The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Reading is often depicted as a solitary activity, but the concept of a literary society implies that writing and reading can be communal and social activities. What do you think is the value of book clubs and literary societies?

2. Guernsey is depicted as a close-knit community with inhabitants who care deeply for one another. Do you think this depiction of a small, relatively closed community is accurate? What are the drawbacks to living in a small community?

3. Juliet begins to learn about the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society because she is researching an article, but she subsequently becomes very invested in the community and its history. Have you ever developed a more emotional connection to a topic or person after beginning a project or task? Did this emotional attachment help you to succeed, or did it impair your judgment?

4. Juliet is torn between potential romantic relationships with Mark and Dawsey. If someone must choose between romantic partners, what criteria should their decision be based upon? Is it better to make a choice based on logic or emotion?

5. Juliet ends up being a mother figure to Kit. Do you have any experience with nurturing (or being nurtured by) individuals who are not blood relatives? How did that experience affect your outlook on life?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Elizabeth remains brave and selfless even as she endures the deeply traumatic experience of a concentration camp. Discuss other examples (either historical or contemporary) of individuals who respond to atrocities with courage. Do you believe that resilience and resistance are always possible in such situations?

2. During World War II, the British government made the decision to leave the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) open to advances of Nazi forces. In times of war, can decisions that result in suffering and loss of life be justified? Why or why not? What calculations need to be considered?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an epistolary novel, which means that the plot is conveyed through letters. How did the novel’s structure affect your understanding of plot and characterization?

2. The novel alludes to Charles Lamb (a 19th-century English writer who was connected to many other famous writers). Why do you think that the authors chose this writer to bring Juliet and Dawsey together? 

3. Discuss the significance of Remy within the narrative. Why is she important to both the plot development and the burgeoning relationship between Juliet and Dawsey?

4. The beautiful seaside setting of Guernsey is very important to the novel’s mood and tone. How do the authors evoke a sense of place? Were you able to visualize the novel’s setting?

5. At the end of the novel, Juliet asks Dawsey to marry her, reversing the traditional expectation of gender roles in this situation. What does this action reveal about her character development over the course of the novel?