All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, 2014
To ensure his daughter is able to navigate the city, Monsiour LeBlanc carves buildings with intricate compartments and secret doors to create a mini replica of the city that his daughter can memorize through touch.
The novel also centers around Werner Pfennig, a German orphan whose skill in fixing transitors allows him to escape e a life in the mines, where his father was killed.
He and his little sister Jutta listen to contraband broadcasts from around the world to escape their bleak life.
Their stories are compelling and draw you in from the beginning. As World War II rages, we discover the connection these two peopel have.
When I read long novels with mulitple story lines and characters, I tend to forget the details and references that occur a few chapters later.
However, with Doerr's concise and vivid writing, the details were memorable and I was able to make connections and recall references.
Original and breathtaken, filled with memorable characters like Frank Volkheimer, Werner's fellow Nazi soldier; Etienne, Marie-Laure's great-uncle who fears leaving his house; and Von Rumpel, a German precious stones expert on the trail of the legendary Sea of Flames.
