All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a literary masterpiece focused on historical fiction, bringing World War II to life through multiple viewpoints. Marie Laure is a blind French girl who finds her life upended by the beginning of the war, traveling across Paris with her father in hope of finding sanctuary with her great-uncle Etienne. Meanwhile, Doerr details young German boy Werner’s journey of becoming a soldier under the reign of Hitler, leaving behind everything he had ever known in misguided service to his country. 

This is the second time I have read this work, the first being as a sophomore in high school, a time in which I can admit to not appreciating literature in the way that it is meant to be. I picked it back up mainly because the mini-series inspired by the book is coming out on Netflix soon, but I was ultimately glad that I gave this work another chance so that I could truly immerse myself in the story. I tend to gravitate towards works that feel reasonably realistic, and there is almost no better way to do that than with historical fiction, especially for a history buff like myself.  

Admittedly, the book starts out slower than I would have liked for it being set in such a fast-paced, abrasive environment. I understand the aspect of showcasing the characters in a way that lets readers get to know who they are, what they care about, and what their main purpose is, but I thought it could have been done in a much more succinct way. However, with that being said, I did enjoy the vastly different characteristics presented within each character, as I thought it brought depth to the humanistic aspect of war, rooted in empathy. 

In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Werner’s affinity with radios, something that I have never really taken an interest in. It was special to see his knowledge evolve as he got older, allowing him to pursue opportunities he would not have been able to otherwise. The book was a great example of the value of education outside of a structured school environment (before the war) as it was the foundation of Werner being able to contribute to the advancement of technology. Likewise, Etienne and Marie’s radio broadcasts provide an underlying level of education to the story, even though most of it is essentially narrating books that Marie can read in braille. The significance of the radio cannot be understated throughout this work, and it gives both Werner and Marie opportunities to improve their lives beyond what they were before the war. 

Obviously, I would have preferred a happier ending than what was given to the readers, but it is understandable why it shook out that way. Werner represented so many soldiers on both sides of the war that died for nothing, in an instant, never to be spoken of again even though they had so much life ahead of them. It would have been nice to see him reunite with his sister Jutta, but this work is formulated to showcase the impact World War II had on the entire world, evident by Werner’s untimely passing. Marie, on the other hand, lived a full life, as seen at the end of the book. The work ends with her presumably being reunited with her previously imprisoned father, and years later, 2014 to be exact, walking in Paris with her grandson. The juxtaposition of each character’s ending is not lost on me, as Werner gave everything he had to a country that eventually killed him, while Marie lived even though the telecasts were technically seen as acts of illegal activity. 

All the Light We Cannot See is a bonafide five star read, not only for the mastery of language but the advancement of the storyline through years. It. is not easy to delve into historical events the way that Doerr has seemingly done so, and I cannot wait to see how this plays out on television. It’s a must-read, so I’m hoping Netflix is able to do this beautiful story justice.