Title: The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Rating: 5/5
Author: Mary Ann
Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Pages: 274
Genre: Historical
Fiction
Synopsis:
The war may be over, but the scars are still evident in the
piles of rubble. Juliet Ashton, a writer met with some success with the release
of her newest book, is looking for inspiration for her next book. It comes,
although she doesn’t know it at first, when she receives a letter from a
stranger with a simple request. What starts as a simple correspondence turns
into a need to know what it was like on the island of Guernsey during the
German occupation. Join Juliet as she meets the members of the Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, hears their stories, and learns how books
gave them the strength to withstand the darkness of war.
My Reaction:
I was really hoping that I would love this book mostly
because the preview for the Netflix adaptation made it seem like something I
could potentially love. When I actually got it in my hands and started reading
it, I was filled with a sense of dread that I’d set myself up to love something
only to be met with disappointment. Don’t worry. This has a happy ending. I did
give it 5/5 after all.
My apprehension came because the book is made up entirely of
letters from the various characters. There’s no traditional sort of
storytelling, if that’s what you want to call it. Instead, the story forms in
your minds as you read these letters, most of which are from the main
character, Juliet. I was afraid that this would be much too confusing and that
there would be no way that I could keep track of who was who. Thankfully, I was
wrong. It didn’t take long for me to get the main characters sorted, and I
could follow the story easily. If you think this may be an issue for you, you
may consider watching the movie first so you can put a face with the
characters.
With my apprehension gone, I could fully delve into the
story. It was one of those books that I didn’t want to put down! I loved
hearing these character’s stories and how books gave them strength to make it
through a very dark time in history. I’ve always enjoyed books that take place
in the WWII time period. I think I must be a glutton for punishment because I
know there’s going to be some part that will break my heart. This book was no
exception, but I won’t tell you why. Spoilers, you know. But you also know that
a book must be doing something right if your heart breaks for people you’ve
never met and never will meet save on the pages of a book.
If you’re wondering how the book and movie compare, I’d say
that the movie is a pretty fair adaptation. You miss certain aspects and
characters as is prone to happen when you adapt a book to the screen, but the
overall essence of the story was there. It was a good movie. I did enjoy the
book a bit more just mostly because you have a chance to create a closer, more
personal relationship with the characters.
Reader’s Guidance:
There is some mild language.
This does take place during the German occupation, so you
can expect some mentions of brutality and what it was like at the concentration
camps.
There is a mention of a brothel, but it’s only mentioned in
a story where an islander would play tricks on German soldiers as they left the
building and to mention that many of the women there had no choice—they were
just more victims of war.
One of the characters is revealed to be homosexual. The
lifestyle isn’t shown in any way. Juliet simply explains that this character is
not a love interest for her because he’s homosexual.
Similar Books:
The Hiding Place
by Corrie Ten Boom
The Diary of Anne
Frank
Goodnight Mr. Tom
by Michelle Migorian
The Moon Bridge by
Marcia Savin
Stepping on Cracks
by Mary Downing Hahn
I could honestly keep going with a list of books that take
place during this era. I keep thinking of them even as I write this very
sentence! I’m making myself stop at five books though. I wasn’t lying when I
said I’m drawn to these sorts of books. Each of these offer a little different perspective
during a very difficult time in our world’s history.
The first two books, The
Hiding Place and The Diary of Anne
Frank are both firsthand accounts of the WWII era. Anne Frank, as you know,
was forced into hiding because she was a Jew. Corrie Ten Boom was sent to a
concentration camp for helping to hide Jews.
Good Night Mr. Tom
follows an older gentleman and the boy who his sent to his home to live for a
time. Just like many children in Britain, the boy was sent away from his own
home for his protection from the bombings.
It’s been a very long time since I read The Moon Bridge, but the thing I remember about it is that it takes
place in America and deals with the treatment of the Japanese living there
after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Stepping on Cracks follows
two young, American girls whose brothers are both fighting in the war.
Next Book:
It was recommended to me the other day that I should read East by Edith Pattou. I had never heard
of it until that point, but it sounds like it may just be my cup of tea! So I’ll
be reading it without further ado!
