Sending all my Love to Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (with lots of banana-affection back from the Monkey Baby)

Dear Monkey Baby,

You have to read this book! As your sister I absolutely insist on dictating what you read… Just kidding! Mostly.  You still have to read this though!

This is a story wrapped up in the love of books- and you know how much I enjoy those! And since you also love quotes and references, I thought this might be right up your street.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say it’s super emotional- so *be warned*. And I know you’re not always down for books set during WWII- yet I have to tell you to make an exception here. Cos, well, this book is exceptional.

The characterisation is exquisitely achieved through the individual voice of each letter sent. From the positive ones to the more negatively toned, you’ll have a rich view of each person in the story. And yes, it’s entirely made up of letters- which I needn’t have worried about and nor should you! There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll be able to picture the lively and lovable heroine, enjoy the lyrical tones of Amelia, fall in love with Dawsey’s steady hand, like Remy’s grave intensity and laugh at some of the more twerpy characters too. I swear everyone in this felt real!

And it wasn’t just the people- it was also their stories and the setting that completely came to life. I could feel the island’s beauty from the description. I sensed the emotional intensity and felt the emotional turmoil…

But that’s all I’m going to say for now! You’ll have to read the book to find out more- and you better get right to it cos it’s due back at the library soon 😉 Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Talk soon 😀

Lots of Love,

Your big sis and regular book dealer,

Orangutan Librarian

Dear Big Orangasister,

Thank you so much for this beautiful recommendation. “Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers’’ And I think this found us perfectly! I guess the 1000 bananas for reading this wouldn’t have been necessary but I’m a monkey and I want them just the same.

This book far exceeded my monkey ideals for romance. I could squish these characterisers so much for how loveable they are!! Dawsey and Amelia are as scrumptious as that banana split you made me last Birthday! They go together as finely as monkey and business 🙂 And Guernsey sounds so pretty- can we grow bat wings and fly there?

It was a very interesting and sad story of the war that I was unaware of. Defo you were right about making an exception for this book.

I did of course love the quotes too! You know me well, artful dealer!! I have one question for you though on this quote, ‘’Treat a dog right and he’ll treat you right… cats are different but I’ll never hold it against them” What happens if you treat a monkey right…? Do we jump on them and give them a giggle?

All the Monkeybaby love to you

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO 😛

Dear Monkey (Baby) Features,

So glad you loved it!! Didn’t I tell you that you would? (and as you know I’m always right- well, at least when it comes to your reading tastes 😉 ) And now we can talk more freely- so double yay!

It really was such a beautiful, moving story!! And yeah, it did have hard parts, as expected. I personally liked that it didn’t shy away from the war- which I thought it might at times. But for all the lightness in tone, there were enough clues early on that it was going to get dark. In the end, it did manage to provide a powerful image of the war. Though at the same time, I appreciated how it contrasted that with the exuberance at the end of the occupation.

I agree that romance really delivered the goods! While it’s clearly a story about love and loss, it concluded on such a sweet note. I think I literally screamed- it’s a surprise I didn’t wake the entire neighbourhood- or that you didn’t hear me! Oh man, that really hit me in the feels.

And the book delivered on so many other fronts as well. What’s great about Guernsey is how richly layered it is. I love the way it’s clearly a composite of several works. Not only does it have the joint authors, but it also is grounded in the story of the original writer Mary Ann. It’s fascinating how this was achieved, because it kind of gets rid of the authority of the author, creating a feeling of living art. It really shows how writing can be collaborative- in the best kind of way. Especially since the finished product is so perfect!

But what did you think? Were you as blown away as me? And do you think we should rate it? Cos in answer to your question, when you treat a monkey right, they give you as many bananas as they can spare 😉

Lots of love,

Orangutan

PS I’m looking forward to watching the movie version!

PPS I think getting a boat might be a more effective way of going to Guernsey- growing wings seems like too much of an effort.

Dear Orange,

I was telling someone the other day how because of your recommendations I exceptionally rarely ever read a bad book!!

Yeah I agree as much as I want to rest in a banana hammock all day and ignore the horridiousness of war I was glad to be more informed on the occupation.

You know my feels on the romance! Squeelischious goodness!!!

The writing is icing on a layer of life’s cake!! They hit the nail on the book’s head!

How can you even question it’s rating!!! HOW!!!?!?!?

Obviously it doesn’t merit a banana! It merits a trophy banana split made of 5 billion bananas! 🙂

Lots of kisses to the sisses,

THE Monkeybaby

p.s. AHHHHHHHH THE MOVIE!!! THE MOVIE!!! MUST WATCH!!! NOW!!! 

Aww lots of love to my sis and BIG THANK YOU to her for helping me with this! And looks like we’re united on the rating too:

5/5 bananas

Hope you enjoyed that little collab! Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!

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