Cheri's Reviews > The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

4.5 Stars

”We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away”
-- We’ll Meet Again,Vera Lynn / Frank Sinatra, Songwriters: Hughie Charles / Ross Parker

Published posthumously in August of 2008, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society recalls the occupation of the Western European Channel Islands during WWII through letters and telegrams, which sounds very basic and to the point, and leaves out all the charm and emotions involved. Relaying the thoughts of a host of those who lived on these islands during the days of occupation, the struggles to survive, this is - at its heart - filled with a charm that borders on quirky, but with a charm that brings the 1940s era to life. And yes, the occupation creates much hardship, and life is not always charming, but it never veers so far or so long, but serves more as a shadow that fades in the light from these characters.

”I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with.”

I loved the back and forth, the epistolary nature of this novel, with the slow revealing of secrets, the day in and day out of life on these islands, the nature of busybodies to inject themselves to make sure the “truth” is heard, all of the life stories, and the love of literature, itself.

This story more or less begins with a letter sent from Dawsey Adams, in Guernsey, to Juliet, in London. He has a book that once belonged to her, her name and address written on the inside cover, and is hoping she can help him locate a bookshop in London that might have more by this author, Charles Lamb.

”The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came into being because of a roast pig we had to keep secret from the German soldiers, so I feel a kinship to Mr. Lamb.”

In her response to him, she writes:

”Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.”

Which is exactly how I felt when I was reading this - it had found me at a perfect time.

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

And that’s what this was for me. Sheer enjoyment.

Recommended


Many thanks to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!