The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

As I looked over my blog recently, I was shocked to find that I hadn't yet posted about this book. I read it for book club last winter and it has made it onto my favorites list. It's one I will read over and over again - I'm so glad I purchased my own copy! Since I read it a year ago, there are details I've forgotten, but I'll do my best to give an accurate review.

The story begins in London, just after WWII ends. Juliet Ashton is an author writing under the name Izzy Bickerstaff, doing a series of humorous articles about the war. She writes to her editor (who is also a very close friend) to tell him that she's had enough of war stories and wants to write something new. Little does she know that an opportunity will present itself sooner rather than later.

A man by the name of Dawsey Adams, a farmer on the island of Guernsey, finds Juliet's name written in a used book by Charles Lamb and writes to her asking if she could possibly find more from the author. Before long they strike up a friendship and Juliet finds that Dawsey is part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was started during the German occupation of their island. Asking about the strange name, Juliet finds that it's actually a remarkable story of an eclectic group of people who created the society simply as a cover up for an illicit meal. In order to keep the Germans from becoming suspicious, they continue to meet regularly under the guise of a Literary Society.

Completely caught up in the story and the people of Guernsey, Juliet decides to write a book about them and travels to the island to gather research. It doesn't take long before she falls in love with the people and their culture. In fact, I was so enthralled with the characters that I found myself looking Guernsey up on line and wishing I could take a vacation there myself.

The entire story is told through letters and I found that to be very charming. A person can express things in a letter so much differently than they would through speaking. I think it brought a different dynamic to the story to tell it that way. I loved all of the characters for different reasons, but I think Juliet was my favorite - her sense of humor and quick wit is fantastic!