All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a historical fiction novel centered around two teenagers during World War II in Europe. It details the journeys of Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig, who have drastically different yet similar experiences in war-torn countries, whose paths intertwine through secret radios and a mythical stone. As the book’s name suggests, the author’s goal is to show how people go out of their way to be kind to others despite challenging circumstances. Marie-Laure, one of the primary protagonists, is blind and lives in Paris with her father, Daniel LeBlanc. He is a loving character, guiding his daughter around their hometown and on their journey after being forced to flee. He is a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History, where the Sea of Flames, a spectacular diamond with an equally enthralling legend, resides. Marie-Laure’s great-uncle Etienne, who takes in her and her father, lives in a house near the coast of Saint Malo. Madame Manec, Etienne’s housekeeper, is a courageous woman who stands up for her beliefs, causing Marie-Laure to slowly do the same. Werner lives in an orphanage in a mining city in Germany with his younger sister Jutta, who serves as his point of clarity and reason when he sinks further into war with her strong opinions and fearless thoughts. He spent his bleak childhood tinkering with machines – like radios – and exploring math and science, eventually leading up to his role during WWII. Deeper into the war, Werner meets Fredrick, whose unique personality makes him stand out when staying inconspicuous is best, and Frank Volkheimer, who appears formidable at first, but gradually cares for Werner like an older brother. Reinhold von Rumpel is another major character in the story. He is a sergeant major in the German army, examining and verifying precious treasures. As a result of his cancer, he wants to gain the Sea of Flames to become immortal. Throughout the book, he travels around Europe in pursuit of this mysterious diamond, representing Nazi greed and selfishness. However, he is not irredeemable, as he cares greatly for his children, and he suffers from health issues, making von Rumpel an emotionally complex character like many of the characters in the book. Doerr portrays the harsh circumstances through sophisticated vocabulary, creating a vivid picture for the reader. However, the author may have overused descriptions, as the book seems to drag, causing readers to skip sections and possibly miss something important. The verbose language is not real enough, causing a gap between the reader and the story. The book also skips in time, where one section will be during the war and suddenly will transition to before the war. This can be confusing at times, which is one of the reasons why this book is better suited for audiences in high school. And even though the author’s goal was to “[illuminate] the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another”, it does not seem to appear much. It is only shown near the ending, which I found a bit abrupt and didn’t make much sense. The book failed to captivate me, as I was unable to feel for the characters even during major problems. However, the story is well written, and depicts the difficult circumstances during World War II on both sides. The author also touches on the fragile topics of greed, love, and perseverance. Overall, it was a compelling read, albeit slightly boring, and I would suggest it to readers interested in the war and who enjoy descriptive writing styles. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Scribner Book Company, 2017. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Young Bloggers
Akata Witch, Reviewed by Philip Chen, 13
In Nnedi Okorafor’s captivating fantasy novel Akata Witch, first published in 2011, knowledge takes center stage. Sunny Nwazue, the main protagonist, grapples with her dual identity as an albino girl born in America but living in Nigeria. Her unique physical appearance makes her a subject of ridicule and a victim of bullying. At the beginning of the book, she sees a vision inside a candle: the end of the world. Without a full understanding, this vision only confuses and scares her. She soon discovers that she belongs to magical Leopard People and begins to read the “Fast Facts for Free Agents” book. Through the book and various adventures, she is awakened to a part of herself that was unknown to her previously. She later joins three other Leopard people to bring down Black Hat Otokoto, a corrupt serial killer whose misuse of knowledge led to his demise. I like Akata Witch because of its portrayal of knowledge: it enlightens and empowers people to achieve great things. However, it can also lead to self-destruction if used with evil intentions, such as greed for wealth and power. Knowledge, as portrayed in the book, is a double-edged sword that could be very powerful if used properly but can also cause great harm. The theme of knowledge weaves throughout the story. Sunny’s journey is one of empowerment and self-discovery. As she delves into magical texts and faces life-altering challenges, she learns to embrace her unique identity. Her physical appearance, once a source of ridicule, becomes a powerful tool. The narrator uses a series of events to describe how she becomes more confident and courageous. For example, the first time she sees the slippery bridge to Leopard Knocks, she is too scared to cross. Her later crossing of the bridge comes naturally and liberating, summoning her spirit face and accompanying music. With the newfound confidence, she stands up for herself and wins a fight against Jibaku, a school bully. She goes from a bullied, shy, pathetic, and isolated child with low self-esteem into a confident warrior. The best illustration of how knowledge empowers Sunny to garner the inner strength to defeat the most powerful evil enemy occurs in the battle with Ekwensu at the climax of the novel. In this final battle, Sunny has