Historical Fictionistas discussion

You know the drill! :) Please mark all spoilers, and happy reading!

Read this several months back and loved it. Will come back and comment later after discussion starts.

I've also read this fairly recently but won't spoil it for those who haven't by commenting just yet.

I'm about 60% done with it now. Will comment when I finish reading!

I also read this several months ago and plan to follow the discussion and chime in .

Go ahead... You don't have to wait for everyone to finish - you can discuss your feelings about the book. Just as long as you mark spoilers, it should be fine. :)

this was a magnificent read. The immediacy struck me. I felt as if I were observing the action from above, an almost surreal sense. Perhaps the sensation came from the punch of short stark sentences. Anyone feel this?

Leslie , your comment about looking at things from above made me think about how it must have been for Marie -Laure when she "looked" at the models of the places that her father built for her . She couldn't see them but yet from another place in her imagination she could .

I just started this last night, looks good so far. I did not realize it was a Dec read, even better :)

I finished the book earlier today. The writing was really beautiful. I found the jumping around in the timeline and setting a little confusing at first, but once I understood the pattern it no longer bothered me.

I really loved getting to know these characters - they were written with amazing depth. I also enjoyed the small touch of fantasy provided by the myth of the Sea of Flames. Marie Laure and her family really touched my heart, as did Werner. I was intrigued by the stories of the German characters, since most of the WWII fiction I've read has been from the perspective of the Allies with the exception of The Book Thief.

I was a little hesitant to read another WWII book. I've read several this year, and it is such an emotionally weighty topic. However, I thought this book was excellent and I'm very glad I read it.

I am so loving this book -- the eloquent, descriptive prose; the characters so vivdly drawn, complex, and utterly sympathetic; the tension of the narrative which makes it difficult to put down. I so badly want things to end well for Werner and Marie-Laure...

Beautifully written book. My favorite book I read this year. There is an ethereal quality to it, which given the subject matter, is unexpected and unusual. I did not want to see this one end.

Have just started it; I bought a copy to give as a Hanukkah gift, and am quickly getting hooked! The writing is great, vivid but not over-the-top arty.

I'm about 30% into it, and loving it!

I finished, and loved it. The style is, sometimes, close to poetry. I like the moving from one set to the other, but this time I have to confess that I found the French set much better than the German, to a point that when I was in the German set I felt eager to go back to the plot at the French side. Any of you felt the same?

Loved it! Such a beautiful writing style! I had no problem with the timeline jumping, loved the atmosphere created, the descriptions, but I agree, I liked more the French/Marie-Laure part then the German/Werner one. This is definitely one of my best reads of 2014, at some level, it reminded me of the Book Thief. Maybe because of the WW2 setting?

(I'm referring to something about a character in the dust jacket copy, so this is not a spoiler)

Did any one else notice that the young Werner is, to some extent, based on the physicist Richard Feynman? In his memoir, "Surely You are Joking Mr. Feynman?" the author talks about how as a young boy he became interested in how things worked and had already started thinking like a physicist. From this interest, Feynman became a radio repair prodigy. I just read a passage in the novel, which I won't quote, that is straight out of Feynman's memoir.

I read the ebook version, so no dust jacket, but now I want to read Feynman's memoir. Thanks for mentioning it.

I loved this book, which I listened to. It was beautifully written and expertly narrated by Zach Appelman. I agree with Leslie, that I felt for much of the book that I was looking down on the story. That the individual stories were swirling in space, intersecting at times, and then spinning off again in their own orbit. One thing that struck me was the many meanings of the title. Here's the excerpt from my review that addresses that point (I think this does not include spoilers.)

"There are many excellent 5-star reviews here on GR that illuminate this book, especially LeeAnne's which includes beautiful photos of Saint-Malo. What I will add to these is how the many meanings of the title struck me over and over while reading All the Light We Cannot See. From the obvious of Marie-Laure's blindness, to the enlightenment that was transmitted and received over radio waves in a particularly dark period of history, to the brilliance and allure of the possibly cursed Sea of Fire diamond, and many more. This added to my enjoyment as I looked for the meaning of the title throughout the book."

Ioana wrote: "at some level, it reminded me of the Book Thief."

I think of it as cross between that book and The Shadow of the Wind."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Perkinsmike wrote: "Ioana wrote: "at some level, it reminded me of the Book Thief."

I think of it as cross between that book and The Shadow of the Wind."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1......"

Well, all 3 books got 5* from me :)

First off, just have to say That I think I was tapped out on WWII novels by the time this one came around. It was enjoyable but I wasn't blown out of the water despite all the rave reviews. On the plus side, I did think the writing was lyrical, I was engaged with the main characters & was interested in how their lives would intersect.

I loved this book and can't find a single thing to say against it. I intend to write a review as soon as the holiday is over, so I won't say too much else about it here.

I was enjoying the book when my library loan ran out. I have to wait to finish it when my turn comes around again. With the busy holidays I just couldn't get it finished.

