Red Notice by Bill Browder

My sister Jane recommended this book to me, probably because she's interested in finance. It was hard for me to grasp the financial ideas, but the suspense and the corruption of the Russians was clear to me... An interesting book, a depressing book, one that held my interest, but not one I would read again...

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

When I was in Napa for the 60th anniversary of Kublers on the ranch, I got ample time to talk books with both Jane and Ann. It's always interesting to hear their take on things, and often their taste in books is different from each other. But they both recommended this book to me; they agreed it was well worth reading. And so I ordered it and just got to it this past week.

It was a little confusing to me at first; the plot unfolds from different points in the past. You, as the reader, ask yourself why things got to this point before you read the why. It's an effective foreshadowing technique, but it took me awhile to catch on to it. The switch, by chapter, of telling the story was easier to follow. Both the young German boy and the young French girl had fascinating lives that were beautifully revealed through metaphor, example, and conversations. The writing of this author is not exactly what I would call poetic; I would call it arresting and beautiful. Filled with light...that metaphor plays out consistently and with a great deal of variety.

I love interesting characters and this story delivers them in multitudes. It also re-illuminated for me why the French cannot tolerate the Germans, even to this day. One time I was speaking German to my French friend in Paris, and the people in the cafe became incensed. Of course this was the 1970's; perhaps it's different now? But this story helped me remember the deep resentment the French harbor against the Germans, and what caused it.

I also enjoyed the way Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was a recurring theme in the story, and snippets were quoted in the book. Of course I always enjoy French and German language phrases, and these were easily understandable I admired the way the author portrayed the young German fighting his conscience and how he emerged courageously at the end. The bravery of the French girl and her resourcefulness were also so admirable. I loved her great uncle Etienne, and his struggle with extreme anxiety and agoraphobia. I loved so much about this story...even though it was set in a harsh time with very tough challenges...I'm not sure I would want to take it on again...all of the pain and the suspense and the hunger are not peace-inducing to someone like me who likes to read before sleeping! Yet this story was compelling, beautiful, and worth the struggle to read, despite the hardships so vividly described.