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A review by liketheainapple
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows, Mary Ann Shaffer
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
A review of the film adaptation called this story "Comfort Food for Fans of Downton Abbey or the Brontës" and that definitely holds true for the book. The film is a favorite of mine, but I've often felt like it had an unusual amount of lightness at the core, and I expected the book to be deeper--if anything, the book is lighter because it's got a larger cast of characters coming in for vignettes. It's a cozy story that treats the dark subject matter of the occupation of Guernsey with a lot of whimsy.
It's certainly an enjoyable read. It's extremely English in its large cast of bumbling characters, and the romance is adorable. I liked that Juliette is more explicitly motivated by her love for Kit in this than in the movie, but I think it's a little strange that Kit's community didn't fight for her more. I appreciate that the novel argues so much for recognizing how precious books can be to certain people, especially in the most dire of circumstances, but at times it felt a little bit too lighthearted for me.
It's certainly an enjoyable read. It's extremely English in its large cast of bumbling characters, and the romance is adorable. I liked that Juliette is more explicitly motivated by her love for Kit in this than in the movie, but I think it's a little strange that Kit's community didn't fight for her more. I appreciate that the novel argues so much for recognizing how precious books can be to certain people, especially in the most dire of circumstances, but at times it felt a little bit too lighthearted for me.