“We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.“–Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
Set in 1946 London, author Juliet Ashton is searching for her next book idea when she receives a letter from a man she’s never met. He has a book written by Charles Lamb with her name written inside. Thus a correspondence between the two begins. The man and his friends live on the island of Guernsey and spent most of the war under a German occupying force. Juliet is fascinated by them and their stories, particularly their book group–The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, formed as an alibi by a quick thinking member to explain why they were gathered together. She soon begins corresponding with all the society members and learns about their experiences during the war, their personalities, and the books they love. It doesn’t take long for her to decide to visit her new friends in Guernsey and her carefully constructed London life will never again be the same.
This is a delightful book, written through a series of letters, that is full of colorful characters, plot twists, and heart. It reminds us that written words are a powerful connector and friendship makes even the most difficult circumstances bearable.
Content Advisory: Descriptions of war violence, references to sexual assault and exploitation