In short, I liked the book. It has an interesting format, in that the entire story is told through letters and other writings. That particular element of it reminds me of a book I read last year for another motif, 84 Charing Cross Road. That one is short and full of actual letters written from a book lover in the US to a seller of old books in the UK. It is also from the same time period in which Guernsey Literary Society is set. This one contains fitional letters, but they still transport you to a time when letter writing was the norm for communication with people who weren't living near you. I can easily imagine a woman, particularly a writer, as is the main character, Juliet, in this book, sitting down at her writing desk to write to her friends and familiars about all the goings on since their last letters. Phone calls were expensive, so letter writing was the way to go most of the time. Thus, the book does a good job of evoking time and place.
The characters are also quirky and dear. It is easy to fall in love with the characters of the Guernsey Literary Society, as Juliet does in the book, and it is also sobering to read of their experiences during the WWII German occupation of their island. I think it's especially helpful during this pandemic to remember that many of our grandparents had to live through a difficult time in their lives, too, and it eventually ended. Yes, life was never quite the same afterwards, but they still found joy in living. Author Mary Ann Shaffer did a good amount of research to really understand and convey what life was like both during and immediately after WWII, both in Guernsey and the UK and France. Having grown up in the US, which was thankfully largely removed from bombing and active fighting on its soil, I really had no idea of the continuing impact of the war on Europe. Reading this book gave me a bit more of an idea of what it would have been like to be living in a society that was rebuilding and to find happiness within that time. Honestly, I think we could use a little more appreciation of simple things in our modern life.
I've made it sound like it's all about war and its aftermath, but there is definitely relationship, romance, and feel good in this book as well. As the letters progress, you start to suspect that Juliet is falling in love with another character, and you wait to see what will happen. The ending is satisfying, though I won't deny that I wouldn't mind reading about what happens after the events of this book. For all of the heavy subject matter of the war and its aftermath, there is lots of love and laughter to be found in this book. I would definitely recommend it as a relatively quick and enjoyable read. I'm now off to watch the movie and see if it lives up to the book. :)
