Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows
Publishers: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback
Pages: 251
Genres: Historical, War, Romance, Fiction,
Rating: 5/5
Release Date: July 21st 2008 (this version 2018)
Where To Buy: Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Book Depository
Summary: “To give them hope she must tell their story”
The war is over. Juliet Ashton is grappling with writer’s block when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey – a total stranger living halfway across the Channel, who has come across her name written in a second-hand book.
Juliet begins writing to Dawsey, and in time to everyone in the extraordinary Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The society tell Juliet about life on the island – and the dark years spent under the shadow of German occupation. Drawn into their irresistible world, Juliet sets sail for Guernsey, changing her life – and theirs – forever
Review: I couldn’t put this book down at all. What an exceptional book, every letter had me hooked and wishing I was in guernsey with them. I felt every emotion that each character felt from the sadness, the death, the fear, the happiness and the friendships that they all had. There wasn’t a single thing within this book that I didn’t like at all.
I hadn’t ever read a story that was written in this format but I can tell you now that it was enjoyable. I absolutely loved that her first letter from one of the society members was all about that he found her address inside one of her old books. It peeked her interest instantly and gripped her into their world, learning more and more of what they have suffered and fulfilling all their questions and needs by sending things to them all as they requested. She was transported to being with them even through just a letter. She traveled over to guernsey and the people she was friends with via become family instantly. She researches more about their occupied time and finds her story in the woman that once connected them all, someone that had endless stories shared about her throughout their letters. But whilst there Juliet finds more than just her story she finds her dreams, love and happiness she never expected to find.
I seriously enjoyed this story and while my description above is vague it’s as I didn’t want to post spoilers. It is such a well written and imaginative book. Sharing a story of what it was like during occupation in world war 2 all through a beautiful form of letters shared from strangers to friends and their book group that held them together throughout and long after.
This is certainly a book I will read over and over again. It had so much heart to it and I really enjoyed it and look forward to enjoying it all over again in a re-read.
About Author: Mary Ann Shaffer worked as an editor, a librarian, and in bookshops. Her life-long dream was to someday write her own book and publish it. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was her first novel. Unfortunately, she became very ill with cancer and so she asked her niece, Annie Barrows, the author of the children’s series Ivy and Bean, as well as The Magic Half, to help her finish the book. Mary Ann Shaffer died in February 2008, a few months before her first novel was published
apapergirlapapertown 