Book Blog #227: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Title: All the Light We Cannot See
Author: Anthony Doerr
# of Pages: 530 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, War
Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis: Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
Review: When people were raving about how good this book is, I didn't quite believe them.

What caught my attention first was the cover. It's stunning aerial view of the city (what I believe is Saint-Malo, the story's setting) with such a mysterious title largely printed across the sky. I only saw this book because it was nominated for The Best of the Best Goodreads awards (where it ended up placing second). If this book is one of the best of the best, it must be worth reading.

The cashier at the bookstore I bought it from said I would be crying throughout the whole book. This is not entirely accurate. I didn't cry at all. There are some occurrences which may warrant tears, but many of such events are not presented in such a way that would incite it. While this book did not emotionally ruin me, it didn't stop me from loving the story.

Set during World War II, All the Light We Cannot See tells the story of two children on opposite sides of the war in parallel. Both children are born into the conflict and neither have a strong desire to be involved in the war. However, circumstance brings the war to them and leaves them behind in its destruction. Their struggle to live their own lives is gripping and harrowing, making this book a real page turner.

This book is completely comprised of third person POV switching. Yes, there were a lot of times where I wanted the story to switch its focus to a different character at times (this is the usual problem I have with POV switching). However, to tell these stories in parallel, POV is essential. Also, many of the chapters are fairly short, so I never felt like I was "stuck" with one character for too long.

A bigger problem I noticed people complaining about is the time period switching. The book switches between 1944 ("present day" setting for this book) and the character's pasts (ten-ish years prior) in chunks. However, I did not find this confusing at all mostly because the chunks in 1944 progressed rather slowly (only a few days at most). The story of the protagonist's pasts comprised the main part of the story, with the occasional check-in with the characters in 1944. The story wouldn't be as interesting if it were to not have with time-period-switching element; the characters' pasts slowly reveal how the characters found themselves in the situation they're in during 1944.

Is this a happy read? No. But life is not always full of daisies and roses. Is this book worth reading? Absolutely. 

Book Blog #153: Hiroshima by John Hersey

Title: Hiroshima
Author: John Hersey
# of Pages: 152 (hardback)
Genre: Non-fiction, War, History
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was destroyed by the first atom bomb ever dropped on a city. This book, John Hersey's journalistic masterpiece, tells what happened on that day. Told through the memories of survivors, this timeless, powerful and compassionate document has become a classic "that stirs the conscience of humanity" (The New York Times).

Almost four decades after the original publication of this celebrated book, John Hersey went back to Hiroshima in search of the people whose stories he had told. His account of what he discovered about them is now the eloquent and moving final chapter of Hiroshima.
Review: After reading - and enjoying - BOMB by Steve Sheinkin and Night by Elie Wiesel, I wasn't surprised that I gravitated towards Hiroshima.

It wasn't as insightful as I was hoping for. I wanted to learn more about the bombing of Hiroshima that I already didn't know, and I didn't learn as much as I wanted. The writing style left a lot to be desired; it didn't explore as much of the emotional side as I wanted it to. It wasn't until the fifth section, the Aftermath, when I really started to enjoy the book.

One major aspect of this book that I disliked was the fact that it was about six different people. Even though it is written in third-person, the constant back-and forth is as degrading and confusing as first person. This may be the reason why I liked then ending the best; it went through each person without the switching.

IF you are interested in learning more about the bombing of Hiroshima, then, yes, read this book. If you are looking for recreational reading, this may not be the book for you.

Book Blog #120: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

Title: The Things They Carried
Author: Tim O'Brien
# of Pages: 232 (paperback)
Genre: Historical Fiction, War, Short Stories
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: In this, his second work of fiction about Vietnam, O'Brien's unique artistic vision is again clearly demonstrated. Neither a novel nor a short story collection, it is an arc of fictional episodes, taking place in the childhoods of its characters, in the jungles of Vietnam and back home in America two decades later.
Review: This is one of the strangest books I have ever read.

I'm not calling it strange based purely on the content (although there were quiet a few strange parts there too), but on the strange ways The Things They Carried made me feel.

Everyone has their own way of perceiving the war and how the soldiers feel/interact with others while in the war. But the way I viewed it was completely different from what O'Brien felt.

Most of these stories are not interesting as far as the plot. However, O'Brien's strange way of telling these stories somehow is able to convey a certain feeling that a soldier could have been feeling in a similar situation.

