Over the years of the Victoria Classics Book Club, our group has grown to encompass thousands of members connected by a love of reading. Below, find discussion questions for past volumes, which can be explored further on our Book Selections page. We also invite you to join the ongoing conversation on our Facebook page, where you will meet a delightful coterie of devoted readers.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Set in England, just after World War II, the beloved novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows introduces readers to life after German occupation on a small island in the English Channel, with a cast of endearing characters whose ingenuity and sheer spunkiness allowed them to survive the hardships of wartime.
As we begin reading, we discover the book is presented as a series of personal letters written between Juliet, her acquaintances, and the residents of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel. How does this method of storytelling affect your understanding of the characters?
As the title might suggest, books are a connective thread throughout The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was quite serendipitous that island resident Dawsey Adams found Juliet’s name and address scribbled in a copy of English writer Charles Lamb’s Selected Essays of Elia. Can you think of an occasion in your own life where serendipity played a part?
We are captivated by the way the letter writers seem to speak from their hearts with ease. Do you find it easier to express yourself in written words or speaking face to face? Have you ever had a pen pal?
One of the most endearing relationships in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is the one between Juliet and her publisher, Sidney Stark. While Juliet’s often caught up in a social whirl and might seem a bit flighty from time to time, dear Sidney always makes sure she’s tethered to reality. Do you have a someone in your own life that keeps you grounded?
For those who found The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’s reference to Amelia and Kit’s raspberry pie too tempting to resist, we offer our own take, with a delicious peach-raspberry pastry sure to please.
We learn the origins of the oddly named club through Amelia Maugery’s letter to Juliet. When discovered by German soldiers, the Guernsey group right on the spot came up with a very clever explanation for why they were out after curfew. Do you have the ability to think quickly on your feet? Can you share an example of that skill?
Since Elizabeth McKee was arrested and sent to a concentration camp long before the book begins, we learn about her through the letters of other islanders. Although those in the book club admire and adore her, a couple of other residents express a polar opposite opinion in their own correspondence with Juliet. What are your own thoughts on Elizabeth and her behavior?
It has been pure pleasure getting to know the characters in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, whether it’s quirky Isola Pribby with her mysterious potions or old farmer Eben Ramsey who turned the meager ingredients available to residents during the German occupation into the notable pie. Who is your favorite Guernsey character? Why?
The self-righteous Adelaide Addison feels compelled to write Juliet a letter critical of Dawsey. It seems she came ’round his house to deliver the parish newsletter and found him up in the hayloft, reading his beloved Charles Lamb book. So engrossed in the pages was he, that he failed to notice her arrival. As fellow bibliophiles, we understand getting lost in a good book! Where is your favorite place to read without being disturbed?
We learn that after months of correspondence with her long-distance acquaintances, Juliet feels compelled to meet them in person. She arranges a visit, thinking this might be the inspiration for her next book. When the society members learn her purpose, they do not react as she expected. How do you feel you would have reacted in the same circumstance?
Though Juliet arrives on the island drawn, pale, and a bit frazzled, Guernsey works its magic on our heroine. (Or was it one of Isola’s potions?) When Sidney arrives for a visit, he is pleased to see such a wonderful transformation, for Juliet is “full of her old zest.” Is there a special place that rejuvenates you?
Elizabeth’s daughter, the adorable Kit, is a bright spot in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. When she loses her mother, all the members of the society jump in to collectively raise the child. Each one contributes to her upbringing in their own unique way, with Dawsey ending up as her primary caregiver. Which of his characteristics do you think made him ideal for this role?
As we come to the last pages of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, we find ourselves reluctant to say goodbye to this wonderful cast of memorable characters—and it seems Juliet feels the same way. Without giving away the details, in case some of our readers have not yet finished the book, were you surprised by the ending? Was it what you hoped for?
Reflecting on our time with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, what are the moments that will stay with you long after closing the book? For readers who adored this novel, do you have a similar title to recommend?
Find Victoria Classics Book Club resources—including discussion questions, companion materials, and a reader forum—at Victorimag.com!