Destined to become a classic in American literature, “All the Light We Cannot See,” by Anthony Doerr, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2015. Broken into short segments, it’s nearly impossible to put down – one of those “just one more chapter” reads that will blur evening into dawn in a flash.
The book is a tale interwoven between Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a young German orphan, whose paths collide in occupied France during World War II. Delving into this book is akin to wandering through the innards of a video game. The characters are vulnerable, yet capable, and one can’t help but become them for the duration, experiencing firsthand the disorienting chain of events unfolding.
In the world that binds these two disparate characters, it’s their sense of hearing that’s most important, specifically regarding the radio. In a time when the voice of a distant stranger in one’s home through a contraption was miraculous, the radio was an invaluable tool for both propaganda and resistance. In this case, it brings together the most unlikely of friends.
If you enjoy well-researched, page-turning historical fiction, then “All the Light We Cannot See” should definitely be on your must-read list.
Keena Kimmel Owner of White Rabbit Book and Curiosities
