I loved this book. It took a little push to get into it because the opening is “soft” meaning the authors started at the “beginning.”

The story is also written in letter form, so the characters are telling the story in first person. Common tools authors use to show physical reaction  like “her heart raced” are not employed.

This is literary fiction. It follows no genre rules nor could careless that there’s a backlash in the publishing world against first person. Thank you chick lit. (I love first person, btw.)

The story doesn’t open with an explosive or even enticing hook. It’s simply an author writing to her publisher and friends about her life in London in the early days of ’46.

But then she gets a letter from a Guernsey Island reader who tells the beginning of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

And the occupation of their home island by the Germans during the war.

Now it’s getting good.

The story of the people, their bravery and in particular, the journey of one woman, Elizabeth, is heart rending. I loved this book for it’s writing, it’s people, it’s history and the reminder of how horrid evil can be when powered by the human soul.

There’s no “black moment” where the author, Juliet, has a life changing epiphany. No big climax. But yet the story is filled with richness.

In this case, the authors did have a goal, the characters had goals, and instead of creating great obstacles, the authors let them live and breath naturally.

There’s little internal verses external conflict. Yes, while the Germans were on the island there was lots of conflict. We meet the residence in the aftermath as they are healing and returning to life.

None of the characters do something they would never do. None of them question their core believes and go an opposite way.

None of the fiction tricks are used here. Just wonderful story telling with characters who engage the heart.

Brandilyn Collins and I were talking a few months ago and she said, “I’ve determined, it’s all about character.”

She’s right. And if you have great characters, you’ll have a great story.

Pick this book up. Savor it. And thank God for our freedoms.