June 26, 2018

A love story you won't soon forget

I struck gold because I didn't think I'd fall so deeply in love with a book so quickly after finishing up The American Way of Death Revisited but then along cameThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer. GUYS. This book was a joy to read from start to finish. I gobbled it up in 2 days and then felt absolutely bereft when it was over. If you enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (this is the reason I picked it up) then you will love this book too. Told in letters and telegrams this is the story of a group of people living in a small town in the Channel Islands called Guernsey and their interactions with a Londoner (and writer) named Juliet. Juliet had made her name (except it was actually not her name but a pen name) writing a popular humor column during WWII but at its close (and the beginning of our story) we find her in a bit of a writing rut and looking for her next challenge. This is when she receives a letter from a man in Guernsey who has found a book about Charles Lamb with her name written inside the front cover. This is the beginning of her interest in the place, its people, and its creation of a literary society which saw them through the war and their occupation by German soldiers. While it starts with correspondence between Juliet and Dawsey (the man with the book) it soon blossoms into back-and-forth communication with the other members of the Society (and a few Islanders hellbent on its dissolution). A common thread runs through much of their remembrances of the occupation and the start of the Society and it seems to center around Elizabeth McKenna who while not an Islander came to play a pivotal role in so many of their lives. There were quite a few "WHOA" and "THAT explains it!" moments while reading this book (as well as quite a few tears I ain't gonna lie). I think it's impossible not to fall in love with this book and its characters. 10/10 and absolutely gutted there won't be more books written by Shaffer in the future.

PS Someone informed me they adapted this for film and I AM LIVING FOR IT. (Lily James is one of my faves so ya'll know I'm gonna be watching this at my earliest convenience.)

Source: Goodreads

What's Up Next: Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

What I'm Currently Reading: I don't even know anymore

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2 comments:

  1. I loved this book too. I was drawn to it by the title and the fact that it's set during WWII - I'll read anything about the war. At the beginning I didn't really take to Juliet and found her a bit annoying - but by the end I had warmed to her and was hoping she would stay on Guernsey and everything would work out for her in her love life (I'm trying not to write any spoilers in case anyone reading your review hasn't yet read the book/watched the film - but I was pleased it ended the way I hoped it would!).

    I'd give the book 9/10 because I found it a bit slow at first and wished the story would just get going - but when it did, I was hooked and didn't want it to end.

    Nicola
    http://nicshealthylife.co.uk

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    1. Hey Nicola! Thanks so much for commenting (I wish more people did) and also for trying not leave any spoilers (it's so hard to do sometimes!). I too was rooting for Juliet but for a large portion of the book I was rooting for her and the other guy (you know which one I mean I hope) and that's when I had that ah-ha moment of THAT makes sense. lol

      I just wish that Mary Ann Shaffer was still with us so that she could continue to share her beautiful writing. :'-(

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