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All the Light we cannot see - Anthony Doerr 1st Jan
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Chiara
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Dec 07, 2023 02:16PM
I have the book already as an ebook so just let me know when we should start (in Jan).
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ooh! i've been meaning to read this for awhile, sign me up! i'm willing to read this in Jan too. 
I'm all for January start! My goal is to finish my currently reading list before Jan 1, so I should be good to start right away. Just lemme know!! Super excited.
Let’s just start in the new year then :)
I would be even ready to start now :) done with the reading list for 2023 😍
Let me finish the book I’m on, then I’m fine to start! I have like 100pgs left but I do I have family in town. I’ll report back when I’m all set!
Chiara wrote: "I would be even ready to start now :) done with the reading list for 2023 😍"same here! i already have the physical copy. the questions below i pulled from google.
1. The book opens with two epigraphs. How do these quotes set the scene for the rest of the book? Discuss how the radio plays a major part in the story and the time period. How do you think the impact of the radio back then compares with the impact of the Internet on today's society?
2. The narration moves back and forth both in time and between different characters. How did this affect your reading experience? How do you think the experience would have been different if the story had been told entirely in chronological order?
3. Whose story did you enjoy the most? Was there any character you wanted more insight into?
4. When Werner and Jutta first hear the Frenchman on the radio, he concludes his broadcast by saying "Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever" (pages 48–49), and Werner recalls these words throughout the book (pages 86, 264, and 409). How do you think this phrase relates to the overall message of the story? How does it relate to Madame Manec's question: "Don't you want to be alive before you die?" (page 270)?
5. On page 160, Marie-Laure realizes "This ... is the basis of his fear, all fear. That a light you are powerless to stop will turn on you and usher a bullet to its mark." How does this image constitute the most general basis of all fear? Do you agree?
6. Reread Madame Manec's boiling frog analogy on page 284. Etienne later asks Marie-Laure, "Who was supposed to be the frog? Her? Or the Germans?" (page 328) Who did you think Madame Manec meant? Could it have been someone other than herself or the Germans? What does it say about Etienne that he doesn't consider himself to be the frog?
7. On page 368, Werner thinks, "That is how things are ... with everybody in this unit, in this army, in this world, they do as they're told, they get scared, they move about with only themselves in mind. Name me someone who does not." But in fact many of the characters show great courage and selflessness throughout the story in some way, big or small. Talk about the different ways they put themselves at risk in order to do what they think is right. What do you think were some shining moments? Who did you admire most?
8. On page 390, the author writes, "To shut your eyes is to guess nothing of blindness." What did you learn or realize about blindness through Marie-Laure's perspective? Do you think her being blind gave her any advantages?
9. One of Werner's bravest moments is when he confronts von Rumpel: "All your life you wait, and then it finally comes, and are you ready?" (page 465) Have you ever had a moment like that? Were you ready? What would you say that moment is for some of the other characters?
10. Why do you think Marie-Laure gave Werner the little iron key? Why might Werner have gone back for the wooden house but left the Sea of Flames?
11. Von Rumpel seemed to believe in the power of the Sea of Flames, but was it truly a supernatural object or was it merely a gemstone at the center of coincidence? Do you think it brought any protection to Marie-Laure and/or bad luck to those she loved?
12. When Werner and Marie-Laure discuss the unknown fate of Captain Nemo at the end of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Marie-Laure suggests the open-endedness is intentional and meant to make us wonder (page 472). Are there any unanswered questions from this story that you think are meant to make us wonder?
13. The 1970s image of Jutta is one of a woman deeply guilt-ridden and self-conscious about her identity as a German. Why do you think she feels so much guilt over the crimes of others? Can you relate to this? Do you think she should feel any shame about her identity?
14. What do you think of the author's decision to flash forward at the end of the book? Did you like getting a peek into the future of some of these characters? Did anything surprise you?
15. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once wrote that "the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." All the Light We Cannot See is filled with examples of human nature at its best and worst. Discuss the themes of good versus evil throughout the story. How do they drive each other? What do you think are the ultimate lessons that these characters and the resolution of their stories teach us?
I’m also ready to start, I will begin today or tomorrow :) let’s just collect some thoughts then. Wow thank you for pulling those Rosalyn! I did not read though all of them (spoiler?) but I am looking forward to hearing what you think
Not sure if it's allowed, but I do have a readalong on storygraph if anyone wants to be there too.
