Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.
Everyone enjoyed this novel about life during the German occupation of England's Guernsey Island during World War II. Members felt that the epistolary format provided a more personal and multifaceted look at the fictional characters while giving readers a vivid account of the historical realities on Guernsey under German rule. Several readers, when asked to state what historical details surprised them the most, said that before reading the book they had been unaware of the existence of the island and that it was occupied by the Germans during the war. Others said they had not imagined until reading this book how wrenching it must have been for the parents to have to decide whether or not to send their children off to England with no knowledge of where or with whom they would be. And all were surprised at the extent of deprivation suffered by both the islanders and the German troops. Everyone said they would highly recommend this book.
