The Fiction Addiction

It all starts with a single letter, but that's enough to peak the interest of Juliet Ashton. The mention of a strange book club, the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, catches her attention and she yearns to learn more of this strange group. Through the letters she receives from various members (and non-members) of this society, she learns of the life on Guernsey during the German occupation during WWII. Learning of both the good and the bad, she becomes enamored with these individuals, and resolves to visit them on their little island, where she finds far more than she ever thought she wanted.

Written as a series of letters between Juliet, her best friend, her agent, and the inhabitants of Guernsey, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society explores the relationships between any number of individuals, but it focuses on Juliet, a lost writer looking for a new book to write after the humor she wrote during the war no longer seems appropriate. The development of Juliet is wonderful and inspiring, as is the journeys of the characters she follows.

There are sad tales, describing the horrors of the German occupation, but there are also tales of bravery and love. While the story starts slow at first, it quickly picks up pace and captures your attention right up until the end. You'll find yourself laughing at one character's attempt to act the spy, and cry when learning the fate of another.

The telling of the story through letters leaves much of the plot out, and thus leaves much to the imagination. However, it also allows the characters to talk about what is most important to them and the internal battles they face throughout the novel. There is some left to be desired in terms of character development, as some characters seem too far on the edge to really be considered characters, fulfilling their purpose in the novel quickly, and then not mentioned again. The voices of the characters through the letters are very similar, in a way that almost makes it seem as if all the letters were written by Juliet. Still, the story unfolds well and leaves a satisfied feeling at the end.