-
“Incandescent…A luminous work of
strife and transcendence.”
- O,
The Oprah Magazine
-
“Hauntingly beautiful.”
- New
York Times
-
“Enthralling told, beautifully
written.”
- Washington
Post
-
“Gorgeous...Moves with the pace of
a thriller.”
- San
Francisco Chronicle
-
“Dazzling.”
- Boston
Globe
-
“Stupendous…A beautiful, daring,
heartbreaking, oddly joyous novel.”
- Seattle
Times
-
“The written equivalent of a
Botticelli.”
- Oregonian
-
“If a book’s
success can be measured by its ability to move readers and the number of
memorable characters it has, Story Prize winner Doerr’s novel triumphs
on both counts. Along the way, he convinces readers that new stories can
still be told about this well-trod period and that war—despite its
desperation, cruelty, and harrowing moral choices—cannot negate the
pleasures of the world.”
- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
-
“This novel has the physical and emotional heft of a
masterpiece. The main protagonists are brave, sensitive, and
intellectually curious, and in another time they might have been a
couple. But they are on opposite sides of the horrors of World War II,
and their fates ultimately collide…The novel presents two
characters so interesting and sympathetic that readers will keep turning
the pages hoping for an impossibly happy ending…Highly recommended.”
- Library Journal (starred review)
-
“A novel to live in, learn from, and feel bereft over when the last page
is turned, Doerr’s magnificently drawn story seems at once spacious and
tightly composed…Doerr masterfully and knowledgeably recreates
the deprived civilian conditions of war-torn France and the strictly
controlled lives of the military occupiers.”
- Booklist (starred review)
-
“Doerr presents us with two intricate stories, both of which take place
during World War II; late in the novel, inevitably, they intersect…Doerr captures the sights and sounds of wartime and focuses, refreshingly, on the innate goodness of his major characters.”
- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
-
“There’s something familiar and comforting about Zach Appelman’s performance in this beautifully crafted audiobook. His clear, confident tone also features subtle warmth. His voice animates the story…Details and images are elegant in their simplicity, and the dramatic history is tempered by humanity—thanks to both a skilled author and a masterful narrator. Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award.”
- AudioFile
-
“This jewel of a story is put together like a vintage timepiece, its many threads coming together so perfectly. Doerr’s writing and imagery are stunning.”
- Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone