An orphaned German teenage boy and a blind French girl bring a fresh perspective to World War II in this fictional novel.   The story captivates quickly and picks up speed as the war heats up all around the children. 

Werner, the German boy, was an electronic wizard from a young age. His talent brings him to the attention of the Germans.  He is lured along desperately trying to stay out of the mines that killed his father. The Germans make good use of his talents and send him to a Hitler Youth academy. He is taken out of the academy and placed with a small group of soldiers to track the resistance. Eventually they end up in the seaside city of Saint-Malo.

Marie-Laure, the blind French girl, and her father make their way out of occupied Paris to Saint-Malo to stay with a relative.  Her father carved an intricate model of Saint-Malo with intersecting streets, buildings and landmarks for his daughter to touch and study.  She learned how to navigate the streets in her new town, just like she had done in Paris.

The author added another layer of intrigue when Marie-Laure’s father, a locksmith of the Museum of National History in Paris, was given a priceless diamond called the “Sea of Flames,” to hide from the Germans.  One German Sergeant Major has discovered the existence of the diamond and is in hot pursuit.

You’ll find yourself anxiously waiting for the two protagonists to meet once they both end up in Saint-Malo.

The story is beautifully written, lyrical even. The book will stay with you for a while. I read it took the author 10 years to complete and I’m glad he persevered. 

For those who don’t want to read a war novel because of the horrific violence, try this book.  The violence and destruction are not as graphic.

It is a perfect book for book clubs and a popular one. We loved the short character-driven chapters, each with its own set of emotions. How each chapter held onto you?  How you wanted more. How the story’s layers peeled away with each new chapter.

We also talked about being blind. We couldn’t imagine bombs going off, buildings collapsing, the house shaking and being all alone.  Absolutely terrifying.

War stories are inherently sad, but there is a light that shines through a few of the characters, and that light radiates hope.  Humanity survived.

Rating: 9