The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Following on in my theme of choosing books by their covers, I was first drawn to this because its cover looked so sweet. The title was an unexpected bonus. I've always liked epistolary novels (as 'Daddy-Long-Legs' should suggest), so I was well-disposed to this from the start.

I was helped in my positive view of the novel by the quality that became evident within about two pages. This is a really good novel. It's light(ish) but, because it deals in that time just post the Second World War, it has real issues to handle. We are reading the letters between a novelist who is stuck for an idea and a man who has found a book belonging to her and wants to know where he can buy more by the same author (Lamb). We look at all of her correspondence (this being her story), but her letter from him is what kicks off the plot.

She ends up visiting post-war Guernsey (which was another element of this novel I enjoyed - as a young adult [to borrow bookshop categories], I read and loved 'Tomorrow is a Stranger', which looks at Guernsey during the Nazi occupation, from the point of view of the children. The similarities between these two novels added to my sense of their veracity, which I liked) and learning about how the island fared under Nazi rule.

She meets all of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie society, finds out how they got their name and makes a lot of very good friends. Every character we are introduced to is believable and has depth, even those from whom we hear little. The various subplots are either touching or funny or, often, both, and add to our sense of the fullness of this story.

I would say this is a great book to read if you're feeling down or have just finished reading 'Lord of the Flies' or something equally depressing and need cheering up. I can't think of anything wrong with it - I could try reading it a few more times to find something, but I have no desire to ruin a good book for myself.