All The Light We Cannot See

This is our book club read for the month of February so not chosen by me, although I always look forward to book club books, as I'm never quite sure what I'm going to get.

I just posted to the book club group that I have finally finished this mammoth read, for a large part of the book I really didn't think I would finish it, it was tough going for a while there and felt drawn out, but I persevered and I have to say, I am so happy that I did. I'm so glad I pushed through the middle, because it such a beautiful story of life, sacrifice, love and everything it means to truly see the light in all that we experience.

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is the story of a young blind Marie-Laure who lives with her father in Paris during the Nazi invasion.

It is also the story of Werner, a German orphan, who finds himself deep within the brutal military academy and later goes on to join the army.

Whilst Marie-Laure and Werner are the two main characters of the story this book weaves tales of so many more personality's and I found myself immersed in all of their stories.

I was immediately drawn into the novel, with the stunningly beautiful prose, so full of metaphors and brimming with images that truly brought everything to life.

Seeing the world through the eyes of a young blind girl was so inspiring to me, her will to live and determination to lead a great life regardless of everything that is thrown her way is really quite remarkable.

Doerr was amazingly brilliant at allowing me to see what it is like to be blind, I truly felt as though I was walking that path with Marie-Laure.

The back drop of the horrendous nature of war was at times hard to stomach but the way the characters intertwined and shone their light no matter their circumstance made for brilliant reading.

I must admit, at times I felt it a little drawn out. There was a large portion through the centre of the book where I really felt that I would put it down and not pick it back up. I felt I was trudging, not getting anywhere, but I kept going, to see the beautiful light towards the end of the story.

Is this what makes a great read? That immense frustration at times, only to be rewarded with the sheer beauty that this delivered?

Doerr's ability to have you connect with each and every one of the characters between the pages is quite uncanny really. For most novels we connect with a character or two but here you can't help but fall in love with almost all of them.

The last 50 odd pages, which I believe should've have been titled as the Epilogue were a little disruptive to the connection I had felt with the characters. Given that it is thirty years on from the war, this part of the story really is simply a 'wrap up' of the main characters. For me the actual story ended well before that.

Thoughts from the Book Club Girls -  Beautiful, touching, a little drawn out at times, were main sentiments that came through.

In simple pleasures you will find life's treasures,
Kylie x

Burial Rites

Burial Rites is the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir. The last woman to ever be executed in Iceland.

This is Hannah Kents debut novel and what a fabulous story teller she is. Burial Rites has to be my favourite novel of 2014 and one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.

Kent’s ability to transport you directly to the frozen hills of Iceland in the early 1800’s is pure magic. Her depth of research is impeccable. Whilst this is a harsh and difficult story to tell I am so thankful that Kent took the time to do so. My heart hung heavy for some time after closing the last pages of this book. I found it very difficult to pick up something else to read for weeks. That is when I truly know I have read something of beauty, something that has touched my soul, etched onto my heart.

Agnes was accused of murdering two men, one of them her employer, she is required to spend out her time waiting for her execution with a local Icelandic family, much to their disgust. And so the story of her last few months on earth begins.

I have found it extremely challenging to write about this book. I feel I owe it so much more than to simply tell you what it is about, but I’m struggling to acquire the words in which to do so.

This is not an easy Sunday afternoon by the pool type read, but one that will surely grip you, if you take the time to persevere with it. There are no major peaks and troughs throughout the saga, it is in fact quite a melodic piece. Once you have had a glimpse inside the life of Agnes and those around her it will be one that’s difficult to forget.

Far from your fast paced, page turner of a novel, it was for me, more of a sit down and mull over the lives of the characters and to admire their tenacity in living with such harsh conditions. Of how they simply accept their lives and the hand they have all been dealt.

“To know what a person has done, and to know who a person is, are very different things.” I think this sums up perfectly what is truly at the centre of this novel.

Burial Rites is a piece of historical fiction that is a well researched, hauntingly moving account that will surely touch anyone that reads it. I am eagerly awaiting Hannah Kent to release her second novel, whenever that may be.

In simple pleasures you will find life’s treasures,   
Kylie xx