WWII FICTION | 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr | Book Review
‘All the Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr is not just another World War 2 historical novel. It is not just another fictional retelling of the Nazi occupation of France. It is not like any other book you have read. It is intricate and intriguing, heartbreaking and suspenseful, unbelievable and yet scarily believable.
It showcases strong main characters, a hint of magical realism, a compelling plot and a unique style of storytelling. If ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ is not on your ‘to read’ list yet, it definitely should be.
Doerr’s compelling novel revolves around its two main characters: Marie-Laure - a blind Parisienne girl, and Werner - an orphaned Nazi youth. The story follows Marie-Laure from her childhood living with her father in Paris to her escape to Saint-Malo during the course or the second World War. It does the same for Werner who lives as an orphan with his sister in a small mining town, to his eventual recruitment as a Nazi officer. The story intertwines these two individual narratives as they grow closer and closer in proximity, until they eventually cross paths. The novel explores issues of love, loss, family, war and self-discovery in a delicate manner.
Marie-Laure is portrayed brilliantly, and for the majority of the novel it is often easy to forget that she is handicapped. Her ability to memorise numbers and details is built upon throughout the novel, and the support she receives from her father and friends in Saint-Malo later in the novel forges her disability into an ability that brings people together.
Marie-Laure is proven to be strong but also wonderfully innocent. She is the refreshing element that makes the rest of the novel bearable, not because it is terrible, but rather because the environment and atmosphere is so dark.
The aspect that makes what should have been a typical historical fiction into something outstanding is its prose. Doerr doesn’t just re-build a world or era, but creates the most engaging atmosphere in his writing. The descriptions are detailed without being heavy, and the pacing slow but in a manner that builds suspense and melancholy.
Werner and Marie-Laure are interesting, flawed and so different from one another, and the theme of interconnectedness is profound and yet low-key. The writing seems effortless, and definitely makes binge-reading easy, but its elegant nature suggests copious amounts of editing and re-writing.
Another interesting factor that differentiates ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ to others in its category is its inclusion of magical realism. Without being too-dominant a theme, there is the fantastical element of the precious jewel Marie-Laure finds in her possession that is powerful in its folklore. It is a fascinating side-narrative that is not overwhelming of the main plot, but manages to tickle the mind of the reader constantly throughout the course of the narrative.
Some readers might find the time-jumps and constant switching of perspectives hard to follow, but both aspects are powerful and necessary to the novel’s strength. The break from linearity manages to capture the impact the second World War in particular had on the populaces involved and affected by it. The disorientation, the differing information and the nostalgia for the past are all symptoms of war and make the experience of reading all the more fulfilling.
There is really nothing bad to be said about ‘All the Light We Cannot See’. Fans of historical fiction, World War II narratives, and excellent writing in general will not be disappointed with this emotional-wringer of a read.
‘All The Light We Cannot See’ is available for purchase in general book and retails stores across Australia and the U.K., and online.
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