All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Another wonderful story based on one of my current fascinations with WWII historical fiction. This story, as seen through the eyes of a young French blind girl and an intelligent German orphan boy, is centered on pivotal life choices before, during and after the war with radios and a cursed gem at its root. It is historical but it gives such an insight to the struggles of two people who are forced to be part of a war they do not want to be part of. It is true account of two innocent lives torn apart by the war and by events beyond their control.
Unlike most stories about WWII, this is not an account of the Jewish struggle of the war but it is an in-depth view of the war through people who did not want to be part of it and knew that it was wrong. Werner is an orphan who sees the Reich as his only way out of the coal mines that killed his father and left him in an orphanage. He has big dreams and knows that he is capable of great things. Like Volkeimer said: “what you could have been.” His intelligence kept him sheltered to the worst crimes of the war. He was involved in uncovering Nazi opposition radio frequencies but he was never the one to put an end to their lives, until Von Rumpel threatens Marie-Laure but it remains unclear how he kills him. Werner recalls Dr. Hauptmann saying: “A scientist’s work is determined by two things: his interests and those of his time” and “Everything has led to this (page 338).” His desire to learn, his desire to be free of his fathers fate all led to his arrival at Saint-Malo. Through the eyes of Werner, especially after he has seen death in war (the young girl shot in the head) he starts to think that the light does not exist. “So really children, mathematically, all of light is invisible.” (page 369) Werner sees that there is no hope, no light…until he meets Marie-Laure.
And in clear opposition, the story revolves around a young blind girl who can only know what is happening by what she is told. She cannot witness with her eyes what has happened to her father, to Paris, to her uncle Etienne or Marie Marnec. She is the innocent bystander of this story and yet she is the keeper of the greatest secret. The curse of the stone is what keeps her alive but is it also what kills those around her? I feel like the symbolism of the curse was to drive the story but I didn’t feel like it was truly affecting her.
The “Sea of Flames” gemstone and curse is actually based on the Delhi Sapphire which was thought to have brought bad luck and tragedy to its possessors. It was such a great vehicle that drove the story line through the lives of the main characters. It really took on its own weight in the story and guided the symbolism of tragedy, lust, envy and misfortune. With the war as its backdrop, it brought to light the truest personality traits of the main characters as they progressed in the story line. It brought out the worst and delivered the tragedy that its legend promised.
The puzzle boxes and city models were so much a part of this story, as much as the Sea of Flames. It was the incubator, the treasure chest and the protector of the stories. They were also a lifeline for Marie-Laure. They were her way of “reading” her way through her life. It was the closest thing to a Braille map. Her father knew that this would be her saving grace and only way to survive the world as it fell apart…even without him. By creating these boxes and models, “he made her feel as if every step she took was important (page 403)” and gave her confidence in her step. The same confidence that Werner saw in her as he followed her on the street.
I read the book title at the beginning and thought little of it but after reading the book, I think that it alludes to the good things that happen around us that are not visible to us. If we saw things like Marie-Laure saw them, we would never see the wrong in them only the “light”. Although there are many bad things that happen in this book, there are the good things too and I think the title tells us to focus on the good to get us through the bad.
One of my favorite lines from this book is when Marie-Laure realizes she has lost time. There are no more church bells, no one to tell her if its day or night. “Time is a slippery thing: lose hold of it once, and its string might sail out of your hands forever (page 376).” Time is fleeting…we must not disregard it.
A beautifully woven tale and another wonderful story about survival and the depths of surviving. Humanity is strong and its will is stronger. We have a desire to live…that cannot be diminished.
What do feel is the light we cannot see?
What is the title alluding to?
What was the importance of the radio broadcasts before they were resistance messages?
Is the “Sea of Flames” cursed? Is it to blame for the tragedy in Marie-Laure’s life?
Did the story tell a tale of WWII in a romanticized way? Did it leave out too much of the gory details or was it just enough?
How does it compare to The Storyteller or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas? Was it a WWII story that you enjoyed?
Interesting articles about Saint-Malo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Malo
http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v02/v02p301_Beck.html
Background of the Delhi Sapphire, on which the Sea of Flames is based:
http://www.gemselect.com/help/newsletter/newsletter-mar-12.php
It took me awhile to see the connection between Werner and Marie-Laure, the two main characters in this book. I figured out early on that they would eventually cross paths, but I didn’t make the connection that when Werner and his sister, Jutta, were listening to a mysterious Frenchman talking about science during their childhood, that they were actually listening to Marie-Laure’s grandfather. It finally dawned on me pretty late in the book. I am such a doofus.
I think “all the light we cannot see” means two things. It is literally describing the light we cannot see–i.e. radio waves. The radio waves served as the glue that bonded Werner and Marie-Laure and were a consistent theme throughout the book. I think the title is also a metaphor for all the people and stories we don’t hear or know about. During WWII, before and after. So many people with their own unique truth and their own unique stories that were never shared with anyone.
Before the resistance began, I believe that the radio broadcasts were providing a sense of hope for many people. The broadcasts provided a sense of comfort and a sense of normalcy. They were a source of entertainment and a temporary distraction from reality. They also provided something for people to look forward to. The broadcasts also showed that despite all the atrocities that were occurring during the time period, that there was still a sense of civility and order somewhere.
I really didn’t think of the “Sea of Flames” as being cursed or think that it was to blame for the tragedy in Marie-Laure’s life. In fact, if anything I believed that the stone was responsible for keeping Marie-Laure alive.
I don’t believe this book told the tale of WWII in a romanticized way. I do think enough gore was presented to convey the author’s intent. Too many gory details can be unessesary. Honestly, I am still haunted by a lot of what I read in “The Storyteller,” so I was actually glad that the level of gore was relatively low in “All The Light We Cannot See.” This book was not as heartbreaking as “The Boy In The Striped Pajamas,” which I still reflect on and think about quite a bit as well. “All The Light We Cannot See” did have many sad parts, but I feel like there were also enough parts reflecting love and redemption throughout the book to leave me feeling generally happy and with a sense of hope at the end of the book.
I liked this book. I have to admit that I was REALLY hoping that Werner was alive somehow. I was crushed when we found out he died of the flu while being held at a POW camp. I was holding out hope that a mistake was made at the prison and that Werner was somehow alive and would reconnect with Marie-Laure. When I realized he was truly dead I was both sad and angry. I really wanted a fairytale ending for Werner and Marie-Laure. I guess that was too far fetched, but it is still what I was hoping for!
Oh, I was so elated when I figured out the Frenchman was the same as the one Werner listened to as an orphan. It made his fascination and sympathy towards Marie so much more captivating and endearing. Its as if all radio waves led him to her and led him to his fate of rescuing/helping Marie to escape.
I also saw the Sea of Flames as a lifesaver versus a curse. Not only did it get them out of Paris, but it protected Marie long after her father could. I really wished for a romantic ending for Werner and Marie. I did not want him to die but I realize that if he had lived, he would have been imprisoned for his role in the war.
It was such a wonderful story and so captivating in imagery and the story planning that played out so beautifully. I loved the back and forth between time and characters. This is one of my favorites…up there with The Storyteller and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
Glad you liked it! And thank you for reading and discussing it with me 🙂