Hungry for a Snack?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Dial Press, 2008

It’s January, 1946, and London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War. Writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next nonfiction book topic when a man she’s never met sends her a letter. He found her name inside a book by Charles Lamb and so begins a correspondence between Juliet and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island, boasts a charming, and amusing cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and so finds a new direction for her life and her work.

This epistolary novel, a story told entirely in letters, is not unique, but it is a fascinating study of character development. Although we quickly discern Juliet’s humor, sensitivity, and caring nature, we only learn about the others from her perspective in the letters, and very briefly, in their letters to her. The plot develops very curiously in this type of structure – we don’t actually witness any action ourselves but only through the letter writer. The authors attempt to build suspense through the letters and telegrams, and they succeed in a way, but not really. This novel’s success comes through the characters, not the story line.

I found this novel enjoyable but not exemplary. Interesting, but not wonderful. Yes, it’s worth reading as a summer read, or a light read, or maybe an “escape your real life” read. It doesn’t have much “sticking power,” though. Sticking power is a term that describes a book that you can’t stop thinking about while reading and you keep thinking about after you finish. This book is missing something meaningful. Maybe this detachment is due to the structure. Even though letters are very personal, they leave an awful lot to the imagination and this can make the whole story rather remote from the reader. In other words – reading this book is a lot like eavesdropping on someone’s conversation: it’s interesting but happening to someone else, so the listener (or reader) doesn’t relate to it on any personal level.

Maybe the book doesn't deserve this type of dissection. It’s a light and charming book that you will forget soon after you read it -- more of a snacky meal instead of a Sunday dinner. Maybe today you are looking for exactly that type of book – if so, you will not be disappointed in this choice. Even if there is no recipe for potato peel pie included.

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