Review Posted On: 
 Eden of Books 
 Spoiler Free Review: 
 This book was a very compelling read, it consisted of atmospheric writing, an intricate plotline as well as a well-rounded cast of characters. The story's setting takes place in both Germany and France. Although I have read several historical fiction novels that take place in Germany, I've never read one that's setting is France. Marie-Laure was an interesting perspective to read from. She's blind which meant the descriptions were all gathered from her other four senses, such as her sense of hearing. 
 "In the fall, it smells of traffic and castor oil, bread from the bakery, camphor from Avent's pharmacy, delphiniums and sweet peas and roses from the flower stands. On winter days, it swims with the odor of roasting chestnuts; on summer evenings it becomes slow and drowsy, full of sleepy conversations and the scraping of heavy iron chairs." 
 I was impressed with the author's ability to still craft an image in my mind even though Marie-Laure was blind. 
 Though the plot seemed very enticing, it was extremely slow moving. There were times where I felt nothing significant was happening. I felt like skipping a chapter to get to an interesting part. For this reason, it took me quite a while to finish this book. I felt the plot had dragged on for too long and found there to be several chapters that didn't need to be included at all. However, I loved how each storyline slowly came together and how each of the character's arcs came together. 
 Both Marie-Laure and Werner are very intelligent and inquisitive. At the beginning of the story, she's very young and naive and doesn't seem to understand why she and her father are leaving Paris. She eventually grows to be incredibly mature for her age. Being blind doesn't stop Marie-Laure from becoming independent, courageous and wise. She's able to help the citizens in France coping with the war as well as reassure her uncle through his traumatizing past. She is also very clever, especially in very dangerous situations. 
 Werner is a very bright and resourceful character. He's a self-taught mechanic and is able to build and fix different electronics. Werner ends up joining a prestigious Hitler Youth academy. It was interesting to see his inner conflict on the academy. There was a part of him that liked the school and all it had to offer. However, as time went on, he began to realize the true nature of the soldiers and what his classmates were turning into. It took a while for him to fully grasp what the soldiers were truly teaching the boys. 
 Overall, I would recommend this book to really anyone. There's quite a few similarities to The Book Thief as well. However, it really does depend on how much you enjoy historical and literary fiction. The novel is heavy on descriptions and figurative language and the plot is very intricate. The plot can be slow moving, so it may take a while to really get invested in the story. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an impactful historical fiction read, I would recommend All The Light We Cannot See. 
 Rating: 3.95/5