The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society cover
Good Books rating 3.88
Historical Fiction
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Paperback • £9.99
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Format • £9.49
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Technical
  • ID: 5512
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-24
  • ISBN: 9781408803318
  • Publisher: A&C Black
  • Published: 2009-05-10
  • Formats: 5
  • Reviews: 4

After the war, Juliet Ashton, a writer struggling with her next book, receives a letter from a stranger named Dawsey Adams from Guernsey. Intrigued, she begins a correspondence with him and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club formed during the German occupation. Through their letters, Juliet learns about their lives, their love for literature, and the hardships they endured. Drawn into their world, she decides to visit the island, which leads to life-changing experiences and newfound connections. This heartwarming novel, which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide, is a testament to the power of storytelling and the bonds that form through shared experiences. The book's epistolary format adds a unique charm, making it a delightful and engaging read.

Reviews
Mom's Plans · 2024-10-20
heartwarming 4.00

The book is a heartwarming and engaging read, celebrated for its unique epistolary format and charming characters. It offers a poignant look at post-war life and the power of community.

This novel is a delightful and heartwarming read, told through a series of letters that bring the characters and their stories to life. The epistolary format adds a unique charm, making it feel intimate and personal. The setting of post-war Guernsey is richly depicted, and the characters are endearing and well-developed. The book explores themes of love, loss, and the power of community in a way that is both poignant and uplifting. It's a celebration of the written word and the connections it can forge, making it a truly enjoyable and memorable read.

Quick quotes

    The book is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection through shared experiences.

    The characters are endearing and their stories are told with warmth and humor.

    It's a heartwarming and engaging read that explores the power of community and the connections we make.

Keeping Up With The Penguins · 2024-01-30
pleasant 3.50

This book is a pleasant and easy read, perfect for casual readers who enjoy historical fiction. It's not life-changing but offers a charming and engaging story.

The reviewer found this book to be a delightful and easy read, ideal for those who enjoy historical fiction without too much depth. They appreciated the charming and engaging story, which is set in post-World War II Guernsey. The book's epistolary format makes it a quick and enjoyable read, perfect for a relaxing afternoon. The reviewer also noted that while it's not a challenging or life-changing read, it's a perfectly pleasant one that would make a great gift for casual readers.

Quick quotes

    Overall, this isn't a challenging or life-changing read, but a perfectly pleasant one

    The perfect gift for a casual reader of historical or light fiction

    It's a charming and engaging story

Kristi Drillien · Kristi Drillien · 2020-03-06
charming 4.00

The epistolary format makes this book particularly easy to read, with a focus on character development and historical context.

Kristi Drillien found the epistolary format of this book to be particularly engaging and easy to read. She appreciated the focus on character development and historical context, which added depth to the story. The reviewer noted that the book's short length and lack of detailed description made it a quick and enjoyable read. They also appreciated the way the characters' stories unfolded through their letters, which added a unique and personal touch to the narrative. Overall, they found the book to be a charming and engaging read, perfect for those who enjoy historical fiction.

Quick quotes

    It's a fairly short book, and I think the epistolary format makes it particularly easy to read

    There's not a lot of description, which makes it a quick and enjoyable read

    The characters' stories unfold through their letters, which adds a unique and personal touch to the narrative

Book Club Chat · 2018-09-07
heartwarming 4.00

This book combines sweetness and romance with the harsh realities of the German occupation of Guernsey. It's a heartwarming and engaging read.

The reviewer appreciated the blend of sweetness and romance in this book, which is set against the backdrop of the German occupation of Guernsey. They found the story to be heartwarming and engaging, with a good balance of light and dark themes. The reviewer also noted that the book's epistolary format makes it an easy and enjoyable read, perfect for book club discussions. They particularly enjoyed the way the characters' stories unfolded through their letters, which added a unique and personal touch to the narrative.

Quick quotes

    There's lots of sweetness in this read with books and Juliet's romance

    It also covers the German occupation of the island and some of the harsh realities

    The epistolary format makes it an easy and enjoyable read

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