Kevin Kong / Staff Reporter
The Pulitzer-prize winning book “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr is a realistic fiction novel which takes place in France and Germany during WWII. Coming from warring countries, a blind French girl, Marie-Laure LeBlanc, and a talented German boy, Werner Pfennig, finds their fates to be intertwined, and despite their differences, find the impact of war forever changing their lives.
Some of the important concepts in this book include radio waves, a cursed diamond, and human nature. As a boy, Pfennig discovers an abandoned radio, using it to learn more about science and math. The knowledge allowed him to thrive as a cadet; however, as a Nazi soldier, he used radio waves to locate and capture rebels. Leblanc, on the other hand, deals with a cursed diamond which brings infinite health but also bad luck. Lastly, the two will find that in a world where justice is twisted, they will have to listen to their heart for the right choice.
One of the interesting aspects about this book is its name. The word “light” has many different interpretations, and one of the is hope. In this dystopian era, there’s often too much despair and pain, and one often loses hope. A second meaning could be literal light, for which Leblanc couldn’t see. Another hidden meaning is radio waves, which is similar to physical light but cannot be seen and is used many times throughout the book.
Another reason why this book is so memorable is that although it’s fiction, most parts of it are extremely realistic, including the time, location, and plot. The author, taking ten years to write this book, was able to describe every small detail of the town Saint-Malo, and incorporating it into the story. Additionally, Doerr was able to use the timeline of WWII and fit the story into the dates. Finally, the tone of the book isn’t adventurous or rebellious, but rather a gray tone which shows the reality of the lives of people. The ending also doesn’t present a perfect ending for everyone, though some may have found inner peace. Moreover, the letters demonstrated in the book had censoring on it, illustrating Doerr’s efforts to make everything representative.
The beautiful writing used by Doerr furthermore engages the reader. For example, “the bony figure of Death rides the streets below… Horns of fire on his head and smoke leaking from his nostrils and, in his skeletal hands, a list newly charged with addresses,” is a great quote from the book. “Death” in this context would be the Germans, and to the French families, they are indeed the grim reaper since many have disappeared since taken away. This demonstrates how fear is instilled into civilians in the times of war.
Though the book is rather thick and may intimidate when first seen, the chapters are extremely short, making it effortless to read. Additionally, the chapters do not always come chronologically, which may confuse some readers.
In conclusion, “All the Light We Cannot See” is highly recommended to students of any grade who is interested in a realistic fiction novel as it has an engaging plot and special characters. This book not only educates the reader about WWII, but also about human nature, science, and one’s true destiny.
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