May I join y’all in reading this book and discussing? It was on top of my list for 24’ but can jump it up now and push one back? I will be reading with an audio version. Love the questions you purposed.
Can I join you? I also have the ebook and I am ready to start 💗
also side note, if you wanna buddy read evelyn hugo on discord, lemme know and i can invite u! why did i agree to read so many books at the same time LOLOLOL
would love to read this together! 👀
Slight delay on my actual start, got a book from the library that I've been on the list for for months. I'm almost done then I'll jump back in!
i've finished parts 0 and 1, up to pg 94 in paperback.to answer question 1, the radio back then was as important as the internet is to us now, because no matter the time period, information is king. the epigraph where goebbel's quote talks about harnessing the power of radio during the war, the dissemination or censorship or manipulation of information, makes clear one of the themes of the book, which is perspective and the benefits of trying to see the "unseen", or another person's perspective.
so far, we follow marie and werner and how they receive information, marie through books, her father and the museum, and werner through the radio. so despite living in the same time, their experiences with the war are so different. how that plays out as they age into adolescence will be interesting to read.
the writing is absolutely beautiful, especially the part where marie describes feeling in color, how her father is a studious green when professional, but passionate red when trying to cook for her. it's new to me, reading from the perspective of a blind person, and i'm already learning a lot!
i've read up to pg 201, or part 4.to answer #5, i both agree and disagree with that statement. one of the things i imagine soldiers grapple with is chance vs. fate. would you feel more comforted knowing that God or life or whatever had a plan for you, and no matter what you do, you can't change it? or is it just chance that you either survive the war or not? i'm not even sure myself...
fear to me is more fear of not being able to control yourself or your outlook on things, rather than an external source you're powerless to stop. for example, the difference between Etienne and Madame Manec. Etienne is scared that no matter what, the war will end a certain way, so he doesn't even try to fight back. Madame, even though she's scared too, believes with her participation in the French Resistance, she can change the outcome, and so doesn't become scared anymore, or at least more confident. so even if it's the same outcome, her perspective is more optimistic, and less fearful.
Hey I realise I’m probably a little late to the party but I’d love to join in? Been wanting to read and discuss books for a while and 2024 is the year. Will there be a discussion about this book once we have finished it, and is there a deadline? Thanks guys x
Hallo Amy, of course you can join! :) We thought to start on January 1st but some of us started already a bit earlier (I’m also at the very beginning still)
We have not discussed any guideline, Rosaly was so nice to include some questions! I would assume that everyone reads in their own pace to then discuss some of the questions one likes. Feel free to suggest something!
Hi, thanks for getting back to me. Thats great! I’ll get onto it now, looking forward to it, it’s been on my list for a while! X
ooh, I am about halfway through this book, can I plz join in the discussion as well? I found the back and forth narration a little confusing, I had to keep flipping through to see what year I was in lol. Chronological order would have been easier imo, but I am quite enjoying the book so far. some parts are a little heavy as it's a war book but I definitely want to keep reading to find out what happens to each of the characters. ❤️
i'm a bit confused at the end, did the sea of flames end up in that little grotto/underground sea tunnel, and that's why it said it was sitting amongst the pebbles? to answer : #14: , the flash forwards of all the characters' current lives to me was unnecessary, i don't think it added a lot to the ending. the ambiguity of the location of the sea of flames is a perfect ending though, to me, the safety of it is unimportant, it really was only a device for werner to prove he's "good" at the end by saving marie-laure and add tension to the storyline with von Rumpel's subplot, which bored me.
overall, i loved the writing of this book, and the frank and compassionate way the author depicted both sides of the camp. Werner to me was the most interesting character, there was more internal conflict for him. there are countless of people like that in war, even civilians like Jutta. are you evil just because you fought for your country? of course not to say he was blameless, but indoctrinating youth is like that. you don't know why you do it, but you're told it's right. that statement is true for all military personnel.
the short chapters really helped the pacing. i rate this 5/5 stars.
Hi!Just discovered this discussion. I'm gonna try and see if I can still read this in January and get my inputs on the discussion topics, maybe add a few more.
I am half through the book and enjoying it more by now. I find it a bit confusing too, that the timeline / characters change every chapter. I am eager to see the Netflix adaptation afterwards.
Will have a look at the questions later on
Hi reader,I understand I'm late to join. but can is still? I desperately need a group to talk about the book while I'm reading it...
Yes of course, I am also not done yet, around 50-60%. I started another one in between as I found it a bit tough at the beginning of the year
