Andrew Wilkinson: "Such an incredible book"
"All The Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr is an exquisite and profound historical fiction novel set during World War II.
The story follows the lives of two main characters: Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German orphan with an exceptional talent for engineering and mechanics.
Marie-Laure's idyllic world in Paris is shattered when the Nazis invade, forcing her and her father to flee to the coastal town of Saint-Malo. There, Marie-Laure discovers her father's secret, a valuable jewel that the Nazis desperately want to acquire.
Werner, on the other hand, is selected to attend a brutal military academy, where he hones his technical skills. As he rises through the ranks, Werner begins to question the morality of the Nazi regime and the role he must play in their war efforts.
As their paths inevitably intertwine, Marie-Laure and Werner find themselves caught in the chaos of war, navigating a world filled with danger, fear, and loss.
Doerr's poetic writing style paints vivid and haunting descriptions that illuminate the struggles faced by these two protagonists.
"All The Light We Cannot See" is a beautifully rendered testament to the power of human resilience, compassion, and the search for redemption amidst the darkness of war.