Book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Pages: 274
I Read: The Kindle version
I Read it in: 3 hours
Plot Summary: “ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Review and Thoughts: Yeah, not doing the usual 'What I Liked' and 'What I Didn't Like' for this book because I LOVED this book! I highly, highly recommend The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society to anyone who wants to read about the very human cost of the great war machine and how people find it in themselves to cope and survive the harshest of times. Also, this is a great book for all book lovers because it shows that one doesn't need to be a pretentious reader or read 'big' books or the 'right books' or anything. You could read anything so long as it speaks to you and something in that book connects with you.
The book is structured as a series of letters between multiple characters. Even though the format is a series of letters and, sometimes, telegrams, it does not get in the way of character development. Each of the characters are clearly crafted and we get a good sense of who they are as people and what their stories are.
Of the characters, I loved Juliet- she is the voice through which most of the events in book unfold. Juliet, a writer, is world weary but still spirited at the end of the War and is looking for inspiration for her next book. Dawsey Adams, a simple man from the island of Guernsey writes to her after finding her address in a book that had somehow made its way to the island. The series of letters between Juliet and Dawsey, and later between Juliet and various inhabitants of Guernsey, reveal heart-warming stories of the War and the varied experiences of it.
The other characters that I loved were Sidney- Juliet's best friend's brother who is like a brother to her as well, Elizabeth- the one whose glibness helped create the Guernsey Literary Society in the first place. Elizabeth was gutsy and brave and kind and, to me, she was one of the stand-out characters in the book. I wished there was more of her. All the islanders were kooky and adorable- they were so fun to read about.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a very on-the-ground human perspective on the terrible events during WWII or anyone who simply wants to read about very likable characters and some sweet, inspiring, funny and heart-warming stories.
Rating: 5/5
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