This one was fabulous!
The first thing you'll notice about this book is that the whole thing is written in letters; the setting is immediately after WWII in Europe, where so many have lost everything. There are letters between the folks that live in quaint, gorgeous Guernsey and there are letters the are to "outsiders," talking about the German occupation of the Channel Islands (something I had never before thought about but was fascinated by).I loved the character development in this book and really enjoyed figuring out who was who by the letters they wrote (as well as the gossip neighbors wrote about them!) Initially I wished there was a list of characters and their relationships, but after the first fifty pages I found that figuring it out was part of the fun and the authors were certainly going to give me everything I need. I only wish that there was more by the authors for us all to enjoy.
As a side note, the original author passed away before the book was completed and her niece took over finishing it. I was surprised to find this out as I never found a change in tone or style: well done, Ms. Barrows!
This is one I heartily recommend: it absolutely makes the list of best books I've read this year. In fact, I would not mind having this one on my shelf so I could easily come back to it over and over again.
Also, for what it's worth, Ella Minnow Pea is also written in letters and is a fascinating, clever read!
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