Comparing Netflix's adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See to the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
In All the Light We Cannot See, Netflix brings to life the compelling story of a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths intersect during World War II.
All the Light We Cannot See (Source: Netflix)
Back in 2014, Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See was a total surprise hit, nabbing the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, chilling on the New York Times best-seller list for over 200 weeks, and racking up a whopping 15 million copies in sales worldwide. Fast forward almost ten years, and Netflix has just dropped a four-part limited series based on this epic story.
All the Light We Cannot See connects the lives of a blind French girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc (played by Aria Mia Loberti, who's also visually impaired) and a German orphan named Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann). They're navigating the challenges of World War II together.
Shawn Levy's Approach
Shawn Levy, the director of the Netflix series mentioned that he had to tone down a few emotionally heavy scenes, now that the show's already out.
Even as a self-proclaimed superfan of the 2014 text, which has garnered a worldwide readership of over 15 million, Levy had to make some tough decisions and edits to bring his vision to life.
They also introduced some new characters, particularly a few German individuals, to embody the malevolence of the Nazi party, the looming specter of war, and the growing danger of Marie being discovered in her hidden refuge.
Editing Out Epilogue Scenes
The Director also mentioned that, although the four-episode series remains true to the book, there were a couple of epilogue scenes in the novel that he was determined to remove from the show.
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While it may not be a joyous conclusion, I aimed to wrap up with a glimpse of hope. As a result, we opted not to include some distressing and grim scenes from the late part of the book in the show," Levy explains.
Levy emphasizes that Doerr was actively involved in ensuring historical accuracy within the storyline.
In "All the Light We Cannot See," you'll find Hugh Laurie, Mark Ruffalo, alongside newcomers Nell Sutton and Aria-Mia Loberti, portraying the younger and teenage versions of Marie-Laure.