book could've ended after Jutta met up with Marie-Laure and I would've been more satisfied. As for Werner dying - ugh. I was sad about that, because I was hoping for him and Marie-Laure to reconnect or something. I'm glad that their stories did finally converge - but I wanted more. I feel like the crossing paths of their stories was underdeveloped considering this is the premise of the book in the book's synopsis. I also think it was too simplistic - and that the part with Sgt. Major von Rumple was unnecessary.
As for the stone... well, was it cursed or not? It was a superstitious symbol.
@Irene - good point! I didn't even consider that perhaps Frederick had the stone... or that maybe Marie-Laure does, since she has lived so long. Hmmm...
On a bigger note... now that we have all read the book, what does the title imply? All the Light We Cannot See? I've been pondering what this title means for the whole story - I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on that.
I wonder if it's a metaphor for people who can see but take their vision for granted. I think vision is determined by the light that enters the eyes and Marie who lost her vision was it determined to her capacity of vision? There were things she could not see and it wasn't physically but mentally. Maybe?
I enjoyed the book because of its historical content.
I took the title to refer to all the acts of bravery, integrity, kindness that goes unnoticed by the world. We can be overwhelmed by the darkness of evil or tragedy. War, genocide, the violent targetting of an entire group of people can make the world seem very dark. Yet, in the midst of such a dark time as the setting of this book, there were so many points of light, from Frederick's gentle integrity to Papa's love of Marie, to Warner's courage, to the care of the woman who raised Warner and Jetta and the other orphans, to Ettienne's bravery and on and on.
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I love this, Irene. I had not come up with any concrete idea as to what the title meant, but love your way of thinking.
Irene wrote: "I took the title to refer to all the acts of bravery, integrity, kindness that goes unnoticed by the world. We can be overwhelmed by the darkness of evil or tragedy. War, genocide, the violent ta..."I agree Irene this is genius. This makes sense.
My copy from the library came in today! I put a hold on this in January!! I hope to get into it and come back to post some thoughts.
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I just finished chapter 1. I like both Marie and Werner, though I wonder how realistic Werner is. It seems every WWII story I read these days has a German boy who doesn't like what is going on. Is that remotely realistic? I think my favorite part so far is the mystery of the diamond. What is it? Does Marie's father have the real one? What role will it play in the story?
I think there were many Germans who didn't like what was happening, but didn't see a way out and were afraid. Hitler gave the country a lot of pride, strength, and a plan to be prosperous once again. It was hard for people to combat that initially. I, too, thought the characters were lovely and the plot about the diamond intriguing.
I think there's a couple of things going on here. Modern novels seem to find that gem, that diamond in the rough, of some poor German kid who's got the heart of gold. Obviously, authors want to make their characters likable, and also obviously, every German wasn't a monster. However, Nazi propaganda was fierce, and effective. People were poor, angry and desperate and they wanted something to believe in, to feel like they were in control and that things would get better. It concerns me that many modern novels are consistently trying to find the humanity in Nazis. Fiction written at the time and nonfiction does not paint as rosy of a picture. Specifically in Werner's case, I have a hard time believing that a 14 year old boy would be shown a beautiful house, with a beautiful woman, given as much cake as he could stomach and told, "keep doing what you love and good things will happen" and his response to that was to destroy his radio?
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Good point, Jennifer!
Gah! I just saw a goodreads ad for Pastel Orphans and the ad reads: "As WWII unfolds, one courageous boy in Nazi Germany will change the fates of many in this coming of age story". LOL!
hahaha. Nazi propaganda! It is a really interesting point though. There really seems to be that push to find that golden Nazi. I just read a book where it was two brothers. .. one was pretty crummy...Er...Nazi, and the other repentant. I will have to check my book log!
Picked it up again! Silly library due dates and hold lists... :)I just got to part 4. Marie's father has just been arrested. I'm not surprised that it happened, but I'm kind of surprised where it happened. Plus, didn't the man send a return telegram to his boss saying "I'll be there by..." so someone can come looking for him? Didn't he bring the telegram with him to vouch for where he was going? I mean, with the Nazis, it probably wouldn't have made a bit of difference, but cmon man, you know it's not safe for your daughter to go outside, and yet you blindly try to waltz back into Nazi occupied Paris??
I know with my comments it probably sounds like I hate this book. I don't, I'm enjoying it well enough, but these inconsistencies are driving me nuts!
I finally finished it. I preferred the parts of the story that were set later in WWII. Marie trying to stay hidden from the German hunting the diamond, Werner trying to stay alive in the rubble, it felt more exciting to me. I'm not sure what to make of the ending. Did Warner walk off to die? Was it suicide? Even if he hadn't stepped on a mine, a guard would have shot him. I think Werner left the diamond in the grotto, though I don't know why he would have. The thought of him sending the diamond to Frederick is an enticing one, though. I've been wondering about the title the whole time, and I'm not sure I've figured it out. I think it relates to Marie's blindness, but I haven't figured it beyond that.
I liked it, but I didn't love it as many others have.
This holiday weekend get lost in love. Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander star in The #LightBetweenOceans. https://t.co/ZZM8Jze4fc
ME! I'm going to have to get the hubby out for this...
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or this thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The thread we are now on is for All the Light We Cannot See (too many books with Light in their title! LOL)
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The same with Werner, I think he was in this constant state in his life, of going through motions to protect himself and his sister. He did what he thought he needed to do, then hears that voice and he remembers the young boy he was. How his life was simpler. I think it was something he wanted to protect.