Summary
It’s January 1946 and London slowly emerges from the destruction of World War II. Author Juliet Ashton seeks a topic for her new book when a letter arrives from one of the English Channel islands called Guernsey. Dawsey Adams tells her he found her book by Charles Lamb, and he asks her for the address of a book shop in London to find more of Lamb’s books.
Thus begins a friendship. When Juliet finds out about Dawsey’s literary group, she knows she’s landed on her next book topic and heads to the island to meet its colorful members. At the center of the group is Elizabeth, but she is nowhere to be found. Juliet makes it her mission to find Elizabeth and write about the group’s endurance during their German occupation.
Review
If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!
I listened to this one as an audiobook, and let me tell you, there is no better way to listen to an audiobook than with multiple speakers, all with British accents. It made the story really come to life and add depth to each character. It is written in the form of letters exchanged between many of the characters to tell the story. This took some getting used to, but it was perfect.
I first heard about this book after I watched the movie on Netflix. I fell in love with the story and the characters on screen. Both of which are my favorite parts of this book. The characters are adorable! Each one is so unique and created with such detail. You’d think they were real people.
A neat thing about this book is that I never knew any part of England was occupied by the Germans during World War II. But I learned about the English Channel islands and their occupation. The authors did such a wonderful job of lifting me out of reality and placing me in a completely different world. And the characters only added to the atmosphere.
The story had great pacing because I always wondered what happened to Elizabeth. I found myself doing more chores and cleaning just so I could listen a little bit longer. Admittedly, Elizabeth’s story wasn’t exactly uplifting, but it’s the mark she left on the island and its citizens that makes the story inspiring.
I also loved the ending. It wasn’t written in the form of a letter, but a journal entry. And not even an entry that was written by the main character Juliet, but that of one of the literary society’s members. It’s a great ending, and I don’t want to ruin it, but I will say that I loved it! Overall, I would recommend this book to a busy mom. If you’re looking for a great historical novel, written a little differently, to transport you to an entirely different place, look no further than this one. You’ll love it!
Rating
Five out of five stars
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If you enjoyed my review of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you might also like Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. Check out my review!
If you’re interested in purchasing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.
