The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Hey everyone!

So I just finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and I felt the need to write a review now. I actually checked the reviews and this seemed to be one of those books where you either loved it or hated it. I fall in the former as I actually loved this book. Even though I have no background in history (except a few high school and college courses), I love historical books. Kind of strange, but it is what it is.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
5/5

I honestly picked this book up because the title intrigued me. I was curious as to how literary came to be put in the same title as potato peel pie. When I found this book for a good price, I immediately picked it up. I got sidetracked by other books, though (Red Queen, Cinder) and so it got pushed back on my to read list. I wished I hadn't waited so long because I absolutely loved this book!

This book is written in the form of letters with the main character being Juliet, a writer looking for her next subject. Thanks to a copy of her former book landing in the hands of a Guernsey reader, she finds herself immersed in the lives of the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. As she learns more about these islanders and their experiences during the German occupation, she finds herself more invested in each of the members

Overall, I felt this book was amazing. I loved Juliet and her humor and wit. Each correspondant had their own voice and their own experiences that together made me invested in them. I wanted to know more about their experiences and how they coped with all that was going on. I'm not sure how historically accurate this book is, but it definitely didn't shy away from some of the horrors that happened during the war. Furthermore, this book had a lot of heart. Most of the characters felt some hardship and it was interesting to read how that shaped their viewpoints and to read how that shaped their interactions with each other.

If you don't mind the letter format and want a quick read in historical fiction, I'd say give it a shot!