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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

January 13, 2009 by Melissa

I can review The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows in one word: enchanting. But, since that doesn’t make for a good review (and Jennifer just may revoke my team member status), I can’t very well stop there.

I had heard this was a “hot” book. The unusual title intrigued me, and since I’ve never read a book of letters, I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’m so glad I did!

The story begins in post WW II England. Author Juliet Ashton is seeking inspiration for her next book, when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a pig farmer on the British island of Guernsey. Dawsey has come into possession of a book Juliet once owned and writes her to ask where he can purchase other works by the author. His tale of how he came to find the author, and the formation of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society capture Juliet’s attention. The Society was created during the Nazi occupation of Guernsey, as an alibi for violation of curfew. It soon became a lifeline for its members, who discovered a true love of reading.

Interested in this odd group of people, Juliet begins corresponding with the members. They tell her about the horrific conditions of the occupation, how their lives were irreversibly affected. As Juliet’s attachment to each individual grows, she wonders if Guernsey may be the topic for her next book. She travels to the island to meet her pen pals, and discovers a life she never knew existed.

I could hardly put this book down. The characters come to life through their letters. Dawsey, Eben, and Amelia are near to my heart. Isola made me laugh out loud, as did Juliet’s editor and friend, Sidney. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and the relationships build. The authors did an outstanding job of weaving the story together through the various viewpoints to create a delightful and touching read.

Melissa has been captivated by books for as long as she can remember. She resides in Virginia at at Breath of Life.

Filed Under: 5 Star Reads, Fiction, Literary, Melissa

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Comments

  1. Michele says

    January 13, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    I adored this book! I too had a hard time putting it down. Great review!

  2. Sandra says

    January 13, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    I reviewed this book and liked it very much too. Nice review.

  3. Lauren says

    January 13, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    I am on the waiting list at the library for this book. Now I am even more excited to read it!

  4. Katrina (Callapidder Days) says

    January 13, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    Thanks for this review, Melissa. I’ve been curious about this book. Sounds like a good one!

  5. Alyce says

    January 13, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    I loved this book too! It was so good!

  6. Carrie, Reading to Know says

    January 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    I haven’t heard of it but it sounds great. So add my enthusiasm to the list!

  7. morninglight mama says

    January 13, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    My mother-in-law just recommended this book to me– it’s on my TBR list for this year! 🙂

  8. Janelle says

    January 13, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    This book was very, very well written. I loved everything about it. Thanks!

  9. Lisa says

    January 14, 2009 at 10:35 pm

    Added it to my (ever growing) amazon wishlist!

  10. Marg says

    January 16, 2009 at 4:34 am

    This was one of my top 3 reads of last year. Fantastic read!

  11. Beth F says

    January 17, 2009 at 2:33 pm

    I loved this book too. It works especially well on audio.

  12. Lauren says

    February 6, 2009 at 4:12 pm

    I just finished this book. I really enjoyed it. I think I would even like to read it again, and I rarely do that!

Trackbacks

  1. Classics Bookclub: Rebecca says:
    August 4, 2009 at 3:56 pm

    […] at Lisa writes…. EDIT: Check out our NEW (yes, new again) schedule for Bookclub. Because we saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society on so many lists, we are going to add it in as our September pick. So join us on September 1 to […]

  2. Blue Like Play Dough says:
    August 5, 2009 at 12:01 am

    […] Written by Lauren Check out our NEW (yes, new again) schedule for Bookclub. Because we saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society on so many lists, we are going to add it in as our September pick. So join us on September 1 to […]

  3. Veiled Freedom says:
    August 7, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    […] Written by Carrie Check out our NEW (yes, new again) schedule for Bookclub. Because we saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society on so many lists, we are going to add it in as our September pick. So join us on September 1 to […]

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