Reviews

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

mshimer's review against another edition

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Library hold expired

maartjer's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

It's a bit like poetry.

aine_'s review against another edition

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4.5

what can i say about this that hasn’t already been said? stunning prose, beautifully crafted characters, impressively well researched, just fantastic

beth_fromdahl's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative reflective

5.0

n_mai's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

mckennamelville's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

5.0

kimmmmy's review against another edition

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5.0

This is one of those books that make you feel outside of your body, like you’re hovering over the characters, inside the story but outside of the action, stuck in an ethereal nothing, helpless to act but forced to feel.

The writing was beautiful. The story was very similar to Cloud Cuckoo Land in that there is a lot of set up at the beginning to land an impactful ending.

I loved the story, I was so hopeful for a happy ending, but once again this WWII book left me empty. I never learn my lesson. I’ll just go listen to sad Billie Eilish songs and contemplate the author’s reasoning behind making me hurt over a fictional boy who loved birds, among other things.

allysonstabler's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Sad book with heavy topics. Overall the writing was good.

mel_vina's review against another edition

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4.0

I think this book has traveled with me now for three states, cities, and homes. Sat on different book shelves. Always looked forward to reading... finally got to it.
As an Amateur radio enthusiast (call sign M0LLY) myself, I definitely felt a connection with the book. The author did not really delve into the ugliness of WW2 compared to other WW2 novels I have read. I appreciated the author's reminder that not all the German soldiers were part of the Nazis party. Many were everyday Germans just trying to survive and forced into service.
One of the few books I wanted to stop once completed and let it sink in before I picked up the next ...

math1322's review

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slow-paced

3.0