Chris wrote: "First off, just have to say That I think I was tapped out on WWII novels by the time this one came around. It was enjoyable but I wasn't blown out of the water despite all the rave reviews. On th..."

I agree. The writing was beautiful and the characters were mostly interesting, but nothing in the story was rave-worthy to me. I was entertained well enough, but this book won't stick with me like other ones have.

I really loved this book because of the characters and the plot development. There were some interesting aspects of WWII but if that had been the main focus I wouldn't have found it as engaging.

Jessica wrote: "Chris wrote: "First off, just have to say That I think I was tapped out on WWII novels by the time this one came around. It was enjoyable but I wasn't blown out of the water despite all the rave ..."

I agree with both of you...it wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read. I enjoyed the story - not sure I liked how short each POV was. I would just get engaged with that character the flip the page and it was back to the other. The we would be 4 years prior then present that back to the past.

I enjoyed the different WWII perspective...I've also read a number of books from this setting this year and maybe was just getting tired of the war genre. It was good but not fantastic.

I understand why some people found the switching between pov characters and the year jumps back and forth frustrating, but to me those aspects were hugely engaging. I was entranced at how he wove these stories together and the complexity of the way he moved the story back and forth in time. I have no idea how he managed all that balance and thematic intertwining, but I enjoyed watching it in action. I loved both main characters and liked that they were so profoundly different, one so compromised within his own conscience (but for reasons we could understand if not entirely sympathize with) and the other discovering value in every detail of life and imagination. For both the light they did not see was infinitely important. I loved this book.

Judith wrote: "I understand why some people found the switching between pov characters and the year jumps back and forth frustrating, but to me those aspects were hugely engaging. I was entranced at how he wove t..."

Ah, you are a writer, and a lovely post it is.

Chris wrote: "Judith wrote: "I understand why some people found the switching between pov characters and the year jumps back and forth frustrating, but to me those aspects were hugely engaging. I was entranced a..."
Thanks! Nothing like talking about a good book to bring out the best in one's language.
I'm writing a blind character in my current manuscript which is why I picked up All the Light, but I discovered a great deal else that I liked. I did think his way of dealing with blindness was superb. It's essential that a sighted author (like me or Doer) gets past the primal sense that loss of sight is somehow the worst possible difficulty. I've been inspired by the realization that many who are blind don't view it as a limiting factor in their lives--that pushing sight out of its dominant spot allows a richness of perception that the rest of us miss out on out of carelessness. I love the thematic possibilities this has opened in the novel I'm working on now, not to mention the sensory possibilities. Doer captured a great deal thru this.

Judith wrote: "Chris wrote: "Judith wrote: "I understand why some people found the switching between pov characters and the year jumps back and forth frustrating, but to me those aspects were hugely engaging. I w..."

Thanks for sharing your insight, Judith, about writing about someone who is blind as a sighted author. I loved this book and appreciate hearing what you've had to say about it.

Suzy wrote: "Judith wrote: "Chris wrote: "Judith wrote: "I understand why some people found the switching between pov characters and the year jumps back and forth frustrating, but to me those aspects were hugel..."

It's a rich book to talk about and a subject I enjoy. Thanks, Suzy.

I read this book earlier this year.

I found the style and structure quite compelling with the short narrative providing glimpses into the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner. I also found the relationship between Marie-Laure and her father very endearing. However, I did not love the ending of the story (I'm posting after most have read it). (view spoiler)[ I realize this is a story of war, and Werner's death emphasizes the needless sacrifices that are made on both sides, but it didn't sit well with me. (hide spoiler)]

BTW, this is one of my favorite titles of 2014. Such a great one!

I'm just reading this now. It's definitely not what I expected, but I'm about 60% in and now I'm hooked.

I too am just reading this now and at about 50% I'm finding I'm getting progressively engaged. Perhaps the many rave reviews made it hard to live up to at first. Mostly I'm struck by Doerr's remarkable PATIENCE as an author. He's willing to let both his story and his characters unfold slowly. He doesn't even introduce his villains until somewhere well into the book. The effect lends to the lyricism of the story - the sense of a symphony building slowly. These are skills I want to work on in my own writing!

Jodi wrote: "I too am just reading this now and at about 50% I'm finding I'm getting progressively engaged. Perhaps the many rave reviews made it hard to live up to at first. Mostly I'm struck by Doerr's remark..."

What a great insight about letting things unfold. It makes for a lovely read, adding depth to the experience.

I agree, Suzy. I particularly like Jodi's phrase "sense of a symphony building slowly" Ordinarily holding back your villain until late in the book would kill a book. That he pulled off such a complex and winding plot and character deployment is a big part of the appeal of this book to me. I kept trying to figure out why things were working psychologically so well for me when by the "rules" they shouldn't. An intriguing and engaging read from the start but definitely it builds.

I agree with you all. It was amazing how different I felt about the book from beginning to the end. I was interested, but not overwhelmed in the beginning. Then I became more drawn in, until I didn't want to put it down. I was so engrossed in the story and the writing and the characters.