PositiveBustleThrough short chapters, clipped sentences, and the rat-tat-tat of action verbs, [Doerr] conjures up a vibrating, crackling world. We can hear the static on the radio and feel the saltwater breeze on our skin … Doerr’s optimistic worldview, which colors the novel: Evil and darkness may hover over everything, especially in times of war, but goodness and light still manage to peek through … Anthony Doerr’s fictional landscape is an intricately, beautifully crafted one indeed, much like the miniature models of the city Marie-Laure’s father builds to help her navigate her way through the streets. He doesn’t leave out a single chimney or shutter.
