All the Light We Cannot See

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• World War II literature is one of the most popular subgenres of war literature. How does this novel distinguish itself from the crowd?
• Did you find the end of the novel hopeful, sad, or a mix of both? Why?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Though Marie-Laure and Werner are growing up amid the chaos of World War II, they also face many challenges typical to young people. Did you notice any similarities between the struggles of the two protagonists and your own coming-of-age experience?
• Marie-Laure is 16 years old in the 1944 timeline, yet she finds small ways to defy the Nazi regime. In what ways, large or small, have you been able to push back against injustice in your own life?
• Marie-Laure’s life is significantly shaped by the mentorship first of her father, Daniel, and then her great-uncle, Etienne, though they have very different styles of guardianship. Has a mentor ever significantly impacted your life? Were they more like Daniel or Etienne?
• Marie-Laure finds comfort and escape in books written in braille, especially Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Has there been a stand-out book in your life that helped you through a difficult time?
• How does one measure redemption? Is there a point at which a person’s actions mean they cannot be redeemed? Do you think Werner has redeemed himself at the end of the novel?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Marie-Laure learns to navigate her surroundings in an era before social programs and accessibility measures took disability access into consideration. Instead, her father crafts creative accessibility measures of his own. What messages about disability does the novel impart to contemporary readers? How do accessibility measures help people with disabilities navigate the world?
• How do Werner’s privileged identities allow him to operate within the Reich? Though he ultimately becomes disillusioned with the Reich’s mission, he still devotes considerable effort and intelligence to their mission. How does his character arc explore the guilt and culpability associated with being part of a system that dehumanizes and exterminates marginalized peoples? Why is it important to consider these themes today?
• How does this novel portray the ethics of technological development across time? Consider the multiple uses of radio in the war as well as Marie-Laure’s thoughts about the technology her grandchildren use. Why is technology and its possibilities an important focus of the novel? What positive and negative uses of technology do you see today?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does the use of alternating points of view affect the unfolding of the plot? What is added to the story and world-building by including dual POVs?
• The novel opens in Saint-Malo in August 1944, as the city is besieged and Marie-Laure and Werner’s plotlines creep closer together. From there, the novel alternates between past years and the 1944 timeline. How does this movement through time create tension?
• This novel depicts a character with blindness; during casting, the miniseries adaptation put out a casting call for actors with blindness or low vision. Why is Marie-Laure’s blindness essential to her character arc? How does the novel avoid stigmatizing or romanticizing her disability? 
• Why do you think this book contains a magical element through the Sea of Flames? What does this diamond symbolize? Do you think the curse of the diamond is literal or metaphorical?
• While Daniel and Etienne help Marie-Laure develop identity and autonomy, Marie-Laure helps these adults grow as well. How does the young Marie-Laure change these adult men’s lives and characters for the better?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• This novel was made into a miniseries starring Mark Ruffalo as Daniel, Hugh Laurie as Etienne, Aria Mia Loberti as Marie-Laure, and Louis Hofmann as Werner. Does this casting align with your own vision of the characters? If you were in charge of casting, would you have changed any actors? 
• While Werner is rescuing Marie-Laure in Part 10, Marie-Laure expresses interest in finding Werner again after they escape, but he dies shortly later. In Part 12, Werner’s sister Jutta receives Werner’s belongings, which lead her to find Marie-Laure in Saint-Malo. Imagine an alternate ending for the novel where Werner lived and found Marie-Laure again after the war, as she wished, rather than Jutta. How would the ending be different? Do you think these changes are more or less impactful?

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