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punkinmuffin's review
4.0
What a lovely, lovely book. Great story, cleverly told, I adored all the characters and laughed and cried along with them.
My only criticism is its lack of diversity. It's a very white book. I am assuming that, like mainland Britain and France, Guernsey's population included people of colour during the Second World War. However, they are completely absent from this novel. This is not forgiveable in the twenty-first century.
My only criticism is its lack of diversity. It's a very white book. I am assuming that, like mainland Britain and France, Guernsey's population included people of colour during the Second World War. However, they are completely absent from this novel. This is not forgiveable in the twenty-first century.
tonybz's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
izzyclouty's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
thecozybookclub's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Read by Victoria M for Book Club
booktravler101's review against another edition
5.0
Following Juliet Ashton's correspondence to her publisher from London and the island of Guernsey is amazing. Her life as a writter during and after WWII is amazing. I utterly fell in love with her and the cast of characters and their lives.
danixwrites's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book, but the whole book is written in letter format so if it’s not for you, this is your warning.
It’s about post-WWII England and the survivors in Guernsey (one of the Channel Islands in the English channels near the French coast).
It’s about post-WWII England and the survivors in Guernsey (one of the Channel Islands in the English channels near the French coast).
maddie_reads_stuff's review against another edition
4.0
A London writer looking for inspiration after WWII finds herself entranced by the stories of the people of Guernsey, which was occupied by Germans during the war.
I tend to avoid WWII books, but this one was very enjoyable and did a nice job of touching on what the war was like for a lot of different people in different places--the British homefront, an occupied territory, (briefly) a concentration camp--while still managing to keep an overall positive outlook and endearing romantic subplot.
The audiobook narrators also did an excellent job reading it. Though listening to the book may have made me disinclined to like Mark from the start, since his American accent clashed with all those beautiful British ones.. :)
I tend to avoid WWII books, but this one was very enjoyable and did a nice job of touching on what the war was like for a lot of different people in different places--the British homefront, an occupied territory, (briefly) a concentration camp--while still managing to keep an overall positive outlook and endearing romantic subplot.
The audiobook narrators also did an excellent job reading it. Though listening to the book may have made me disinclined to like Mark from the start, since his American accent clashed with all those beautiful British ones.. :)
starbursts299's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Moving 'hidden history' story told in letters, a wonderful set of characters you want to go visit.
Bandwagon read. I've had a copy on the shelf for years, and only with the recent advertising for the film did I decide I'd better give it a go. As often happens, I wonder what held me back. And yes, I definitely want to see this on film.
This takes you to a time and a place, and to a lovely group of people who come to life through the medium of the posted letters they send back and forth. I loved this device, it was very well-used to get a whole range of perspectives, with additional voices coming in when the main characters needed to be talked about from an outside perspective.
Just after the end of World War II, a writer in London, on the lookout for a new book idea, receives a letter from a Guernsey farmer who has bought a copy of a book with her name written in it, asking about it, and they strike up a conversation about his 'Literary Society', his home, his wartime experiences. Over the course of months, she also corresponds with other Guernsey residents, and starts to consider their story as one deserving of recording as a novel.
It feels just perfectly paced, characterised and plotted - it flows as you'd want it to, from London to Guernsey, with talk of wartime, with romantic interests, and the letters bring each character to life - you really can see the island and the people there. And of course, you do fall for them - Ramsay, Kit, Elizabeth, Juliet - you feel you know them.
It is a sad story at times, but also rather lovely, with lots of wry humour and wistful nostalgia. Wonderful wonderful book, and a bittersweet story of the authors included at the end.
Bandwagon read. I've had a copy on the shelf for years, and only with the recent advertising for the film did I decide I'd better give it a go. As often happens, I wonder what held me back. And yes, I definitely want to see this on film.
This takes you to a time and a place, and to a lovely group of people who come to life through the medium of the posted letters they send back and forth. I loved this device, it was very well-used to get a whole range of perspectives, with additional voices coming in when the main characters needed to be talked about from an outside perspective.
Just after the end of World War II, a writer in London, on the lookout for a new book idea, receives a letter from a Guernsey farmer who has bought a copy of a book with her name written in it, asking about it, and they strike up a conversation about his 'Literary Society', his home, his wartime experiences. Over the course of months, she also corresponds with other Guernsey residents, and starts to consider their story as one deserving of recording as a novel.
It feels just perfectly paced, characterised and plotted - it flows as you'd want it to, from London to Guernsey, with talk of wartime, with romantic interests, and the letters bring each character to life - you really can see the island and the people there. And of course, you do fall for them - Ramsay, Kit, Elizabeth, Juliet - you feel you know them.
It is a sad story at times, but also rather lovely, with lots of wry humour and wistful nostalgia. Wonderful wonderful book, and a bittersweet story of the authors included at the end.