Over the summer, I was lent this novel and its stories are still with me. I think of them often, as you would old friends. Initially I was hesitant, as the entire narrative is told through the exchange of letters amongst the characters and I assumed that it would be difficult to engage with the story, but I was sorely wrong. Before I knew it, I was wrapped up in this world, and craving more tales from the charming characters that pour out of the pages. I’ve included a synopsis below, and I hope that you have a chance to read this novel soon.
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends — and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society — born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island — boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
Synopsis from ReadingGroupGuides.com
