Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

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

5 reviews

aggie24's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Saying this was very pleasant doesn’t capture my thoughts adequately, but this was somewhere between pleasant and delightful. I wasn’t expecting to like the format, as almost the entire story is told through letters, but it worked surprisingly well. There was a striking juxtaposition between many lighthearted, endearing characters and stark accounts of concentration camps and bombings. I purposely avoid World War II books, but reading this book was the right choice. It wasn’t a “World War II Book” the way I usually think of them, but it didn’t shy away from harsh realities either. I think I would have liked a more cohesive narrative, something a little tighter and more focussed, but that is likely more a reflection of what I usually read (very different from this) and not this book itself. 
Would recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol

kris_tea516's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Book 25 of 52 for 2024

I saw the movie a few years ago for this book. I had no idea until a couple of months ago that it was a book. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it after watching the movie but it had been a few years & I wasn’t sure how much I really remembered. Well, I have to say I’m so happy I reread it. It’s such a wonderful story & it is done so well. I highly recommend the audiobook because each wonderful character’s letter is read by a different actor. This book is the definition of “cozy” read but it also deals with very difficult things from history (Holocaust, WWII) & how complicated the relationships between the Germans & British had been. It also shows how reading can change your life in ways you might never expect. It left me wanting to read even more books & appreciate genres I might never think about. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, Torture, Grief, Slavery, Death of parent, and Deportation

Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child death, Antisemitism, Bullying, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, and Blood

clarkg's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Guernsey was a delight from start to finish! The characters were loveable, the plot was compelling, and it was easy to become emotionally invested. The politics of this book are not always fleshed out (more British nationalism than I care for, decontextualized plot point about phrenology, etc.) but it's a very good story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Slavery, War, Physical abuse, Death, and Torture

Moderate: Animal death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Vomit, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Blood, and Pregnancy

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Vomit, Alcohol, and Sexism

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, War, Xenophobia, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Slavery, and Violence