beautiful tale of two youngsters growing up during WW II 
 Blind girl raised by museum worker father, fleeing from Paris as the German army approach, moving to Saint Malo home of eccentric great uncle (a man struggling to live after his experiences during first World War) 
 A young German orphan, full of scientific curiosity, eager to escape the miner's life that killed his father, who finds himself betraying his friend and principles as the war progresses 
 add in Nazi diamond hunters searching for the Sea of Flames, which is reputed to grant immortality to it's holder at the cost of the lives of all they love 
 there are a host of interesting characters that would have been nice to see in more detail 
 beautiful language throughout