This is a tender story of humanity in the face of evil. How, during some of the worst times of our lives, just a little kindness can change things for the better.

Marie-Laure has been blind since the age of six. She lives in Paris with her father, Daniel, who is a key-keeper at the Museum of Natural History. Her father is devoted to her and builds small replicas of their neighborhood so she can learn to navigate the streets by touch.

Werner Pfennig and his sister Jutta are orphans in Germany. They discover a radio which Werner repairs and they are able to listen to news and music from far-away places. His talent for repairing electronics gains him access to an elite German military school where he develops a way of tracking Resistance Fighters for the Nazis.

When the Nazis invade Paris, Marie-Laure and Daniel retreat to Brittany, where her uncle Etienne, a recluse, lives in a house by the sea. Daniel was entrusted with the care of a very precious gem from the museum. Marie-Laure brings life back to Etienne, who once upon a time ran a radio broadcast from his home.

From this story, you can probably guess how Marie-Laure and Werner will one day meet. However, getting there is the intriguing part and opens the reader to what it was like for German people who were just living their lives as well as those living under occupation.

Werner was probably the more fascinating character for me. He was just a boy looking for direction in life. When he is chosen due to his ability to repair radios, it gives him a sense of value in a life that has been devoid of it. As an orphan, he is mostly cast aside by society, although revered in the orphanage by others there. Only Jutta challenges his pride at being chosen to work with the Nazis. He isn’t looking at what is right or wrong, good versus evil. He simply wants to feel valued and this gives him that. As time goes on, however, his sister’s words and his own conscience begin to eat away at him.

Marie-Laure was supposed to be the more sympathetic character, and her story is a compelling one. Doerr manages to put us inside the head of a blind girl who is doing her small part to undermine the Nazis in France. At the same time, she worries for her father, particularly when the Nazis take him. Even as an outsider in Brittany, she finds a sense of community for those she can help and who help her.

World War II is a common topic in historical fiction, and it’s hard to find a unique perspective anymore. Even here, the story is not all that compelling or difficult to figure out what’s going to happen. Doerr’s style, though, gives this tale more life than many others. I can see with intricate detail the setting, from the orphanage in Germany to the streets of Paris, and finally to a small seaside town in Brittany. This is the war as seen through the eyes of those who lived it, not those who were making the decisions.

I found this to be a great read. It kept me riveted throughout, even though I was pretty sure I knew how the story would play out. I was right about most of it, but there were other moments that left me surprised. It was still a great read getting there. I love Doerr’s style of writing and how he brings the reader right into the story as an observer and makes the setting tangible.