All the light we cannot see tells the story of a blind French girl named Marie Laure and that of a German orphan boy named Werner during World War II. Marie Laure lives with her father near the Museum of Natural History in Paris where he works as the master of the locks. When she turns six, she gradually looses her sight and is taken under the wing of her father who starts building models of Paris for Marie to memorize with her fingers.  

As the Germans occupy Paris, Marie and her father have to flee to Saint-Malo where the latter’s brother lives. Overthere, her path collides with Werner’s who became an engineering prodigy, building radios to track the Resistance. Marie-Laure will become fascinated by Werner’s work as their journeys intertwine to survive the War. 

What I enjoyed most about this book is the beautifully poetic and incredibly precise descriptions of Marie-Laure as she memorized her way around Paris through books written in Braille and her father’s crafted models. Anthony Doerr’s command of language is breathtaking along his mastery of lyricism which sweeps you away off your feet until the very last word. 

I highly recommend it!