The title is enough to attract attention from readers; the fact that it won the Pulitzer Prize, is a Heather’s Pick, and was a Globe and Mail bestseller seems unsurprising. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a sensitive, illuminating novel set in the difficult time of World War II, following the lives of the characters and simultaneously tracking the growing shadow of war in France and Germany, eventually narrowing its focus to the port city of Saint-Malo.
Marie-Laure is a freckled six-year-old bibliophile, inquisitive and startlingly wise. Her father, Daniel LeBlanc, is a locksmith of a museum, accused of bringing the bad luck of Marie’s blindness upon themselves because of the allegedly cursed diamond, the Sea of Flames. Werner Pfennig is a white-haired, scrawny little boy in a German orphanage with his little sister Jutta, and little does he know, his fascination with the radio will soon take him to a cadet school he’s never dreamed of.
Doerr’s blend of scientific, meticulous details into the overarching narrator’s voice is a stunning way of telling the story. The novel’s atmosphere consists of seascapes, filled with wooden models, radio wires, shells, books by Jules Verne, and guns. The unique plot, original way of portraying it, and the intertwined perspectives of a French girl and German boy make this book worthy of its title. Filled with moments of pure humor amidst dark times, this is a must-read for a wide range of audiences.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Published through the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library
May 5, 2020
Link: https://hpl.bibliocommons.com/item/ugc/640541125?ugc_id=1633877919
