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crisi_books's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5/5 stars just for my tears and how attached I was to these characters and their stories.
I would not have read this book if not for my English Literature class, and honestly...I don't regret a thing. This is a book I will be thinking about for months and maybe even years to come.
All the Light We Cannot See is such a lovely, devastating book about humanity and care. Doerr's (sometimes overbearing) attention to detail is enrapturing and kept me hooked for hundreds of pages, and the way he has crafted all these characters is so masterful, as well as the more philosophical questions and concepts he discusses. Marie-Laure and Werner don't share many moments in the book, but their connection is immediate, and their stories intertwine so wonderfully. Each character matters, and each has their own flaws and characteristics that make the story just that more enriching and human. However, I can see how people might find this book boring or too slow, and I agree! I just think that everything else in this book overshadows that and it leaves only a significantly good impression in my brain.
I would not have read this book if not for my English Literature class, and honestly...I don't regret a thing. This is a book I will be thinking about for months and maybe even years to come.
All the Light We Cannot See is such a lovely, devastating book about humanity and care. Doerr's (sometimes overbearing) attention to detail is enrapturing and kept me hooked for hundreds of pages, and the way he has crafted all these characters is so masterful, as well as the more philosophical questions and concepts he discusses. Marie-Laure and Werner don't share many moments in the book, but their connection is immediate, and their stories intertwine so wonderfully. Each character matters, and each has their own flaws and characteristics that make the story just that more enriching and human. However, I can see how people might find this book boring or too slow, and I agree! I just think that everything else in this book overshadows that and it leaves only a significantly good impression in my brain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Ableism, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Excrement, and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction and Rape
rebekahvldz's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I came to this book with the expectations of a crushing, thrilling tale- a romance between two lovers or friends not fated to end up together amidst a turbulent World War 2 backdrop. I expected heartbreak, insights and a lot of sobbing a la Book Thief. This absolutely was a romance book but not between people- rather it was two characters who fell in love with everything and everyone around them, who would do anything to preserve the life they lived so dearly in the countries they were loyal to. It was interesting to see the contrast between what that meant for both characters and both of them did end up breaking my heart in small ways. But there was no fanfare finale, no resolution to the two particular storylines that suggested the story was moving forward. It was kind of worse in a way, because it lacked those. I still loved the book- , the writing was poetic and enthralling, the characters were passionate, curious and dedicated and made me love the things they did but I will say there was no major plot here. It was more a study of two characters, an exploitation of their passions and how that interacted with the impending war but again no grand sweeping story. It was still beautiful, of course and I did enjoy it but I was still waiting for the story to start at page 450. Other than me turning the pages, I would’ve had no indication that the story was moving forward. And each chapter spends only a couple pages with either character so you don’t really get to sink your teeth in, despite the 527 pages. I thought it was worth the read but I deeply wish I had come with no preconceived notions- I might have enjoyed it more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Violence, Grief, Genocide, and War
Moderate: Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent, Excrement, Blood, and Animal death
redheadorganist's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, War, Gun violence, Blood, Excrement, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit and Rape
Minor: Drug use
janan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Blood and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Antisemitism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Excrement, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Terminal illness
aeriecircus's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Child abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, and Xenophobia
claudiamacpherson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Daniel LeBlanc is a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, and builds scale models of his neighborhood so that his blind daughter, Marie-Laure LeBlanc, can learn to navigate her way around. Marie-Laure is fascinated by biology, especially snails, having spent her youth surrounded by the scientists of the museum. When the Germans move to occupy France in 1940, he is sent away with a stone--either an impressive forgery or the real "Sea of Flames," a giant diamond that is said to be cursed. Daniel and Marie-Laure flee to the small coastal village of Saint-Malo, where they live with Daniel's uncle, Etienne.
Meanwhile in Germany, Werner and Jutta Pfennig grow up in a children's home in a mining town. Werner has an aptitude for radios, and learns to repair them from practice on a cheap one he found broken in someone's trash. His skill leads him to be recruited to an elite political school, and eventually to a position in the German army.
We follow Marie-Laure and Werner though the war, as food becomes increasingly scarce and decisions increasingly difficult.
For me, the most interesting (and most difficult) part of this book was seeing how quickly Werner became a Nazi, and how difficult it would have been for him to question what he was forced into. Similarly, I enjoyed seeing Jutta's point of view at the end of the book, when she feels nervous and guilty and expects the French people to hate her or blame her for the horrors of the war. These perspectives help to humanize the German citizens form this time in a way that I think is important for understanding this period of history--and hopefully to learn from the mistakes of the past.
Meanwhile in Germany, Werner and Jutta Pfennig grow up in a children's home in a mining town. Werner has an aptitude for radios, and learns to repair them from practice on a cheap one he found broken in someone's trash. His skill leads him to be recruited to an elite political school, and eventually to a position in the German army.
We follow Marie-Laure and Werner though the war, as food becomes increasingly scarce and decisions increasingly difficult.
For me, the most interesting (and most difficult) part of this book was seeing how quickly Werner became a Nazi, and how difficult it would have been for him to question what he was forced into.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Confinement, Excrement, Genocide, and Rape
This book is about World War II, so most of these tags are given. Most of the major atrocities of the war are only alluded to; we don't see much of that directly in the book. The violence that is described are not overly detailed or long. Almost all of these tags apply to Werner's passages.
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