It’s rare that I find a movie to be as good as a book. But in the case of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I found an exception.
The best-selling novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, in audio form, is extremely well-written, beautifully narrated by Paul Boehmer, Susan Duerden, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, and Juliet Mills, and is just all-around entertaining. So I was a tad reluctant to even give the movie a chance. Boy am I glad I did!
Though a fictional tale, the story takes place during the very real German occupation of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands during World War II. The movie is filmed in beautiful north Cornwall and north Devon. And though Roger Ebert does not agree Rotten Tomatoes and I give it a thumbs up.
This is the kind of book you can go back and re-read and the kind of movie you can re-watch and enjoy over and over again. The direction of the film by Mike Newell is well done and the screenplay’s dialog is captivating with well-developed characters.
Of course, you can listen on Audible and find the book easily. You can watch the film on Netflix. Here’s the trailer:
PS Just to give an example of what it takes to earn a 5 Heart Rating, in this case, I have listened to the book on Audible and seen the film twice. Hope you enjoy it as much as I!
Also published on Medium.
