All the Light We Cannot See is a novel written by Anthony Doerr following Marie-Laure and Werner Pfennig as they grow up during World War II. Set in France and Germany, these two characters lead very different lives on opposite sides of the same conflict until they meet for the briefest of moments and become not enemies but friends supporting one another to survive.       

     Marie-Laure loses her eyesight at a young age and relies on her father, a museum locksmith, for guidance. When Paris is bombed, they flee to Saint-Malo and the home of her great-uncle, Etienne Leblanc. In their possession is a jewel from the museum- an incredibly valuable diamond shrouded in legend and intrigue. They soon become the target of a relentless Nazi officer who’s heard rumors that the diamond will make its owner immortal. Marie adapts to her new life and eventually joins the French resistance movement with Etienne by relaying coded messages to the Allies through their radio. 

     Werner comes from the poor coal-mining town of Zollverein in Germany and lives in an orphanage with his sister, Jutta. Inspired by a science radio program broadcasted by Marie Laure’s great-uncle and grandfather, Werner develops a fascination for learning indirectly connected to Marie Laure’s story. His life changes when Rudolf Siedler, a Nazi officer, recognizes his talent for mechanics and recommends him to the National Political Institutes of Education. Intuitive and analytical, he learns quickly and is forced into the military to locate resistors using radio broadcast waves. Here the two stories, seemingly disconnected, overlap briefly when Werner rescues Marie-Laure from the Nazi officer and guides her to safety. It is shown that she then goes on to live a long and fulfilled life after the war, in part thanks to Werner’s bravery. 

     Doerr’s writing style is richly detailed and poetic so that each scene is immersive, whether it be on the beach in Saint-Malo or listening to a radio broadcast playing “Clair de Lune”. The major themes of the story are reflected in the writing style as well, even as it describes two very drastic topics: the large and the small. It describes the feeling of being an insignificant character in a vast and limitless universe, putting the war into a broader context. Despite this, the book is made up of the nondescript daily stories that often get overlooked. Marie-Laure’s and Werner’s narratives are just two of many, but the impact they leave on each other and the world around them causes change for the better.

     My main criticism of this book would be that the plot borderlines aimless at times and most of the characters are one-dimensional; they’re either pure good or pure evil. Von Rumpel, the Nazi officer, serves an archetypal villain who is dead set on acquiring the jewel but his motivation is unclear and often it seems like he’s only there to create conflict for the main characters. The one exception would be Werner, who undergoes major change throughout the story. While he excels in his technical science studies, he struggles morally to understand the harsh methods of the institute and worries that he is wasting his life backing something he secretly disapproves of. Even so he’s afraid of taking action and can’t defend his friend when he needs Werner’s protection. When he meets Marie-Laure, he’s able to act courageously for something worth fighting for, defying his own situation and hers.   

     Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing is beautiful and the short chapters make it an easy read. While the story takes place during war, I think the main purpose of the novel extends beyond that to convey how important connections are, even small ones. The powerful inclusion of these universal themes make this book a staple in historical fiction. 

Checkout All the Light We Cannot See from the Newport Beach Public Library.