I can't believe how long it took me to read this book. It makes no sense to me at all that a book 274 pages in length could take me 3 weeks to read. The only reason I can come up with is that because of the way the story was told--in letter form--lended itself to reading a few pages and then being bookmarked. Unfortunately, I also read this book during the weeks leading up to Spring Break, which meant all sorts of chaos in my house and little time to read. But, I was able to finish it this weekend while visiting The Greenbrier (in between gambling and eating) and am so glad that I took the 3 weeks to read this book.
I have been told for about 2 years now that this is a book I should read. But, honestly, the subject of WW2 and the Occupation did not seem like something I wanted to read about. But, in the historical spirit of reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, I picked the book up for a steal at Costco and read it. Am I so glad that I did! Not only do I want to be part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, I want to know these people. Rob always laughs at me when I say things like that and then gently reminds me that I was reading a book and the characters (not people) aren't real. He can be a real bummer sometimes.
When I first starting reading this book, I would post some of my favorite quotes on Facebook, but then I became overwhelmed by all of the great lines from this book and quit keeping track. I guess I can look them up if I am ever so inclined. As I am with many books, this one made me want to know more and I so hope that these two amazing authors continue the story. I want to know what happens next. It's no surprise that I am a HUGE fan of sequels.
Anyway, to all of my friends out there who told me that I just HAD to read this book, you were right! And, to anyone out there who hasn't read it yet--you just HAVE to read this book. It is sad in parts, but hopeful in ways that outnumber the sadness. Do yourself a favor and read it. You will not be disappointed if you do!
I just read your review to Kaitlin, and she told me some very sad news. The author was diagnosed with cancer while writing the book and passed away before it was completed. Kaitlin believes it was the author's niece who finished the story for her. How sad that she never got to to see how much people would love her book -- the very first one she ever published.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book, finally! Like you, it seemed to take me forever to read it. I had a hard time getting into it because of the letter format. It just didn't flow well enough to hook me in. But I stuck with it and really liked it in the end. The things I learned about London during the war and the occupation of the Channel Islands was fascinating. You wonder how modern Americans would handle similar situations. I daresay, we may not be made of sturdy enough stuff. Despite the seriousness of the war, Juliet was charming. Her sense of humor and heart for adventure kept things upbeat and hopeful. I'm glad I read it!
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