Epistolary Library | Letter #3
November 23, 2023
Dear reader,
We’ve arrived at our last letter! I’ve chosen to tell you about a novel titled The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society written by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This is a historical fiction piece that is—can you guess—written entirely in letter correspondences between several different characters. Shaffer and Barrows created a heartwarming polylogic epistolary novel that is perfect for anyone that believes in the power of books. We saw in our first letter that writing is an outlet of expression, which becomes freeing when written in the form of a letter, regardless of it being sent out into the world. The second letter discussed how two people, even miles away from one another, can create a powerful bond simply through shared words. My final letter to you aims to express how letters and novels are not unrelated; in fact, you can tell a beautiful story through just letters, and, the more recipients and senders, the more dynamic the story becomes. The novel follows writer Juliet Ashton in the pursuit of her next book idea. She has just come off the cusp of success from a collection of articles she wrote during the German occupation; however, she is in search of new inspiration, which seems to find her in a letter from Dawsey Adams. He lives on an island called Guernsey and found a book she once owned; he is inquiring about where to find more work from Charles Lamb as there are no more bookshops on the island post-war. This is where we get introduced to a book club that was started at first under false pretenses as a way to avoid incarceration from being out past curfew but becomes a real society where the inhabitants of Guernsey meet up to share their readings and food rations. In the midst of World War II, the island of Guernsey was essentially cut off from the rest of the world and kept under very strict control from the Germans, so the literary society became a safe haven to spend time with one another and, for a brief moment, forget the world around them. Not only is there correspondence between Juliet and Dawsey, but also between Juliet and her friend Sophie, Juliet’s publishers, other members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and various others. The amalgamation of perspectives and unique voices works to create a story that parallels the very one Juliet has been tasked to write: what the philosophical value of reading is. Juliet uses the anecdotes sent by the society to feature in her article and eventually even plans a life-changing trip to Guernsey, which is continually told through letters, notes, and telegram transcriptions.
At its core, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is truly a love story about books and literature: how books can sustain hope during times of incredible darkness, how it brings together unlikely groups of people, how the sharing of books can be just as personal as sending a letter, and ultimately just how much books matter. I loved the snippets of the publishing and journalism work during the post-war period. This novel really shows all the facets of books from a writer's perspective (Juliet), publisher’s perspective (Sidney), and a reader’s perspective (pretty much every character in the story). Being written in letters allows us readers to gain insight into the multitude of characters without feeling bogged down by unnecessary details that would be found in a typical novel; with varied style and length, each letter is unique and revealing of the types of people writing these letters. Ultimately, it's a beautiful novel that makes you wish you could be sending a letter to the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or to Juliet Ashton to share your thoughts on what reading meant to you during a trying time. Epistolary novels are the perfect marriage of vulnerable letter writing and inspiring prose that pulls you in and lets you feel at home.
P.S. I hope everyone will pick up this book when they get a chance, or at least a paper and pen; if you’re feeling fancy, a quill and ink and some parchment! Go write a letter.
Inspired,
Julia De Lellis