This will be in my list of all time favorite books. I was reluctant to read yet another WWII story, but this one was surprisingly fresh and beautiful. It's a story told through the eyes of two extraordinary children. One is a German orphan who is a science savant discovered by a Nazi soldier and conscripted at a very young age and the other is a young blind French girl who gives you all the sights, smells and sounds of life before and after German occupation. 
 The novel also has a bit of mythology. It isn't enough to turn away those who don't like that kind of thing but is a cool added bonus for those of us who do and it helps drive the story that will eventually cause these two children's lives to intersect. 
 This novel jumps through both time and place which could be annoying but not here. The writing is so compact and meaningful. Many of the Chapters are only 3 or 4 pages long, but each chapter conveys so much. These short chapters make it really easy to sneak in lots of reading when you normally wouldn't have time and it also allows you to really absorb what you read. I savored just about every word. (less)