an epiphany – a sudden complete understanding of her calling and destiny – that knowledge from all her experience empowered her with courage and unimaginable power to defeat Ekwensu. While knowledge is powerful, it does not equate with wisdom and making the right choices. When used for personal vengeance or greed, knowledge leads to severe negative consequences. Both Sunny and her friend Chichi have faced discipline after they misused their knowledge and spiritual capabilities for petty vengeance. Black Hat Otokoto, the murderous and psychotic main antagonist of the book, is exceedingly hungry for wealth and power. Otokoto’s abuse of knowledge turns him into a twisted serial killer, which leads to his own destruction. As a reader, I connected with Sunny’s struggles. Like her, I have questioned my own identity: Am I Asian? Am I American? The book resonated with my dual heritage, emphasizing the importance of embracing both sides. It deepened my empathy for marginalized kids who navigate complex identities and face special challenges. Akata Witch invites us to explore our own calling and hidden strengths. While defeating supernatural enemies might not be our reality, the journal of self-discovery remains universal. So, my fellow readers, open Akata Witch, dive into its magical world, wield knowledge wisely, and uncover our inner magic! Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. Speak, 2017. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
ROBOMIND Ep. 5: A Whole New World
https://stonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/A-whole-New-world.m4a Episode #5: A Whole New World Transcript: Hello, my name is Misha Ahmed, and I am your host of this podcast series called ROBOMIND. I know you may be wondering, what does ROBOMIND mean? For those of you who haven’t been here for the last three episodes–I mean now four–go check those out, but to get back on track ROBOMIND is a combination of two things: robotics and mind. I love robotics, and I believe that it shapes how you think, and it shapes your mind. That is why I called my podcast ROBOMIND. A small tidbit about me is that I am 12 years old. I am absolutely head over heels for robotics. And I can’t wait to let you know a little more about it. Also, right now I sound a little kooky because I have lost my voice. But don’t worry, I’ll still bring my fun, bubbly personality. The name of this episode is bumbumbum “A Whole New World” named after the Aladdin song. You know I always keep up that Disney theme. I called the episode this because I am going to be talking about the brand new Vex iq game for this year. RAPID RELAY!!! Before we get into all of that fun stuff, how about we get on to what has been stuck in your mind literally since the last episode. THE RIDDLE! I am going to repeat it one last time before I reveal the answer, so listen carefully if you didn’t hear it before or if you don’t remember it. Okay, ready. You find me in the past, and I can be created in the present, but the future is never mine. What am I? If you didn’t get to hear it last time pause and think of your answer. Now that you have heard it again, it is time for the answer doodododooooo: history. When I heard this riddle at first, I thought it’s got to be memories, and I think if you thought that too both of our answers are right: history and memories. Now that we have got that all done. It is time for the robotics stuff. Allow me to tell you all about the fast, fun, and fantastic game called Rapid Relay. The game elements that you use to score are tiny, padded Balls, approximately 6 inches in diameter. They kind of look like tiny, little soccer balls. The main objectives of the game are to pass the Balls between robots, score Balls through targets, and clear switches which are these little green circles in the middle of the targets that will flip out of the way once you hit them. Balls are introduced to the field through the Loading Station or, during the last 15 seconds of a match, a Rapid Load Zone. A Rapid Load Zone is where the match loaders are able to place the balls in any of the legal starting places. One thing that is new to all of us this year is that the driving teams will have three members: two drivers and 1 match loader. We have seen this a lot in VRC but not much in IQ. This has a lot of us on our toes because it is going to add a whole new aspect to the game. Points are awarded based on how many goals are scored, how many switches have been cleared, and how many times the Alliance successfully passed the Ball before scoring it. I hope you are paying attention if you want to know what things you can do to rack up the most points and win! Now it is time for the infamous part of the episode: the riddle! This one is complex, so please make sure to listen. I am only going to say it once, so you might want to pause and prepare yourself. Maybe grab a pencil and paper to write down the different clues. Okay, here we go. EPISODE #4 RIDDLE: There is a briefcase with 1 million dollars in it. However, it is locked. To open it you need a 4-digit code. Each number increased in value from the left to right for example 1258. No two successive digits had an even difference such as 2 or 4. This means that if your first number was 2 and your second digit was 4, this couldn’t work. The sum of all four digits was 22. There is no 0 in the combination. After all these clues, you are left with a couple of options, the numerically lowest of them all is the correct code. Hopefully, you wrote down all of those clues. Also, disclaimer, if you get it, I am not giving you 1 million dollars; I barely have 20 dollars in my bank account. That was just for the sake of the riddle. Keep your gears turning. I love you guys so so much. Thank you to all of you guys who kept making comments. You guys are so amazing. I loved seeing your thoughts and ideas. Thank you again so so much! A little hint to next episode, we will be doing something new and super exciting! This is your host Misha Ahmed of ROBOMIND signing off!
