Synopsis: “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.
Review: Do you like Stars Hollow? Do you like historical fiction? Have you ever read a book and within the first two pages knew this was meant to be in your life? Where you immediately clicked and formed a deep connection with the words and characters on a soul-deep level?
If you answered ‘yes’ to even one of these questions, you’ll probably like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Quite the mouthful, isn’t it? It makes sense that the movie adaptation releasing in 2018 starring Lily James was abbreviated to the short and sweet: Guernsey.
But what is “Guernsey?” And what is a “potato peel pie??” These are just two of a multitude of questions Juliet has when she starts a correspondence with the inhabitants of Guernsey–a small island off the coast of England. She immediately connects with these quirky islanders through their deep love of books. As a book lover myself, I immediately felt a kinship with these fellow bibliophiles.
When I started reading, I wasn’t expecting the quirky humor to jump off almost every page, and I LOVED it. I mentioned before that this story and its characters remind me of Gilmore Girls and Stars Hollow. From the sharp-witted Juliet, the quiet yet dependable Dawsey, Juliet’s publisher and close friend Sidney Stark, and the myriad of other off-beat, lovable islanders, I immediately felt like a part of this community and fiercely protective of them all.
Since the book is written entirely in letters and telegrams, I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of how well the story would flow. What I got was an intimate and distinctive insight into each character, even though it’s told from multiple points of view. Only in the beginning did I have to flip back and forth to make sure I was keeping track of who was who, but I eventually got into the rhythm of each character’s voice and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The Kindle audiobook narration helps with this, since each character has a different voice actor (even if Dawsey’s narrator sounds more like an old man than the thirty-something hunky farmer he is…)
The historical background in this book was fascinating! Set right after WWII, it delicately and heart-wrenchingly deals with the aftereffects of the German occupation of the Channel Islands and also Juliet’s life as a young woman in London trying to help the war effort in any way she can. History came alive and felt personal, which is one thing I love about historical fiction told right–because we’re all stories and history in the end.
I rarely cry while reading a book (I’m more of a movie-crier), but in the middle of the night, I found myself with my heart broken, crying for these people that I’ve never met face-to-face, but I keenly felt their emotions as if I were one of them. I also laughed out loud a good bit and often caught myself with a big smile plastered on my face. It’s a simple story really, of the endurance, creativity, imagination, and connection of the human spirit, and though I don’t like to pick one favorite book, this one is definitely in my top three.
To round off this review (which, let’s be honest, was more of a gushing), I want to share a few of my favorite quotes:
“That’s what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you to another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It’s geometrically progressive – all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.”
“I sometimes think I prefer suitors in books rather than right in front of me. How awful, backward, cowardly, and mentally warped that will be if it turns out to be true.”
“I am to cover the philosophical side of the debate and so far my only thought is that reading keeps you from going gaga.”
“Isola doesn’t approve of small talk and believes in breaking the ice by stomping on it.”
“We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.”
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