All The Light We Cannot See - Book Review
All The Light We Cannot See ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Anthony Doerr
Published in: May 2014
Buy at: Amazon
“Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.” ― Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
Review
I read this book after being recommended by my book buddy. Historical fiction is my all-time favourite genre and I couldn’t negate the offer.
Yet another book about WWII but it offers more. When the Nazis occupy Paris, the twelve-year-old Marie Laure flees to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo with her father where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them, they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. It is so fascinating to see the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner entwining even in the toughest times.
Anthony's writing is full of details and the book is superbly written. He transports the reader to the war-trodden area of Saint-Malo and Germany. I couldn't skip any sights and sounds of the wartime. The thorough research and planning are revealed in the intricate details of all the places, language and instruments. Alternate short chapters on Werner and Marie-Laurer and during different time-periods kept me on my toes and I was turning pages hoping for an impossibly happy ending.
All the characters, including the main characters Marie-Laure and Werner, are so interesting and sympathetical. They are going to stay in my mind for some time as I felt an emotional connection with them. They showed the innate goodness in them even during the toughest of the times and at such a young age.
I was going to give five stars to this majestic book but the fantasy elements in the book put me off a bit. Since I am not a big fan of fantasy and felt a bit lost, I'll leave this book with four stars.
If you love to read historical fiction and magnificently crafted book with extraordinary narrative, this book is highly recommended.
Yet another book about WWII but it offers more. When the Nazis occupy Paris, the twelve-year-old Marie Laure flees to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo with her father where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them, they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. It is so fascinating to see the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner entwining even in the toughest times.
Anthony's writing is full of details and the book is superbly written. He transports the reader to the war-trodden area of Saint-Malo and Germany. I couldn't skip any sights and sounds of the wartime. The thorough research and planning are revealed in the intricate details of all the places, language and instruments. Alternate short chapters on Werner and Marie-Laurer and during different time-periods kept me on my toes and I was turning pages hoping for an impossibly happy ending.
All the characters, including the main characters Marie-Laure and Werner, are so interesting and sympathetical. They are going to stay in my mind for some time as I felt an emotional connection with them. They showed the innate goodness in them even during the toughest of the times and at such a young age.
I was going to give five stars to this majestic book but the fantasy elements in the book put me off a bit. Since I am not a big fan of fantasy and felt a bit lost, I'll leave this book with four stars.
If you love to read historical fiction and magnificently crafted book with extraordinary narrative, this book is highly recommended.
0 comments