Reading Metrics
Grade Level
Upper Grades (UG 9-12)
Book Level
5.7
Points
16.0
Fiction/Nonfiction
Fiction
Word Count
101407
Points per Word
0.000158
Page Count
276
Points per Page
0.057971
Description
Everything Is Illuminated follows American college student Jonathan Foer as he travels to the farmlands of eastern Europe to locate Augustine, the Ukrainian woman who reportedly saved his grandfather from the Nazis. He is joined by his young Ukrainian translator Alex Perchov, Alex's depressive grandfather, and the family dog. The novel alternates between Jonathan's earnest narrative and Alex's humorous, broken-English letters, exploring themes of memory, identity, and the legacy of the Holocaust. Through their quixotic quest, the characters uncover unexpected truths about the past and the complexities of historical recollection.