All the Light We Cannot See: A Glimpse

 No one envies a writer, or an orator for that matter, who has to deliver content that the audience don't relate to naturally. It is particularly onerous to convey anachronistic content. Would a Gen Z kid appreciate the momentous time the telephone was discovered? Probably not.

Anthony Doerr does this incredibly well. Born in the late 90's, it is hard for me to understand the humane aspects of war but the book, All the Light we Cannot See, brings to the fore multiple undercurrents that might otherwise be brushed over.

It follows the intertwined fates of two young children, in opposing factions of World War Two. A blind girl from France and an inquisitive orphan from Germany pepper the reader with very different perspectives- that of a civilian fleeing imminent invasion and occupation and that of a recruit who is being trained for invasion and occupation.

The subtleties stand tall, how propaganda inevitably prods young boys into the arms of the Führer, how society emptily mulls the misfortunes of the father with a blind daughter, how the world is an entirely different abode for a blind girl, how ghosts of the past haunt us every day... The list soldiers on.

Another aspect Anthony Doerr excels at is imagery. Fiction is but nought if it fails to build a mental image in our heads and Doerr's writing is extraordinarily adept at that. The portrayal of the seas, setting of the scenes, the elaborations of convulsing emotions within, the battle of moral dilemma, everything works seamlessly to build a relationship with the reader, the characters and the setting.

The climax of a novel or series is tricky. Take Game of Thrones, thousands of fans and a smashing hit over the years. But it's hard to find anyone who would find the ending of GoT acceptable. But yet again, Anthony Doerr stands out by giving a well rounded ending, without any loose ends.

It is fitting that the book won Doerr the Pulitzer prize.