Moss Bluff held a book discussion on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The novel centers on a book club on the island of Guernsey as they recall their time during the German Occupation in World War II.The book is written entirely in letters sent among several characters. The group approved of the epistolary style, though this led to a shaky start for some readers. Some also had issues with the ending of the novel, which felt like a different book entirely. The disjointed nature of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is, more than likely, due to the split task of its authorship between Shaffer and her niece Barrows, who took over when Shaffer fell ill.
Flaws aside, the novel did prove valuable for a couple different reasons. The first is that it provided a simultaneously interesting and delightful insight into German Occupation for those unfamiliar with the time. Secondly, it revolved around enjoyable characters brought together by the importance of reading in their lives.
Find it at your local branch or in our digital library!