All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel

I didn't know what to expect when I started All the Light We Cannot See. Right away, I was concerned that there were going to be too many characters and I wouldn't be able to fully connect with any of them enough to keep me engaged in what is a pretty long book. What happened, instead, is that, to varying degrees, I cared about them all.

Once the characters were introduced, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how they were all connected. It didn't take long, however, for me to stop thinking so much about that and become completely engrossed in their individual situations. When I did start to unravel the connections, I wasn't disappointed. Twice I could feel my eyes widen with the realization and I wished I had someone close by that I could share it with.

This is a beautifully written, thought-provoking book. There were many passages that forced me to stop and re-read them because the prose was just that gorgeous. Some of the metaphors demanded that extra attention. The author's descriptions allowed me to be fully present with the characters. I haven’t been this moved by a writer’s style in a long time.

My only regret is that I didn't have more time to read it in much larger chunks. Having to listen to only a few chapters at a time for most of the book made it harder to stay connected to the characters. But even with that obstacle, I still fell in love with Werner and Marie-Laure. Hell, I even felt that I understood the "bad guy", Von Rumpel.

Part of me wishes the book would have ended well before it actually did, but another part is glad to have had some closure - not a lot of closure, but some.

I know I'm late to the party here but if anyone out there is still on the fence about diving in, don't wait any longer. I can definitely see myself reading this one again. There aren't many mainstream novels that I reread but I'm certain I missed details on my first time through.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. Once I realized I'd wouldn't have time to read it with my eyes, I picked up the audio version and am happy I did. To hear the French and German pronounced helped to keep me immersed in the story. Besides the fact that the narrator did a great job.

Where do I start? I didn't even like this book to begin with, the pacing felt so very slow. I was encouraged to keep going, and I did. I was however, immediately captured by the beautiful writing style! The way everything is described in the physical sense, or in smell. It's so different than what I usually read, where authors just simply tell you what is in a scene. They don't really describe it, or lay it out for you.

I loved reading the POV from a blind person's perspective. I learned that even though her eyes don't work, she still "sees" the world. And I think in some ways, she sees much more and much more beautifully than we could ever hope to. For those of us that take our sight for granted, we tend to miss the beauty in small things. Marie-Laure finds so much beauty in snails and rocks, but completely misses what we see in diamonds. Or do we miss the beauty in snails and rocks, and place too much value in diamonds, letting their sparkling beauty dazzle us? After all, their worth only comes from what we place on them.

I love books that leave me thinking afterwards, that have me reframing what I thought I knew. This book made me rethink the situation of wars. How many stories go untold. How life was still going on in the midst of it. How many innocents get caught up in someone else's bloody mess. Werner for instance, he would have never chosen to be involved of his own accord. Rather he was caught by flowery words of fighting for his country, and soon it was just a matter of following orders. He was caught in something so much bigger than himself that it left him feeling like he had no choice. He was just another boy chasing after the "weakest" one.

This book was brutally honest; it was refreshing. Now that I've read it, I know I wouldn't want this book to cater to human emotion and just give us the picture perfect endings. Doerr doesn't just tear everything apart, no. We do get some good endings, we see people happy, but he also shows us just how cruel war is, and what it does. Innocents suffer, innocents die. This novel really pulled me in with that stark reality.

This is an amazing book, and so very wonderfully written! Please, pick it up, and give it a chance.

So tragically beautiful. Worth the few nightmares and stress dreams it probably caused. Written in such a way that the horrors of that time are conveyed without being graphic.

Barb's recommendation

This was such a beautifully written book! I love when a book engages your brain, and for me, the way it involved a couple of different timelines and perspectives did exactly that! This is one of my favourite books I have read this year.