'Beautiful' period drama based on brilliant World War 2 book streaming on Netflix

A series based on a top-rated WW2 novel is streaming on Netflix for UK subscribers. The selection of WW2 dramas available to stream in the UK is quite extensive, with some being called "underrated" and overlooked by fans. One of those is a mini-series that some fans have loved, while others were not so impressed. For the people who enjoyed it, it was a "beautiful adaptation" and "brilliant".

The mini-series is called All The Light We Cannot See and features some familiar Hollywood stars, including Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. It is based on the novel of the same name, which was written by Anthony Doerr and published in 2014. The book tells the stories of a blind French girl who takes refuge in her great-uncle's house in Saint-Malo after Paris is invaded by Nazi Germany, and a German boy who is accepted into a military school because of his skills in radio technology. It tells the stories simultaneously in alternating chapters and has left an impression on readers.

When it was announced that Netflix would take the story and turn it into a mini-series, many were excited. The series of the same name was released in 2022 and consists of just four episodes.

The series follows the two characters as they cross paths and try to survive the destruction and hardships of the Second World War. Reviews of the series were mixed, with some loving it and some not so impressed.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of just 28%. However, its audience score is much higher at an impressive 81%. One IMDb reviewer called the series a "beautiful adaptation of one of the best books in recent years!"

They wrote: "I was expecting that Netflix would ruin it. But after watching all four episodes, I must say that it didn't. A great cast with outstanding performances by Louis Hoffmann and especially Aria Loberti with the support of Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie made it a worth watching adaption."

Another wrote: "I think that the series tried very hard to encapsulate the concepts of the story. Nothing can ever be as good as the book.

"Very few series or films are as good as the original book, in which our own imagination draws the environment, the people and their natures and their characters. In this series, the two young main characters were absolutely beautiful, and Lewis Hoffman is a stunning young actor, and I have much regard for him and found it an absolute pleasure to watch."

Among the less-impressed reviews, one person said: "Netflix took a Pulitzer-Prize winning novel and arrogantly thought they could somehow make it better by changing the storyline and fates of the characters in so many ways.

"They absolutely did not make it better, or even do it justice. I absolutely loved the book and was so excited to watch this. I am so beyond disappointed in this adaptation."