Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

5 stars for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

5 HUGE stars.

This is a lovely, charming, and utterly delightful story. It has been such a long time since I am swept off my feet by a novel. I should have read this book earlier but it is hard to get past myself, to get started on a book with a title that is a mouthful. That and one without the usual paragraphing but letters to tell a story. Still, it is better to be late than never. I am very happy to have finally read this book which has been on my reading list for as long as I can remember.

Set in 1946, a group of people from the Channel Islands correspond with an author about the books they have read and the joy they found in reading. Through the letters, we learn how the Reading Society, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, comes into being and who the members are and what they do.

What start out as fragmented and not-quite-so-clear letters of exchange with the author, Juliet Ashton, soon fall into place like pieces of jigsaw puzzle. On top of books and reading, this is also a story of the German Occupation of Guernsey for five years following their landing on 30 June 1940. The Guernsey characters and their stories help reveal the sufferings and strength of the people during the German Occupation of the Channel Islands.

This is a book that requires years of extensive research. That by itself is enough to impress me. But the author does not stop at that, she goes above and beyond. She has a way of delivering the story that makes it funny and uniquely hers. The roast pig story is amusing and leaves a lasting impression. Equally fascinating, moving and at times hilarious, are the stories and wartime experiences of the Guernsey Islanders. Ultimately, the humor in the writing is what keeps my eyes riveted on the book.

It is also entrancing to read about a book club, their members, the books they read and what they do during their reading sessions. The notion of "have books will travel" rings so true. Books certainly have the power to connect and bond people from all walks of life. There is mention of other books and authors but one that stands out is Wuthering Heights and the Brontë sisters. I am really glad to have read this book and thus know what the author is talking about. Another name that pops up quite often is Charles Lamb. In fact, I am so intrigued by this writer that I actually consulted Google about him and his sister, Mary Lamb, and if his sister really did stab their mother to death.

The Potato Peel Pie Society is such an endearing read that I find myself at a loss when the story comes to a close. I want to go to Guernsey and join their book club. I want to be a member of the Potato Peel Pie Society.

Before I read this book, I cannot imagine myself reading a book that is made up of letters only. Now, I think the idea is awesome. In fact, what I want mostly, is to explore another book written in letters.

P/S: This story is best read on a paperback. Why, you may ask. Because one can easily flip the book back and forth, countless times for reference on the letters exchanged with author Juliet Ashton. Well, technically, you can do that with a digital reading device such as Kindle, but it does not have the most efficient way of locating words and pages. So, even when there is a paperless edition available, please read this story on the dead tree version. You will not regret it.


Publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback
Publication date: 5 May 2009

*** Favourite Quote 1 ***

That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you on to another book, and another bit there will lead you on to a third book. It's geometrically progressive - all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.

*** Favourite Quote 2 ***

I, too, have felt that the war goes on and on. When my son Ian died at El Alamein—side by side with Eli’s father, John—visitors offering their condolences, meaning to comfort me, said, ‘Life goes on.’ What nonsense, I thought, of course it doesn’t. It’s death that goes on; Ian is dead now and will be dead tomorrow and next year and for ever. There’s no end to that. But perhaps there will be an end to the sorrow of it. Sorrow has rushed over the world like the waters of the Deluge, and it will take time to recede.

~ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

@}--->>--->>-----

January 1946: 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.

*Blurb from Goodreads*

Add to:


Links to purchase: