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Read for March Reading Sprint-2019 in Buddy Reads .
First look at that title. It’s weird, isn’t it? I would never have read this if not for the amazing cover next to it and the good reviews and let’s admit, the fact that there is a movie on this.
what is the matter with me? Am I too choosy? I don’t want to be married just for the sake of being married. I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with.
I knew I Read for March Reading Sprint-2019 in Buddy Reads .
First look at that title. It’s weird, isn’t it? I would never have read this if not for the amazing cover next to it and the good reviews and let’s admit, the fact that there is a movie on this.
what is the matter with me? Am I too choosy? I don’t want to be married just for the sake of being married. I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with.
I knew I’d love it the moment I read this quote. Juliet is not boring. I loved her amazing letters and the best thing is that there are letter from almost everyone that is important and that kinda makes it seem like a book with multiple POVs. It’s quite easy to get into and it’s even easier to get used to it in spite of the way it’s written.
Quite apart from my interest in their interest in reading, I have fallen in love with two men: Eben Ramsey and Dawsey Adams. Clovis Fossey and John Booker, I like. I want Amelia Maugery to adopt me; and I want to adopt Isola Pribby. I will leave you to discern my feelings for Adelaide Addison (Miss) by reading her letters.
If it’s not clear from the quote above, you’ll love the characters and the people that don’t even appear. They are just like family and I loved those simple and honest beings with big hearts. You’ll love the pieces of history you’ll be given and you’ll laugh at the wittiness and cry at the same moment. It’s not a heart-breaking book. It’s bittersweet but full of hope. I won’t explain what this is about because I really want you to go in blind like I did.
No flowers or vines can cover such memories as these, can they?
I’d recommend reading the Afterword and the note at the beginning about our two authors. I love Mary Ann for writing this book and her niece Annie to complete it when Mary couldn’t. You’ll get some amazing book recommendations in this and you’ll wanna visit this place and become obsessed with Guernsey. I know I do! I wanna recommend this to everyone! Read this and please do not give in to the temptation of watching the movie first. I’m glad I didn’t (though it was really hard in the beginning when I thought I might not get used to the letter-style) and the book isn’t that long. I’m gonna watch it soon but not before I hold on to what I imagined about this book. I don’t wanna let go of that. If anything, I just never wanted this book to end (view spoiler) [and I need more of Dawsey! His not-so shy self and his thoughts at some important scenes (hide spoiler) ]. If I didn’t convince you yet, then perhaps this will:
‘When was the last time you read a book that made you feel really good? Actually elevated your mood, brought a smile to your face and make you feel warm and hopeful and happy about the human race? If it’s been a while, turn immediately now please to the curiously named The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society … This is such a delightful novel it recently inspired another reviewer to say she actually wanted to hug the book upon finishing it, and it’s an understandable reaction.’
Sunday Telegraph
My book was an ebook but I’ll hug it the moment I buy a hardcopy!
If nothing else, I hope these characters and their story shed some light on the sufferings and strength of the people of the Channel Islands during the German Occupation. I hope, too, that my book will illuminate my belief that love of art— be it poetry, storytelling, painting, sculpture, or music—enables people to transcend any barrier man has yet devised.
Mary Ann Shaffer
December 2007
About the Movie
Finally watched it and of course the book was better. Half the characters were missing in the movie and I didn't get to see some fav scenes. This made me glad that I read it first. However, it was still kinda good. Sweet too :)
My Thoughts as I Read:
Part One
January Letters:
(view spoiler) [I love Juliet’s letters and her amazing and not-boring comments and judgements. There were so many quotes to love especially about books and love. This was so interesting and I didn’t inititally think I’d get used to the writing style but I was so wrong. I hated Gilly but people can be so cruel in interviews and he deserved that teapot, and like Sidney, I’m only sorry that the tea wasn’t hotter and you didn’t aim lower. Sidney’s letter after this was so sweet. I wanted to know more of Markham V. Reynolds. I enjoyed Dawsey’s letters too, especially his second one. (hide spoiler) ]
February Letters:
(view spoiler) [These were such amazing letters. I loved them all! I wish Elizabeth comes home. I loved how the literary society and this book are named. It’s so sweet. I cannot wait to watch the movie; I can only hope it’s as good as this. Mrs, Maugery did a fine job when she asked about Juliet’s intentions and proof of her goodwill and Juliet, in turn, did well by asking the two people who either love or hated her to write about her character. The letter from Eden Ramsay was so simple and honest and I genuinely cared about him. I love all those members already. It’s hard not to. I can’t wait to read more. About Mark, about Juliet, about Sidney and Sophie and Susan Scott and Dawsey and the society. (hide spoiler) ]
March Letters:
(view spoiler) [Don’t you love how different the writing style for every writer in here is? Adelaide Addison really didn’t seem like someone I’d like. I’m judging here, but I think it’s okay since she judged in such a way and discouraged Juliet from writing about them when she didn’t know half the story. Was it Rob who appeared alive? I mean he was shot down in Burma too! I was not even halfway through the letter when I just cried for what the people have been through. I really enjoyed John Booker’s letter, it was fun. Elizabeth is all over the place, I wish she is safe. I agree with Juliet’s last l letter here; I love these people!
Quite apart from my interest in their interest in reading, I have fallen in love with two men: Eben Ramsey and Dawsey Adams. Clovis Fossey and John Booker, I like. I want Amelia Maugery to adopt me; and I want to adopt Isola Pribby. I will leave you to discern my feelings for Adelaide Addison (Miss) by reading her letters. (hide spoiler) ]
April Letters:
(view spoiler) [I liked Christian, I wanna know more! Why am I emotional?!? Oh, Poor Clara SAUSSEY, she sure had a bad experience and though I appreciate her cooking poetry, she should have understood how hungry everyone was and maybe they should have been calm about it too. Didn’t you enjoy Susan’s letter to Sidney? Haha. I enjoyed reading about the history of Guernsey. It’s quite interesting especially the taxes and the votes. I’m so agog about Charles Lamb, is he real? I'm sad I don't know him :/ I’ll be searching him next! I’m glad we finally know all about Juliet, she was such a mystery herself in the beginning. Did your heart not swell when you read about Eli and Jane and that lonesome canvas shoe? I don’t think Mark is our hero for Juliet, do you? And her friends from Guernsey are so warm and family-like. (hide spoiler) ]
May Letters:
(view spoiler) [I loved Juliet’s first letter to Mark. So good. I was so excited by the preparations they were making for Juliet and Isola is a sweetheart, isn’t she? And who was that anonymous writer who wrote about the animals? I hope we find his identity. Of course there wasn’t enough for humans let alone animals, but I’d be equally against it! (hide spoiler) ]
Part Two
May Letters:
(view spoiler) [Wow, it seems so much fun and so different when she is there in person with them. I loved Kit and her ways and Dawsey and Isola is so dear. Will she forget Mark? I feel like he isn’t what she wants and she’ll realise that. What was all that with Jonas and Woodrow? I expected something from Woodcrow, haha. I like Henry! (hide spoiler) ]
June Letters:
(view spoiler) [Now it feels like June came too soon! Oh, how I want Elizabeth here! I love Kit so much! And I really hoped she’d find her way home… It’s so sad. I love her and I was kinda proud that she remained her warm self even in the Camp. She was so kind and brave and it’s heart-wrenching to read about her death.
How comforting it was to hear you say, ‘God damn, oh God damn.’ That’s the only honest thing to say, isn’t it? Elizabeth’s death is an abomination and it will never be anything else.
As for Mark, he just doesn’t understand or even try to really understand but it looks like he has moved on. I have this feeling for a while that she’ll end up in this place forever with Dawsey. And Isola! She’ll have Sidney treated right!
P.S. I was hoping for Adelaide to make an entrance, she never did? (hide spoiler) ]
July Letters:
(view spoiler) [Didn’t you love Sidney’s letters? And his observations of everyone? Especially Dawsey? And that was as per Sophie’s instructions! I love all this lot! Is it just me or did you notice a deeper connection between Sidney and Isola? But he said he was homosexual so there’s that. I liked them. As for the centre+ of the book, it was too obvious. Elizabeth really is the heart of it all. I didn’t cry once before this. I came close but no. And then Christian comes with his heart on his sleeve and flowers in his hands to convey his sweet and honest intentions to Amelia and I just broke. It’s so tragic. I’ll read this book just for this sweet hopeless couple. Did you?? And I agree about Will, the answer was neither, I wish Dawsey spoke more. He only seems in it when he writes a letter. I hated Mark to appear right then! Ugh. I think she’s wrong; Dawsey does feel for her. As for Elizabeth, I cannot praise her enough, she’s been a role model in those dark and treacherous moments. I’m glad Remy will be in a homely place. (hide spoiler) ]
August Letters:
‘It would have been better for her not to have such a heart.’
Yes, but worse for the rest of us.
This gave me shivers. I am glad Remy is here. I am such a fan of Isola, she’s so, well she’s the best! She’ll wreak havoc! As for Dawsey, I’m just grasping on to the little details we are finally getting. Is Oscar Wilde’s story for real? It’s so cool if it is!
I meant to have done with Dawsey in a terse sentence or two, but I see that he’s taken several sheets
I’m glad she didn’t have that talk with him but maybe she should have asked him outright. She deserves some explanation, doesn’t she? Especially since his intentions were so not-obvious. (My laptop-where I was reading this book- is having some issues for a while and it’s been to doc several times and still troubles me, and I was writing this review on a word document when my laptop decided to restart and I was okay with it. It did that sometimes and I always saved my documents after every sentence. So it was weird when the document didn’t open and then I realised it had vanished. I was shocked and I was mad and after 2 more minutes of searching, I was panicky and literally willing to cry - I know, childish! but writing about a book is how I experience it and how I record and save it and I couldn’t imagine writing it again this way. I’m so glad I found a tmp file and opened it with word to get this back even if a couple of lines were missing. I lost heart for a moment and my momentum too! I kinda wished the book was deleted but not this.) I think Kit deserves to be with her family in Guernsey. It would feel wrong to take her away from there and maybe Juliet would stay there too and Dawsey too! And something did seem off about Billie, no doubt she was so interested in Juliet and her running errands for her. Isola and Kit are lovely. Billie deserved that slap and I’ve always felt like Juliet took a role like Elizabeth in taking care. Plus I always enjoyed Susan. We read so less of her in the middle.
They had come to see how I was. How kind. How disappointing
This line was at the perfect moment, wasn’t it? And Juliet thinks it’s better for Remy to go? I feel like she’s justifying herself by saying it’ll be good for Remy but maybe she is jealous? I liked the Benoit sisters, so different from what Juliet assumed. (hide spoiler) ]
September Letters:
(view spoiler) [2nd September
Oh my God, poor Remy. Bloody Germans. Also I was so shocked by what Dawsey said. Seriously, only goodwill? It’s not enough but did he really just feel that towards Remy?
4 and 5 September
Yes, Sidney is right but what’s nagging me if Dawsey doesn’t think of Remy as a friend? Just an act of his Goodwill? Maybe I am over-thinking, Juliet’s to blame for this thought in me.
6th September
Ooo, what is the announcement? I’m excited! So much!!!
7th September
Haha, Amelia is fabulous :) And beautiful, wasn’t it? This letter with Kit and her collection of lost treasure of her parents? I wanna hug her so tight! She’s got a depth, that little kid.
8th September
Didn’t it put a smile on your face? Cuz it certainly put a wide one on mine! He loves her too! Speak up, Dawsey! I desperately want his POV. I wanna know him!!!
11th September
Tell me he is gonna ask Juliet at Eren’s party and is just shopping with Remy for that? (hide spoiler) ]
Private notes!