Reviews tagging 'Violence'

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

21 reviews

michaelapr's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is a fast read that was fun and sad at the same time. It was interesting to me to read a World War II book that was more on the direct aftermath of the war and looking back on it (but still fresh, sense the war ended). There aren't a lot of books that explore that so it was nice to see a fresh take. I also liked the story told in letters - that always makes a story go faster. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: War

Minor: Violence

221bpinkst's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Slavery

Moderate: Violence, Death, and Toxic relationship

aggie24's review

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. 

---

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. 

---

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

koplomps's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Vomit, War, Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Genocide, Death, Confinement, Colonisation, and Animal death

Moderate: Gun violence, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Xenophobia, Deportation, Death of parent, Antisemitism, and Animal cruelty

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review

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

---

Content Warnings

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

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

ella7211's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative lighthearted 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? No

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, War, Death, Animal cruelty, and Violence

ambaright's review

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I found this book through a “blind date with a book” and quickly was surprised and happy by the letter format and the characters of the book. I’ve always been a reader, so by learning this fictional story of a literary society during German occupation and the effect of the occupation on Guernsey Island. I loved all of the characters, but I especially love the references to classic literature and the comparison between the ending couple and Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. 

---

Content Warnings

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

sarabeswick's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: War, Vomit, Violence, and Murder

tinkeringcheck'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? No

5.0

Over 8 hours I feel like the Society and people of Guernsey became my friends as much as they became Juliet's. The narrators' performances were just incredible and brought the characters' voices to life in such a lively way. This book was truly made for a full-cast audio production.

I particularly loved

Sidney and Isola's

budding friendship and

Juliet and Kit's

relationship - neither of which quite got their due in the film version. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Grief

Minor: Slavery, Violence, and Death

Usual WW2 homefront fiction warnings apply, but not very graphic. Many of the characters talk about their harrowing experiences during the occupation, including being sent to concentration camps. It's a postwar setting in a formerly occupied territory, so the grief and weight of those experiences is pretty steeped in the setting despite the overall lightness and charm of the book.