All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

C 2014 Pages 544, Goodreads Rating: 4.32

‘All the Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr has been on my to-read list for several years. Some of you may have already read this book; and if you did, I’m sure you enjoyed it immensely. The story takes place during World War II and tells the story of how a blind French girl and an orphaned German boy cross paths during the war.

Marie-Laure, blind since she was 6-years old, lives in Paris with her father, who works at a local museum as a master locksmith. Her father builds a perfect miniature of their Paris neighborhood so Marie-Laure can memorize it by touch and navigate the streets of Paris using her cane. When the Nazis take over Paris, her and her father flee to the village of Saint Malo and live quietly with a reclusive great uncle and housekeeper. As security, her father takes along with him a valuable jewel.

Werner Pfennig lives in an orphanage with his sister, Jutta, in Germany. He has taught himself how to dismantle and restore radios, a talent that brings him to the attention of a local military academy. He is moved to the academy to further his studies and then is assigned to a specialized tracker force with the German Resistance. He travels with the group through Russia, Austria and finally into Saint Malo tracking and alerting his leaders of any unauthorized radio transmissions.

One of those unauthorized transmissions is from Marie-Laure’s great uncle’s hidden radio. What will Werner do when he hears quiet pleas for help from a soft voice? This is a well-written story of challenge and intrigue. A lengthy story: but necessary for such a wonderous ending. You will love every word. Enjoy!