MarieLaure

Marie-Laure LeBlanc is a fictional character in Anthony Doerr’s 2014 novel All the Light We Cannot See. The story follows her and a German boy, Werner Pfennig, as World War II unfolds. Born in Paris, Marie-Laure is blind from a young age and learns to navigate the world through tactile maps, braille, and memory. Her father, Daniel LeBlanc, is a locksmith who works at the National Museum of Natural History. To escape the German occupation, they relocate to the walled port town of Saint-Malo in Brittany. In Saint-Malo, Marie-Laure is sheltered and guided by her great-uncle Etienne LeBlanc, a reclusive lighthouse keeper who provides support during the siege.

A central plot element is the legendary diamond known as the Sea of Flames, which several Nazi figures pursue, intertwining with Marie-Laure’s fate as the town endures bombardment. The novel alternates Marie-Laure’s perspective with Werner Pfennig’s experiences in Germany, exploring themes of bravery, moral choice, and the resilience of civilians under occupation.

Reception and impact: critics have praised the book for its lyrical prose, historical detail, and sensitive portrayal of disability. All the Light We Cannot See was awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and has been translated into numerous languages. Marie-Laure LeBlanc has become a widely recognized fictional representation of endurance, hope, and compassion in wartime.