All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a historical novel set during World War II, primarily following the lives of two characters: Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German soldier. The novel alternates between their perspectives, showing how their lives intersect in the midst of the war. Marie-Laure, who has been blind since childhood, flees Paris with her father as the German army invades. They take refuge in a seaside town, where her father is arrested, leaving Marie-Laure to survive on her own. Werner, a German orphan, is recruited by the Nazis and becomes a soldier. As the war progresses, Werner is assigned to track down anti-German resistance groups, which brings him closer to Marie-Laure’s town. The novel explores themes of survival, the impact of war on individuals, and the small acts of kindness that can persist even in the darkest times. Through lyrical prose, All the Light We Cannot See highlights the contrast between the devastation of war and the beauty of human connection.

ISBN: 9781476746586