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A review by jademolenaar
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This novel is about World War II, yes, another one. But this one felt different. It wasn't your typical 'nazi German and resistant ally', it was a lot more sensitive and it felt like an objective approach. No sides were chosen and both sides were presented humane.
In short, this novels follows our two protagonists during World War II. We follow Werner, a German Orphan, and Marie-Laure, a blind French girl. The book takes place between 1934 and 2014, our protagonists are both teenagers during the war.
Werner is intrigued by radios and science (communication 'we cannot see'), together ith his sister and other people in the orphanage. When he gets summoned for the Nazi youth training camp he gets the opportunity to use his skills. He eventually gets to detect radios of the enemy with a couple of other soldiers. They eventually end up in France, where Werner questions his actions.
Marie-Laure brings our view of war to another level. She has been blind since the age of six, but with her fathers help she is able to find her way on her own. He builds her miniature versions of her neighbourhood, which helps with her selfconfidence, the confidence she needs to walk outside. He works at a museum in Paris, where The Sea of Flames (a diamond with a doomed end for its owner) is being guarded. When the inhabitants of Paris have to flee the diamond, and its 3 replicas, are given away, one in the position of Marie-Laure and her father.
The fact that our French girl is blind gives the story life. It gave it more meaning, more detail, more depth, more beauty. It makes you appreciate the story so much more.
Then Doerr's beautiful writing, everything made sense.
Fill you lungs. Beat your heart.
What the war did to dreamers.
We rise again in the grass. In the flowers. In songs.
In short, this novels follows our two protagonists during World War II. We follow Werner, a German Orphan, and Marie-Laure, a blind French girl. The book takes place between 1934 and 2014, our protagonists are both teenagers during the war.
Werner is intrigued by radios and science (communication 'we cannot see'), together ith his sister and other people in the orphanage. When he gets summoned for the Nazi youth training camp he gets the opportunity to use his skills. He eventually gets to detect radios of the enemy with a couple of other soldiers. They eventually end up in France, where Werner questions his actions.
Marie-Laure brings our view of war to another level. She has been blind since the age of six, but with her fathers help she is able to find her way on her own. He builds her miniature versions of her neighbourhood, which helps with her selfconfidence, the confidence she needs to walk outside. He works at a museum in Paris, where The Sea of Flames (a diamond with a doomed end for its owner) is being guarded. When the inhabitants of Paris have to flee the diamond, and its 3 replicas, are given away, one in the position of Marie-Laure and her father.
The fact that our French girl is blind gives the story life. It gave it more meaning, more detail, more depth, more beauty. It makes you appreciate the story so much more.
Then Doerr's beautiful writing, everything made sense.
Fill you lungs. Beat your heart.
What the war did to dreamers.
We rise again in the grass. In the flowers. In songs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Bullying, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and War
Minor: Death of parent