Daniel Montague's Reviews > All the Light We Cannot See

This is a tricky review as I enjoyed this book much more in hindsight then at the time of reading. This book deviated in comparison to much of the literature that I go for. To put it bluntly the approach of devoting a few pages to each of the main storylines and switching back and forth left me feeling rather indifferent for around the first 100 pages. This initial inclination was completely incorrect though and this book about two misfits who are able to navigate in war torn Europe won me over.

The two main characters, a blind French girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig an orphaned German boy despite their differences in locale and circumstances are united by their compassion. My number one takeaway of this beautifully written story is that even in the worst of times people can still demonstrate humanity and compassion. In a less capable author's hands this could come across as banal, trite or even cliched but Doerr through his impeccable storytelling and dynamic prose makes all of the characters seem genuine. Though it might seem inconsequential, I do not think the words "Nazi" or "swastika" were written. There was a bad German character (Bastian, a sadistic instructor) and a duplicitous Frenchman, Claude Levitte. Even, a character such as Reinhold von Rumpel is multifaceted. He is a German jewel hunter who is after the mysterious "sea of flames" which is said to possess supernatural powers. In his pursuit of this valuable gem, he is shown as a man of inaction known for his patience above all. My favorite part of this story is when Marie scoffs at the notion of her bravery when she recounts her living circumstances to Werner since she lost her vison at 6. Strangely, in a book which contains such mellifluous descriptions it is the hard truth of Marie saying, 'But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don't you do the same?', that landed on me like a ton of bricks.

Overall, this book was able to do what hundreds (thousands? millions?) of military books fail to do and that is to humanize the experience. It takes a subtle approach to show that war is not made up of devils on one side and angels on the other but of people who are often forced to betray their basic humanity. Though much of wartime literature focuses on the leaders and engagements of the various theaters it is important to showcase how it affects everyone. Whether it is a Frank Volkheimer who during the war racked up innumerable kills and is now living a life of ascetism. Ultimately, this book has done what few and far between have and that is left an indelible impression that will occupy my headspace in the near and distant future.