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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Book Review

Posted by Lana in Book Reviews, Featured | 0 comments

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a gem of a novel. From the first paragraph I was drawn in by the charm and wit of the main character, Juliet, and found myself eager to turn the page. Set in the mid forties, the story unfolds to the reader by a series of letters written back and forth between the characters to bring to life an unforgettable tale of human suffering, struggle, and strength during World War II .

You may wonder if this book could flow easily with all of the back and forth letter writing–well, it does. The Authors (Shaffer and Barrow) do a superb job of intertwining the letters that build the story and make it impossible to put down. Juliet Ashton is the central character, and through her quest of self discovery, she meets a group of people who formed a literary society out of necessity to survive during the German Occupation of their little Island. They eat pie made of potatoes, using beets for sweetness, and the peelings for the crust – yum..NOT! Although Fiction, the events ring true to the time period, and the heart breaking sacrifices made by so many will leave you rooting for their triumph. Juliet finds much more than just a new subject for a novel she wants to write while visiting her new friends, thus setting the stage for her journey as she enters the small community of Guernsey, and it’s many enchanting inhabitants.

I read a lot, and I must admit that I choose novels that have high ratings; and a great deal of the time I am dissappointed. Not this time. I highly reccommend The Gurensey Literary and Potato Peel Society to anyone who is looking for a book that will give you much to think about and feel long after the story ends.

Rating:

Pros:

A moving story that will draw you in
A love story on many different levels; romantic love, friendship love, parental love – it’s all there and beautifully interwoven
Eccentric, unique yet relatable characters you will grow to love
Just enough humor to make the story endearing even with the overcast of suffering and loss looming
A quick read

Cons:

In the beginning, it’s hard to remember all of the characters, but that soon dissipates because the authors do such a good job with personality development.

I wanted more in the end. You will too!

Publisher Comments:

“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.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.