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

Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, was occupied for a time during World War II by the Nazis. I can't imagine why the Nazis believed that occupying a small island known primarily for its COWS was a good military strategy, but who am I to question the powerful Third Reich?

Juliet Ashton is a London writer. When a Guernsey resident named Dawsey finds her name in the fly leaf of a second-hand book about Charles Lamb they begin a correspondence.

The novel is told in an epistolary format. (Sorry, for hauling out the English major terms. Epistolary just means made up of letters).

Through her correspondence with Dawsey, Juliet learns that the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was created as an alibi when several of the residents break the strict curfew set by the Nazis. The Potato Peel Pie refers to a hodgepodge type dessert served at the subsequent meetings. Food was heavily rationed and in short supply during the war, but most residents had plenty of potatoes on hand.

Dawsey's letters to Juliet contain heart breaking details of life under Nazi occupation. In addition to the strict curfews and food shortages, residents faced decisions such as whether to ship their children away for safety reasons.

Eventually Juliet decides that the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a good subject for a book and starts corresponding with others on the island. She's intrigued by the stories she hears of the hardships, love affairs, and humorous incidents that happen in Guernsey during this bleak time.

I really enjoyed this novel. It's a combination history lesson, travelogue, drama, comedy and love story all in one! It is an old-fashioned sort of novel and reminded me of the old World War II movies I used to watch with my parents, such as Mrs. Miniver and the Best Years of Our Lives.

It was a tad bit predictable, but had a satisfying ending. All in all a great read!