What’s it about?
It’s 1946 and author Juliet Ashton can’t think what to write next. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey – by chance, he’s acquired a book that once belonged to her – and, spurred on by their mutual love of reading, they begin a correspondence. When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, her curiosity is piqued and it’s not long before she begins to hear from other members. As letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German Occupation, Juliet soon realizes that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name.
My thoughts
I came across this book not too long ago on another book blogger’s blog (sorry, I can’t remember whose) and then I found a copy in the charity shop where I volunteer! Fate brought this book to me just as it brought Juliet’s book to Dawsey so I was really pleased to pick it out from my TBR jar as book 3 for #PaperbackSummer.
The story is being told through a series of letters from Juliet to various Islanders who live on Guernsey and through these letters we learn what it was like to live in Occupied Guernsey during the Second World War. The characters in each of the letters all have their own quite distinct voice and this comes through. They’re all likeable in their own ways and stir emotions in one way or another and with the main character Juliet being a writer and a book lover I adored her!
There’s a letter quite early on in the book from Juliet to her agent and friend Sidney where she’s recalling a scene with her ex-fiance and how he’d packed up all of her books to go in the basement to make room for his sporting trophies etc etc…..A woman after my own heart!
“All I could do was scream, ‘How dare you! What have you DONE?! Put my books back!”
I loved this book; this is the first book in ages that I didn’t want to put down and couldn’t wait to come back too. I loved the characters, the story, the style in which it is told and the pace at which it progressed, I just wish I could have spent more time in their company – it’s a relatively short book at 240 pages. You should also make time to read the Afterword by Annie Barrows as it’s quite a sad tale about how the book came about.
This book is funny, sad, delightful and thoughtful and an ideal choice for any book lover and fan of historical fiction. Perfect – please read!
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