all the light we cannot see readalong discussion

I just read the first fifty pages of this book and am enjoying it so far. the short chapters and double POV were a bit disconcerting at first but I have gotten used to them now. What I am really loving so far are the main characters and learning more about their young lives and seeing how strong they had to be.

I just got my copy from the library and will be starting the book today! A bit behind but super excited!

I just finished part 1 of the book (about 90 pages in) and am going to take a pause. Wow, I'm really loving this so far! I was thrown off by the beginning of the book and the way the POV chapters were set up. They jumped back and forth a lot but I have grown to really like this setup and like seeing the characters' backstories and their different childhoods. I'm interested to see if their paths intersect later on but really loving this so far!

I was definitely thrown off by the jumping back and forth as well, but am used to it by now. and I'm glad that you are liking the book so far as well!!

I got behind on yesterday but have just caught up and read up to 149 now and am really loving both the characters. I love the fact that we have a blind main character, which is not something that we get to see in books most of the time. I also find it interesting to see what is happening with Werner in Germany, and seeing what he had to do to avoid working in the mines.

I read up to around 200 today but I'll just talk about up to 150 so I don't spoil anything haha. I also really like reading about a blind character and thought it was cool how she described still seeing things and people as color. I think Werner's story is a bit sad but really interesting so far. I wonder if he realises what he's getting into at his school. It seems like his sister understood the dangers more than he did. I also find the side plot with the sea of flames diamond really interesting. It was a little scary to find out that there is someone who is looking for it and might come after the girl and her father. Do you think the stone that fell out of the model in the beginning (in the girls one chapter) might have been the diamond and her father hid it there? I'm interested to find out...

I didn't read as much as I wanted to yesterday, so I'll catch up on it today. but I am thinking that the box did have the diamond but is it the real one is my question!!??
also I love Jutta she is smarter then most adults.
But seeing what the boys had to do to get into the special school made me feel sick, and I am worried for werner because he is so smart and attracting attention to himself because of that. which isn't a good thing in Nazi Germany

I am wondering the same thing about the diamond! And I agree with you on how I felt about Werner's school, especially in the next section where they are made to torture that one man and the fact that they are always picking on or hurting the weaker students. I feel really scared and sick for Werner. You can tell that he doesn't want to go along with any of it but feels that he is trapped and has no other choice.
I'm also extremely worried for Marie's father. I'm trying to figure out exactly where they sent him. Is it like a work camp or a concentration camp? I think he was lying in a lot of his letters to Marie in order to make her feel better about the situation.
I really have liked how the story bounces between the present for them (1944) and the older chapters. I also thought it was so cool to find out that the broadcast Werner and Jutta listened to as kids was actually broadcast by Marie's uncle! I keep waiting for Werner and Marie's stories to intersect and I wonder if that radio transmission will have something to do with it?

I find it really sad that Werner went to the school to get out of being put in the mines and has just ended up in a worst situation with being sent to the war before he's even 18. He dosen't have a choice about anything and I just feel so bad for him.

When Marie's father was left I knew that it was a bad idea and that something bad would happen, but I was still upset when he was arrested and I want to know where he is being held as well. And he is definitely lying about how well he is being treated just for his daughter.
and I loved that Werner listened to Marie's uncles broadcast and I am really excited to see how their stories will come together in the end!!!

I just read to page 400. I don't want to spoil anything but I'll just say that I'm extremely sad for Werner too. Some of the things he and the other soldiers have to do are very sad. I know he is doing what's expected of him but it's sad to see how much those actions and atrocities are affecting his mental state. It's really interesting with Volkeimer's character too...how "evil" he is or how many bad things he does but the fact that he's still human and seems to care for Werner. I feel like both of them feel like things are out of their control.

I'm really worried for Marie being stuck in the house too!

I really love everything about this book so far. Despite all the bad things going on, the characters are just so human and I really like hearing their thoughts.

I just caught up and I know what you mean about Werner seeing the mother and daughter shot and killed!!! It made me so incredibly sad. and He can't write to his sister because he knows what she would say and how horrified she would be with what he has had to do.

and Yes, Volkeimer's character is really interesting with being so friendly to Werner and then so violent with everyone else.
seeing the humanity in all of the characters makes this book so very real. I like seeing the motivation behind all of the characters decisions.
and even knowing why the German General wants to find the stone so bad because he thinks that it will heal him of the disease he has.

I really hope that Marie is going to be okay and when the war is over that she can find her father again. But I don't know if we will get that kind of a happy ending, in this book.

So I stayed uplift night finishing off the book because I couldn't stop reading and then I ended up lying in bed thinking about what I had just read.

I just finished the book and it honestly blew away all of my expectations. I really fell in love with these characters and the way in which the story was told. I'm so heartbroken over Werner's death...but I am happy that some of the other characters came together in the end. I thought it was so immensely sweet that Werner kept the house in memory of Marie but left the stone in the water as she would have wanted. I thought the way that Werner and Marie met and came together was really wonderful and beautiful. It's really heartbreaking that they never saw each afterwards and that Werner lost his life. I'm sad that Marie never found her father too. I thought the ending talking about souls floating through the skies like signals was really beautiful. I'm so happy we read this book!!

I loved the way it ended as well, and the talk of human souls being like signals had me blown away. I had a feeling that Werner was going to die but I was hoping that I was wrong and when he stepped on the bomb I was heartbroken as well, especially for Jutta, because she had now lost everyone. But I just felt so bad for Werner because he tried to escape a life working in the mines where his father died only to be sent to the war to die.
I did think that marie was going to see her father again and was disappointed when I found out he had died. But I did love how the two ended up meeting and that Werner was able to save Marie's life, and that he threw the diamond into the sea.
It was all done very beautifully and wrapped up the characters stories very nicely.
I really enjoyed discussion this book with you so thanks for reading it with me it was a lot of fun!!!!!!

I agree that I felt so bad for Jutta! It was nice though that she got a little bit of closure from volkemeir and Marie in the end at least
Thanks again for hosting this read, I had a lot of fun!!

No problem!! this was a fun dn I can't wait t do it again!!