Book Review: All the Light We Cannot See

Historical Fiction with Memorable Characters

By Catherine Groves

Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author, Anthony Doerr, introduces two of his most memorable characters to date, Marie-Laurie and Werner, in All the Light We Cannot See.

Marie-Laurie and Werner are living their lives, completely unaware that one day their paths will collide, changing their destiny for all time. Innocent, young lives are caught up in a war of good versus evil. Both are drawn to light of goodness, but circumstances dictate each path.

Marie-Laurie and her father live in Paris. Her father is the master of the thousands of locks at Pariss Museum of Natural History. Marie-Laurie has been blind since she was 6, and her father builds her a tiny replica of the village so that she may memorize each street, giving her much needed peace of mind. At the age of 12, she and her father flee the city after being invaded by the Nazis. Life in Saint-Malo with her somewhat eccentric uncle becomes their haven by the sea, but the dangerous, authentic jewel they brought with them from the museum is the most sought after jewel of all time.

Werner, an orphan in Germany, is destined to work in the mines at the age of 16.When his mastery in repairing transistor radios is discovered, hes drawn into Hitlers academy for the youth, much to the dismay of his sister.

Doer intricately intertwines the lives of young Marie-Laurie and Werner during a time of brutal, evil warfare. With delicate prose and historical facts, the author reveals the power of choosing the light in the darkest of times.

All the Light We Cannot See can be purchased at most major bookstores and is available on Kindle and Nook.