January Book Club: All the Light We Cannot See

I live only an hour away so I have had many chances. That's good news that there's actually something uplifting about it. No one has ever said that to me before. I have a friend who I think has been. I'll ask her more about it.

 

Wow I am so enjoying reading everyone's opinions on the book and seeing so many different thoughts and feelings about the portrayal of the characters. Its amazing that so many different points of view can be taken from the same story while other POV's seem to hit the mark with everyone.

 

I did finish -- just a note about turning off the wifi to "preserve" your library copy. I think what made it expire from my kindle was that I opened another book which was already downloaded too (all with wifi off), but when I re-opened All the Light, it knew it was expired. I did still have it on my phone, and managed to still get through it with careful managing of not allowing Kindle app access to cellular data and keeping wifi off with Kindle app open . . .

Anyway, first I don't regret reading this book. But it was not a happy book. I kept holding out hope for Werner and Marie-Laure to get together (not meet and go their separate ways). Like most of you I had a hard time getting into this book until somewhere around the 20% - 30% point and then didn't want to put it down again until . . . the father was arrested.

I loved how the radio played into the story with Werner and Jutta having listened to Marie-Laure's grandfather's recordings and that probably played a big part in Etienne and Marie-Laure's survival.

As I think back on the book, I wonder if Volkheimer really protected Werner because he felt protective/caring or was it more a sense of duty to protect a valuable resource for the war?

(haven't had a chance to really digest all the comments or the questions).

As far as the scene with Jutta and the Russians, I didn't think anything at all about it when I read it. It wasn't until I saw the posting here about a scene that seemed unnecessary that I even considered if that "needed" to be in the book. I don't think it was necessary, but I do think it helped frame the "wrap-up" of her having a child late in life.

 

In 2008, my daughter and I went on a tour of Europe (large group of teenagers). It was fun, we did visit Dauchau and neither one of us was able to complete the tour, we found each other sitting outside after departing early. It was extremely eerie.

As I was reading the book, I thought how fortunate I feel to have lived in a country that has not experienced that type of destruction in my lifetime.

 

I am still waiting for my book...

 

havent read any of this thread but i started this book and it's a struggle (not my genre at all and the french-german words seem to slow down my reading)-it put me to sleep last night - i can't see me getting thru it anytime soon; will give it a few more days

 

ok so i'm at not the lone ranger, good to know- i'm at 9% now

 

I am so trying to answer the questions you posed. I feel like I'm back in University.
Here are the first few:
1. The book opens with two epigraphs. How do these quotes set the scene for the rest of the book? Discuss how the radio plays a major part in the story and the time period. How do you think the impact of the radio back then compares with the impact of the Internet on today’s society?

a. This one is too many questions in the same question.​

i. there was no TV. Radio was where people received information.​

ii. The epigraphs set the stage and the radio provided the continuity.​

iii. The internet of everything today is a joke -limited information and ability to propagate naturally means less dis-information.​

2. The narration moves back and forth both in time and between different characters. How did this affect your reading experience? How do you think the experience would have been different if the story had been told entirely in chronological order?

a. I did not mind it at all. – I thought it helped to know where/what was happening with characters simultaneously.​

3. Whose story did you enjoy the most? Was there any character you wanted more insight into? –

a. the story was of WWII not a particular character. Characters were used to illustrate the horror of war and our reaction under those pressures. I understand the dilemma of the author to take ten years to write and try to get it right from various perspectives.
b. What gave us the empathy and made us understand "the horrors of war" was the depth of the characters he created. We knew them personally, we cared about them, they were real to us. This, instead of just saying something like well, war is hell - is why we all felt what we did and we really got it. ​

 

Well, so much for that adventure to the library!! I am-----are you ready for this?----number 7 in line waiting for the book!!!! It sure must be a good read!! But the good part is they have 3 copies, and because so many people want it, they will try to pull from other libraries. But I am thinking, they probably have a waiting list too!! So, we shall see.
BUT, I DID go to the new book shelf and found a book called Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder. I will start it, but if it gets too bad, I will quit reading it!!

 

Hope it comes quickly for you Nancy! Waiting for a book you want to read is the worst!

 

About Werner. I'm kind of glad that he didn't make it however bizarre that might sound. He was so messed up - body and mind that I couldn't see how he would ever be complete again. He had done things he would never be able to forgive himself for. So perhaps him walking into a field of landmines were his happy ending if you know what I mean?

 

Is it only me,or does anyone else feel that the characters are quite one dimensional ?

 

Me to, I think it was very aloof at times.
And while I have to admire the literary style of the author ,I do not think it helps make the book believable that hard boiled soldiers think in terms of " the evening air is a benediction " . In fact I think that is why I have problems with this book. It is to detached for my liking , and the characters do not ring true to me.
Walter I can understand -just.... Germany had not recovered very well after the first world war, markets collapsing ,inflation was horrific , and many were starving. I can see that growing up as he did, anyone who offers stability and education will be welcomed with open arms.
Marie-Laure on the other hand I have no feeling for one way or the other, I think she is portrayed as a insipid lukewarm individual who ,had she not happened to be blind, would not have had one single trait that would have made the reader warm towards her.
Her father like wise.
Despite all of the above I am glad I read the book, I found it very different to what I would read normally ,and "a change is as good as a rest" they say.

 

I finished this about a week ago. Frederik broke my heart and I was intrigued by Volkheimer - my impression was he may have had deeper feelings for Werner but of course could not express them. The French characters I found to be a bit shallow, something was lacking to flesh them out to be characters I cared about. I suspect I just found the German characters to be more believable - none were perfect. Werner not quite being able to stand up for his friend in the face of the Nazi war machine seems more believable than a bling girl being trusted with coded massages.

Mostly I thought it was a good story but i would struggle to recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone.

 

i thought the writing was beautiful but as you say not necessarily realistic for the characters. i loved the fact that it was mostly the women of st. malo, especially madame, who were in a low key everday way resisting the occupiers and facing danger. Iusually want a happy, everything tied up neatly type of end bit i think in this case having so many loose ends such as what happened to father and to the diamond was the correct thing to do

 

I realize I am way late to the discussion here, got sidetracked with MOC and kept forgetting to come here. But I read and loved this book! Beautiful writing. I thought the peripheral characters were more interesting than Marie Laure or Werner, and I especially love Madame Manec. It took me a while to sort out how I felt about how everything was wrapped up at the end... but ultimately I'm satisfied with it. I was saddened that we never heard more about what happened to Marie's father, but I suppose it shows that the war left so many unanswered questions. One thing that did bother me at the end was the meeting between Marie and Jutta. I kept waiting for Marie to tell Jutta what went down when Werner found her, but she never did - right? Did I miss something? I just think Jutta would really have appreciated knowing how her brother acted at that critical moment. Anyway, thanks Crystal for hosting and I enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts!