All the Light We Cannot See/Anthony Doerr/531 pgs./March challenge

Two characters on converging paths: Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, living in Paris with her father, the locksmith for the Museum of Natural History; and Werner, living with his sister, Jutta, in an orphanage in Germany. Werner is quite brilliant when it comes to electronics--especially repairing radios. He is seen as an asset to the Germans as Hitler is taking a stronghold in Germany; as a result, Werner "earns" a place in the brutal Hitler Youth academy. Marie-Laure, now twelve years old, and her father flee the now German occupied Paris, arriving in Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle lives; her father may or may not be carrying with him an invaluable gem. Alternately, Werner is becoming a product of his Hitler Youth training. Years into the war, Marie-Laure's and Werner's paths cross--leading up to that point and its aftermath makes for a compelling and unforgettable read. Highly, highly, highly recommended!