A review by jlautry
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

My first 500+ page read in years and my first paperback library book (I was very nervous about damaging it). 

Two teenagers, a blind French girl and an orphaned German boy navigate their way through WWII. This story was beautifully written and the imagery is *chef’s kiss*. 

But I do want to know what the author has against commas. 🤔 I got some use out of my (very limited) German knowledge, so that was a plus. 

Loved:
  • Short chapters
  • Imagery
  • Attention to descriptive detail
  • Multiple narrators
  • Storylines

Disliked: 
  • Short chapters sometimes gave you whiplash with how quickly they jumped back and forth
  • Can be confusing to know who is narrating. Chapter titles don’t always indicate and it can take a bit to realize where you are 
  • Took me ~150 pages to really get invested
  • Sentences can be an entire paragraph long
  • I think the author has a grudge against commas (or he needs a better editor)
  • The last few parts (especially part 13) were completely unnecessary
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