Book: Anthony Doerr's "All The Light We Cannot See"

Once again my reading selection has deviated from the usual Science Fiction.  This time I chose a piece of historical fiction on many top twenty books lists last year.  Anthony Doerr's "All the Light We Cannot See" predominantly takes place in Europe between 1934 and 1944 (with a few chapters in 1974 and 2014) in the years leading up to World War II and through to its end in 1945.

The book follows two major characters - a blind six year old French girl and an eight year old German radio prodigy - as they experience the war from opposite sides and, in the end, how their lives touch.  A bit of drama centers around a precious diamond, similar to the Hope Diamond, said to be cursed.

The stories told are compelling and keep the reader engaged.  I developed a genuine interest in the fate of the two main characters.  The end, while a bit anticlimactic, checked all the boxes.

I gave this book five stars on Goodreads.  I almost gave it four but how it engaged me with the characters pushed the rating to a weak five.