Book review by Patricia Sy-Gomez
I received this book as a Christmas gift from my sister and instantly became intrigued. Being a fan of historical fiction, I was excited to read about the war between France and Germany precipitated by the latter’s belief in the entropy of the human species rectifiable only by the eradication of all others and the lives of a blind French girl and a young German soldier during the time.
The author, Anthony Doerr, certainly did not disappoint. First thing you would notice in his book is the language, the words he used, though technical at times, like when he is describing war equipment or species of whelk were so graceful it moves you to tears, even of joy and sometimes you don’t even know why.
Yes, each short chapter (another reason why I loved the book) ends with something that touches you. All the characters, featured sequentially in the chapters, are genuine with palpable desires. They are also brilliant which will have you rooting for them and the day they will finally meet.
The title refers to the technology of invisible radio waves and how it travels in the atmosphere until it reaches our very ears, as Werner Pfennig, the German soldier is an expert on the inner workings of the radio. In the same vein, it refers to the purity in people’s hearts that are often overlooked.
So was it a good story? To be honest, I found the ending to be a little abrupt. Perhaps because I expected something else to happen. But that’s what makes this book so special. It is poignant. The author wrote with a mixture of eloquence and restraint reflective of life and light which we cannot really see at all.
