All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
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All the light we cannot see
A story based on WW-II, dealing with lives of two people of different countries, different views, culture and ambitions. I liked the idea of how they were connected throughout the book but had so small a time together. You never know how you are continuously a part of someone's life and how much can you effect it.
I always like stories having World war 2 because they describe the sufferings, fears and consequences which war has on people and the long effect of those horrible memories you carry along with you but this book was difference. It had both sides of the war, of conqueror and conquered and so beautifully it highlighted the fact that no matter which of the two persons you are, you always loose your true self. Peace of mind, loved ones, selflessness and spirit to live.
Foreign soldiers are alike no matter to which country they belong, properties are always robbed, children die, humanity is treated beyond ethics, teenagers loose their innocence, cities are never recovered in the same way, talent gets lost in smoke and shells and how two or three generations never heal.
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Marie-Laure is just six years old when she goes blind. While her mother is no longer alive, her doting father, who is the master of locks a the Museum of Natural History in Paris, is extremely committed to her care. He begins to build small wooden models of the area that Marie lives in so that she can learn to find her way around. While initially terrified, through her father's encouragement and persistence, Marie becomes a very independent and capable child despite her blindness.
Werner is spending his childhood in an orphanage with his sister Jutta as their father died in a coal mine. Werner is a curious and intelligent boy and he is constantly asking questions about the way the world works. He quickly becomes enthralled with the radio that he and Jutta listen to and when it breaks he becomes determined to fix it. Before long, Werner becomes the go to person for any type of radio repair in town. As he grows, so does his cravings for knowledge, but what sort of life could a boy, even a gifted one, have coming from an orphanage? The emergence of Hitler's youth seemed to provide an answer to that question. While Werner is gifted he is oblivious to the cause that he wants to join. Jutta on the other hand is not as ignorant and she learns to read between the lines of what is being dispatched on the radio and the whisperings of other adults. She tries to warn Werner, but he doesn't understand. All he can see is his one opportunity to become something more than an orphan.
As the war breaks out, you start to see how the story lines of these two very different characters are going to come together to one amazing and potent conclusion.
I loved Marie-Laure's story. Her character is so enduring and real. However, this side of the war has been told many times so the inclusion of Werner's story, that almost mirrors Marie's, is what I found truly captivating. You often only get to hear about that horrors that Germany inflicted during this time, which is more than understandable, but it's easy to forget that there were many innocent and young people in Germany that suffered too as a result of the actions that the adults took around them.
The story of Werner and Marie show that despite the horrors that surrounded the war, there were many cases of honor, love, resilience and strength that emerged as well. Within Werner and Marie, the author is able to capture the many facets of being human and that it's our decisions and actions to do what's right, regardless of whatever challenges stand in our way, that define and shape who we are and have the power to leave lasting impressions on those that that we meet and effect.
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
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