I hope that I understand war stories in the way O'Brien would have liked me to have, but I doubt that I have actually achieved that goal. He would probably tell me that I was wasn't listening hard or well enough to the story.

This collection of short (mostly) fictional stories has changed my views on certain aspects of life. I do recommend reading this book  sometime in the future if you haven't already.

Book Blog #58: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
# of Pages: 338 (paperback)
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, War
Rating:  ★★★★☆
Synopsis: It's 1941 and fifteen-year-old artist Lina Vilkas is on Stalin's extermination list. Deported to a prison camp in Siberia, Lina fights for her life, fearless, risking everything to save her family. It's a long and harrowing journey and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

Review: If any of you are still wondering, this book is extremely depressing. But I guess that would be kind of obvious since it takes place during World War II.

I've got to stop reading these kind of books.

So, I didn't buy this book for the longest time. The reason: I thought it was a spin off of Fifty Shades of Gray. Trust me; it's not even close. This book reveals the horrors that people went through during this time period. For all of you morbid people, don't worry. There's plenty of detail.

I can't really say that I enjoyed this book. I was really sad most of the time. But it was well written. So if you want a happy read, look elsewhere! Otherwise, I defiantly recommend this book.

Book Blog #31: Solider's Heart by Gary Paulsen

Title: Solider's Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers
Author: Gary Paulsen
# of Pages: 128 (hardback)
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, War
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Charley goes to war a boy, and returns a changed man, crippled by what he has seen. In this captivating tale Paulsen vividly shows readers the turmoil of war through one boy's eyes and one boy's heart, and gives a voice to all the anonymous young men who fought in the Civil War.

Review: I didn't read this book in a very critical sense, just for fun.


It wasn't a fun book.

There were some pretty crazy details about what happens to the soldiers when they're in battle (and even after that). It's pretty amazing. But I was so sad at the end!

SPOILERS AHEAD

This review is really short for two reasons; the book's based off a true story and I can't even remember half of it.

I read while I was reading a whole bunch of other books, so I can't quiet remember what happened in the very beginning. But I do remember some of my favorite detailed scenes.

One of them was when Charley (our protagonist) drank some water that was dyed red from the blood in the dead bodies. Another was when Paulsen said there was a pile of amputated limbs stacked in a pile. And when Charley had to stack the bodies of the dead to form a wind barrier.

But, it's too short.

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Book Blog #22: Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Forge
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
# of Pages: 297 (hardcover)
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, War
Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis: In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstacles—and in the midst of the American Revolution. The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.

Review: ...I think this is one of the only times I've read a 200+ page book in a day. Not that it's at all healthy; I keep seeing words all over the place. Maybe I should stop reading books for today.

Nah. I want to finish The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

So. You're probably wondering why I started reading this when I was already reading another book. Well, settle down children and I'll tell you.

I have this friend who's a really, REALLY slow reader (no offense or anything. It's just the truth). Anyway, he happened to be reading this book. And THIS book just so happens to be the sequel to Chains (if I ever reread that book, I'll post a review on it). At the time when he first started reading, I wasn't as interested as I should have. I was probably reading a really go book or something. But three weeks came and went and he was STILL reading the book. So I borrowed (*cough*stole*cough*) the book from he for a little bit and read the first thirty ages or so. But I STILL wasn't interested. It wasn't until my friend practically spoiled the whole book that I decided to check it out of the library this morning. And to force myself to get through it, I made it my personal goal to finish it before him. Which I think I did.

Onto the review.

I like the simplicity of the cover! The style is very much like Chains's cover (but I think I like that one better).  But I really wish the title was BIGGER!!!

The writing style was alright. It really brought me back to that period, y'know? I would rather read medieval stuff more, though, so you can imagine that is was my cup of tea. Speaking of tea, I love all the food they talked about. It's my favorite part of the book, as it is for most books. It kinda reminds me of the latest Black Butler I read (number five). Its main focus was curry and OH MY GOSH I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE OF HUNGER IT LOOKED SO GOOD!!! Ahem. Anyway, even that firecake sounded good. But the best part was when they ate the beans. When I read, "Instead of sleeping, we farted all night long..." I almost burst out laughing because ITS SO TRUE!!! A relatable experience, I must say.

I actually think (for the first time) that I like this book, the sequel, better than the first book. That doesn't usually happen, but I guess it just did. So, I'll go ahead and give it the highest rating I can.

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