All the Light We Cannot See: By Anthony Doerr Summary & Analysis

by Anthony Doerr

WINNER OF THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR FICTION

A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II

Marie-Laure has been blind since the age of six. Her father builds a perfect miniature of their Paris neighbourhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. But when the Nazis invade, father and daughter flee with a dangerous secret.

Werner is a German orphan, destined to labour in the same mine that claimed his father's life, until he discovers a knack for engineering. His talent wins him a place at a brutal military academy, but his way out of obscurity is built on suffering.

At the same time, far away in a walled city by the sea, an old man discovers new worlds without ever setting foot outside his home. But all around him, impending danger closes in.

Doerr's combination of soaring imagination and meticulous observation is electric. As Europe is engulfed by war and lives collide unpredictably, 'All The Light We Cannot See' is a captivating and devastating elegy for innocence.

• ISBN10: 1944195939
• ISBN13: 9781944195939
• Publish Date: 25 February 2016 (first published 6 May 2014)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Idreambooks
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 38
• Language: English

Reviews

[roundtableknight]

Rating: 5/5stars
~
What can you say about a story that is so raw? One which holds back no punches and leaves you broken but yet able to put enough of the pieces back together to continue on. This book did that. I've always loved historical fiction, and this book enhanced that love. Marie-Laure is an incredible character to follow and watch grow up during this war, and Werner, well, he is one of a kind as well. Together with their stories and a handful of other interspersed throughout the novel, it creates a web of pure heartache and beauty that signifies why one should read this book.

[luddite]

Such exquisite writing.

I'll just post a link to another review which captures everything I want to say about this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1889305284

[ibeforem]

I enjoyed this book, though I found it very slow. What I particularly liked was that it explored World War II from a couple of perspectives that I haven't read before, despite having read a *lot* of World War II novels.

The first main perspective is that of Marie-Laure, a young French girl who goes blind before the war and then must flee Paris with her father when she is 12. They land in Saint-Malo, a walled city near the sea, with her father's agoraphobic uncle and his housekeeper, where they are eventually under siege by the Germans anyway. Being blind in a strange place during wartime must have been terrifying, and I think the book portrayed that well.

The other main perspective is that of Werner Pfennig, a young boy living in an orphanage in a German mining town with his younger sister, who soon finds that his talent with radios will save him from the danger of working in the mines but send him straight into the danger of war.

It is obvious early on that these two characters are going to cross paths, but it wasn't in the way that I expected. Nor did the characters have endings that I expected. Thankfully, the story does take us through to the end of their lives so we aren't left wondering.

The one part I didn't really enjoy was the perspective of the German officer who is hunting for "treasures" for Hitler. His perspective was distasteful, almost in a cartoonish way -- here's the big bad nasty Nazi! I honestly could have done without many of his parts. I also had problems with the time/place jumping, and sometimes had to look back to remind myself of where I was in time and space.

I did think this was a very good read, but not my favorite of the past year. But if you like World War II fiction, this should absolutely be on your list.

[Bianca]

And what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of clouds are dragging across it, and patches of sunlight are touching down everywhere. White strings of gulls drag over it like beads. It is my favorite thing, I think, that I have ever seen. Sometimes I catch myself staring at it and forget my duties. It seems big enough to contain everything anyone could ever feel.

[empressbrooke]

I wasn't sure if I could do another WWII book so soon after [b:The Nightingale|21853621|The Nightingale|Kristin Hannah|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1451446316s/21853621.jpg|41125521], but they really couldn't be more different. All The Light was strangely whimsical despite the subject matter. It doesn't perseverate on the claustrophobia of living in Nazi-occupied France, instead choosing to be more focused on the inner lives of the two main characters. The jacket summary for the book promises a story about how these characters' paths collide, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't a romance like I'd been expecting.

[readingwithwrin]

I absolutely loved this novel. While it wasn't exactly what I was expecting after having read the synopsis, it was still incredible.

I loved seeing the war from Marie-Laure LeBlanc perspective and how she lived during it. How she had to learn things differently and count every step so she wouldn't get lost, and while she was scared at time she did get over it and went out and did what she had to do anyway to help the war cause. I absolutely loved her relationship with her Uncle and how she got him somewhat out of his fears and got him to live life again.

I had a little bit of a harder time enjoying Werner Pfennig perspective though. While it was enjoyable I just kept hoping he would stand up and act differently in certain situations. Even though I know that surely would have caused him to get beaten up as well.

Now while I did enjoy this book I kept feeling like certain parts weren't needed (to many time switches causing confusion). I was slightly disappointed as well that Marie-Laure and Werner didn't get more time together.

But overall I found the book to possible be becoming one of my favorites.

See more reviews like this on my blog

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

Reviews Done Quick
All The Light We Cannot See was one of the most hyped-up books when it was released in 2014 and even won a Pulitzer Prize. Sadly, I didn't see it. I tried desperately but I just couldn't get into it. It felt pretentious and had an Oscar (or in this case Pulitzer) Bait vibe to it.

Despite their grandiose storylines none of the characters stood out to me, and I had to look through the synopsis to recall the main character's names (Marie-Laure and Werner in case you were wondering).

I may be in the minority with this one but I feel that All the Light We Cannot See missed the mark.

This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews