One book I have recently enjoyed is All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. The book has two timelines, alternating between 1944 and the years leading up to it. There are two protagonists: Marie-Laure, a twelve-year-old who is blind and lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History where her father works, and Werner Pfenning, an orphan who grows up with his younger sister and later gets recruited to be part of the Nazi Youth. Marie-Laure and her father leave Nazi-occupied Paris and flee to Saint-Malo, where her great-uncle lives in a house by the sea, which ultimately has its own set of challenges.

What I find the most peculiar about Marie-Laure’s character is that you experience war through someone who is blind. The chaos is complete darkness with little to no guidance on what is expected to come next. On the other hand, Werner is a little boy who has a fascination with radios. By means of his talents, he is recruited into the Nazi Youth.

Anthony Doerr shows that not everyone is all evil, and people generally have an inclination to help others despite their differences. Many of our decisions are based on our struggles, our resilience to survive, and those who shape us in our youth. What Doerr does very well is delving into details and emotions.

The pace of the book is a little slow, which is something that I struggled with. Similarly, there is a dragged-out anticipation for Marie-Laure and Werner (the two narrators) to meet, which can be a bit annoying. I would say that is the only thing that I would change about the book. I would recommend All The Light We Cannot See to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Review by: Lauren

Lauren is a teen volunteer at the Granada Hills Branch Library who is a senior in high school from the San Fernando Valley area.

—Rachael Zak, Young Adult Librarian, Granada Hills Branch Library