I have often enjoyed reading books in which the author uses letters or diary/journal entries to weave a story. These Is My Words by Nancy Turner, Letters From Yellowstone by Diane Smith, and Letters to Callie by Dawn Miller were good reads that used this type of plot development. In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society authors Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burroughs bring characters to life through correspondences written between main character Juliet Ashton and a wonderful variety of inhabitants of Guernsey Island. Juliet is an author, bored with her present job of writing rather soft articles about WWII for a newspaper. She receives an intriguing letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey Island and so begins her new project. She decides to write a book about Guernsey. Through the epistles from Nazi occupied and recently liberated Guernsey inhabitants, Juliet learns of struggles, deprivations, and hard times. But she also discovers an enchanting, remarkable cast of characters who embody kindness, humor and intelligence. Imagine creating a book discussion group and keeping it secret during such grueling times. That's the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society. Love for the written word and concern for fellowman.Juliet is introduced to the these wonderful (and one or two not so wonderful) Guernseites by Dawsey Adams. He has found a book once owned by Juliet. He writes her for information about the book's author and they begin corresponding. Juliet starts writing to many of Dawsey's friends. To learn more about these clever people, she moves to Guernsey. Shaffer and Burroughs capture life during and after German occupation with humor and empathy. Each letter shows a unique voice and a different point of view.
This is one of my favorite reads of 2010. The last page just left me wanting more.