The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle Deluxe Reading Group Edition)

Extremely boring. Don't attempt to read this book unless you already know you like an epistolary writing style. It takes extra skill to write such a book well, and this book is not well-written. I read 25% and had to stop. The story line might be interesting in a movie or play. It's just very hard to get into as written.

When I saw the trailer at Netflix for this movie and they mention that it is based on a book so it made me curious to read the book first. I started the few pages and I cannot put down the book coz it's different(a good one) from the other books that I read coz it's in a letter from from various characters. I fell in love with the different characters on this novel. I highly recommend this book☺

I really enjoyed the letter-writing format. It was very well done in this book! I was never confused as to what character wrote what letter. I loved the relationships that were built through the letters.

The unusual title made me buy it! I had to know why the the society was called Potato Peel Pie Society!

I loved learning historical facts about WWII along the way!

What I didn't like: One of the letters (only one) bogged me down with facts. I learned later that the author's health failed and her niece stepped in to do the rewrites. Since the style of the letter I am talking about was different, maybe it was a rewrite. Other than that, I did not want the book to end. I just wanted to stay in Guernsey! Note: visiting Guernsey is now on my bucket list.

Recommend: OH YES!! I think this one was my absolute favorite summer read!

What a wonderful tale. I love the stories of people's lives and the goodness found at a very troubling time. It took me a few chapters to get with the program of reading ones life through a series of letters. However, it had me and I truly wanted the stories to continue. Thank you Annie for finishing Aunt Mary Ann's book. Truly enjoyable.

An absolute delight. I found myself turning pages, but regretting that it would be so soon finished. There's something particularly delicious about reading someone else's letters. No overt descriptions of the characters, no real clues about how they looked, but inside those letters! A rich and beautiful exposure of the soul and motives of their authors.

The isolation of the island, rumors of war and cruelty and yet within the 'literary society' we find hope and joy and laughter and the ability to bear up to whatever hardships rationing and censorship would bring.

Worth the read, your spirit will be lifted and your faith in the goodness of humans under stress will be reinforced.

The story is captivating, the main character is enchanting, and I'm just in love with this book! I didn't want it to end. It was very easy to not only get lost in the story, but to feel as if I were part of the story.

I was a history major in college and never realized that the Germans had occupied Guernsey in World War II. This book offers a glimpse into the islanders' struggles, told through letters. The characters spring to life, and I feel as though I've made new friends. The book made me smile, and I'm sure you will too.

Oh my goodness, this book is delightful. I love the way the story is told through letters. Now that I've read it, I'm dying to listen to the audiobook. I feel like the characters are old friends, and I want to hear their voices so I'll know them even better!

I loved this! The book tells the story through a series of written correspondence between several characters in the story. It was an interesting format and the characters were so lovable! It made me want to visit post-WWII Guernsey!

Rarely does a book capture my attention the way this one did. Heartfelt, funny, wrenching ... this book stirred up so many emotions as I read it. The letter-style writing gives way for many distinct voices in the story and it works well. Also fantastic is the World War II aspect of it. I can't recommend this book enough. It's definitely become one of my favorites.

I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read. It took me awhile to get used to the style of it being written in letters instead of as a story. Once I got the flow, it was an interesting form of expressing the story.
I liked the historical context of the book. It opened my eyes to yet another view of WWII. I am always amazed when that happens. Every time I feel like I have a good grasp on the war, I learn something new.
More than that I loved the importance placed on books, and literature. Friendship, love, duty, and a million other things spring up, but a true enjoyment of the written word seems to be the string that connects it all together

I underestimated the power of insight and discovery through letters, but acquired just that. You cannot help but become friends with Juliet, wonder at the next adventure of Isola, desire to love and Mother Kit and want to desperately inform Dawsey! I feel as though I actually witnessed Booker's antics at the beach party! Our world sadly lost a soul-connecting author.

I don't generally enjoy epistlery novels but this one managed to flesh out the characters very nicely. I have read a couple of other books about the occupation of Guernsey but this one gave several short but moving first-hand accounts. Made me want to read Juliets book!

Rarely does a book capture my attention the way this one did. Heartfelt, funny, wrenching ... this book stirred up so many emotions as I read it. The letter-style writing gives way for many distinct voices in the story and it works well. Also fantastic is the World War II aspect of it. I can't recommend this book enough. It's definitely become one of my favorites.

I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read. It took me awhile to get used to the style of it being written in letters instead of as a story. Once I got the flow, it was an interesting form of expressing the story.
I liked the historical context of the book. It opened my eyes to yet another view of WWII. I am always amazed when that happens. Every time I feel like I have a good grasp on the war, I learn something new.
More than that I loved the importance placed on books, and literature. Friendship, love, duty, and a million other things spring up, but a true enjoyment of the written word seems to be the string that connects it all together

I underestimated the power of insight and discovery through letters, but acquired just that. You cannot help but become friends with Juliet, wonder at the next adventure of Isola, desire to love and Mother Kit and want to desperately inform Dawsey! I feel as though I actually witnessed Booker's antics at the beach party! Our world sadly lost a soul-connecting author.

I don't generally enjoy epistlery novels but this one managed to flesh out the characters very nicely. I have read a couple of other books about the occupation of Guernsey but this one gave several short but moving first-hand accounts. Made me want to read Juliets book!

This is more than a story about the occupation of the channel islands during the Second World War. It is the story of survival and how people can find hope and love in the midst of horror. But, mostly, I was reminded of how reading ignited hope in the characters and made me realize why I love to read. I bought it because it was on the best sellers list and now know why. I have loved to read from the moment I picked up a book and this one I will be picking up again and again.

Very entertaining as well as informative story! Certainly not my usual type reading, but was drawn in by the sample.
I enjoyed learning about all the people in Guernsey, as well as the German occupation of the island. The story is told through a series of correspondences between the main character and others. It's funny to see how tone and content does not change through the yeas in correspondence--just the vehicle...it could very well be email exchanges today!

The story is captivating, the main character is enchanting, and I'm just in love with this book! I didn't want it to end. It was very easy to not only get lost in the story, but to feel as if I were part of the story.

Such an unusual format - a story told through letters. I thought at first that it would deter my enthusiasm for the book. Boy was I wrong! An amazing book linked by wonderful characters, an emotional accounting of what the German Occupation was like for Guernsey and a love story to boot. The authors did a tremendous job of bringing forth such a
vibrant, engaging story with the horrors of war time tragedies as a backdrop. Great read!!

I don't usually like reading letters, but this was so enjoyable, so charming, so fun. I didn't want it to end. It was also most interesting reading about the effects of WWII on Guernsey & it's inhabitants. Life goes on & I loved reading about the people & their actions and reactions. I'm looking forward to the next book.

This book is an easy read concerning Nazi occupation of the Island of Guernsey. It was entertaining, not too deep, just right; until the ending. It was obvious that the book had been researched superbly thoughout. However, the ending just hit you with a BAM! The book went at a leisurely pace until the last 4-5 pages where it seemed to wrap up at the speed of nuclear fission with a predictability that had not been seen thoughout the book.

I loved the characters and the epistolic format. I am not usually into WW II novels, but this was very interesting. I recommend it. It brings unusual characters together under challenging circumstances with tenderness and humor.