<p>I think if I were to read the book through again, I would find many literary allusions that I missed the first time around. I just learned, for example, that Juliet’s “Izzy Biggerstaff” pseudonym is a nod to a fictional character by the name of Isaac Bickerstaff created by Jonathan Swift.</p>
<p>A link to the study questions is a couple of pages back. Shall we at least attempt to go through them? Here is no. 1, which we have sort of anwered:</p>
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<p>At first I found the format irritating. Like someone else said, I was afraid I would become lost. And at first I’d have to remind myself to see who the letter was to or from. If it was from a new character it would take a bit for me to figure out whether it was from a truly new character, or just from someone I’d forgotten about.</p>
<p>Once I got used to it, each writer had such a voice. I think that many letter writers attempt to be entertaining and descriptive. Not a lot of that in emails (except for forwarding jokes.)</p>
<p>I appreciated the change of voice and tone, especially when the book dealt with the immense sadness and tragedy during WW2, the next letter would be lighter, more amusing, like comic relief. </p>
<p>I loved the format, which allowed us to take Juliet’s journey as she changed from frivolous city girl, flitting about to parties and dinners, to enlightened Woman, caring deeply about how WW2 effected the secluded Guernsey residents.</p>
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<p>Great point! And so like real life…in the midst of bad times, there is laughter and humor and burdens are easier to bear if you go with it.</p>
<p>When I first began reading, I had to flip back a letter or two in order to keep the characters straight. (Was that Isola or Amelia? Did Eben say that or did Micah?) Gradually, they all sorted themselves out in my mind. </p>
<p>What did you think of the almost-final chapter being Isola Pribby’s journal entries rather than letters? I suppose it was the only way to provide details that Juliet might be too modest to put in her letters to Sidney or Sophie. And it gave the reader a way to search under Dawsey’s bed!</p>
<p>^^^ I didn’t like that almost final chapter at all.
It took on a slap stick kind of tone. Did anyone else feel that way??? Glad you asked about that Mary 13.</p>
<p>I am accepting of the flaws, in the same way I am accepting of the flaws in Rent. When the writer isn’t able to see the project through to the end, or watch the early productions of the show, there isn’t time for him/her to edit, mull things over, etc. They are both still terrific works but could have been better had the author lived.</p>
<p>^ True. I felt that way when I read The Buccaneers. The last part of the book didn’t feel quite right, but I figured Edith Wharton would be o.k. with it.</p>
<p>Following missypie’s lead, here is study question no. 2:</p>
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<p>Sidney, Sophie and Juliet seem to share a similar sense of humor (and to give Mark a little credit, he holds his own with Juliet in that regard–for a little while, anyway).</p>
<p>I’m with Kelowna - I got the book from the library, so I have it but, ummm, it’s in the trunk of my car. I will move it into the house this weekend! Getting there ;)</p>
<p>I just this moment finished listening to the audiobook…did anyone else listen? The letter structure lent itself to having multiple readers/narrators, and I very much enjoyed the variety of literal “voices.” Took me until the middle of the second (out of 7) cd to get used to the narrative approach; I had realized early on that I needed to pay attention to the sender and recipient of each letter, but I also got attuned to the different readers so was able to distinguish based on that also. </p>
<p>I would likely have never picked out this book on my own…am ready to start listening to next month’s selection and hope it is as good! I haven’t been able to identify a spoken word version of the August choice…</p>
<p>It seems like the style of Guernsey would really lend itself well to an audiobook. Were there any famous voices on the recording? I’m thinking of what Maineparent said earlier about being soothed by Colin Firth’s voice…I would guess that a familiar voice could quickly set up a character for the listener.</p>
<p>When do you find the time to listen to the CDs? I have a friend who is a professional artist, and she listens to books while she paints. I tried to listen to a book on a road trip once, but it made me drowsy–and since I was the driver, I didn’t think that was such a good idea!</p>
<p>I see from Amazon that the Sarah’s Key audiobook is out-of-print, but their resellers carry it:</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Used and New: Sarah’s Key [AUDIOBOOK/AUDIO CD] [UNABRIDGED]](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B002B9FL0W/ref=sr_1_olp_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245417974&sr=1-3]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B002B9FL0W/ref=sr_1_olp_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245417974&sr=1-3)</p>
<p>Unfortunately, that means spending money. :(</p>
<p>Sophie and Sidney provided rebellious Juliet with a safe and home and substitute family.
Clearly, Juliet’s search resulted in finding her “own” ready made family in Guernsey. </p>
<p>Was anyone else surprised and disappointed to learn that Sidney was “gay”. </p>
<p>I liked the love triangle, with Dawsey and Sidney, never considered Mark a real contender. I spent several chapters trying to predict how the story would end.
Once I knew that Sidney was “gay” the mystery was resolved too early.</p>
<p>One thing that Sydney and Sophie provide are friends that go way back…In absence of parents or siblings, Sydney and Sophie are as close to family as Juliet has.</p>
<p>SJChessMom, I guessed that Sidney was gay right off the bat. Not sure why–I just knew it. Thanks to missypie, I am now picturing him as Rupert Everett (as seen in “My Best Friend’s Wedding”). I was only disappointed in the sense that he and Juliet seemed so well-matched (in fact, sort of like Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett in that movie).</p>
<p>At least the authors didn’t try to fix Sidney up with John Booker.</p>
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<p>Don’t worry - they’ll add that to the screenplay for the movie.</p>
<p>^lol 
:)</p>
<p>Mary, thanks for the info on Sarah’s Key audio. I guess it wouldn’t hurt me to read a hard cover book once in a while, but I may get tempted to purchase it…</p>
<p>I’m retired so, in addition to listening in the car, I listen doing housework, cooking, and exercising; I don’t watch much TV, so I often fall asleep listening (and do a lot of backtracking in the morning). Sometimes I try to listen while reading cc, but neither really gets proper attention…</p>
<p>I also love listening to audio lecture courses (from the Teaching Company, and the newer Modern Scholar series). They’ve included a couple from professors whom my daughter has had in college!</p>
<p>Am I the only one who wants to visit Guernsey? I wonder if they have had an increase in tourism? Loved the book and I enjoyed the letter format. I wish I could write such interesting letters. I guess I will have to work on that. I also feel that I should read (or reread) some of the books mentioned in the book.</p>
<p>Sidney and Sophie are ideal because they give Juliet both a sister and a brother in her life. The friendship was started with Sophie at school… and then Juliet got the benefit of the older, protective brother in Sidney…</p>
<p>No doubt, the sense of humor that Juliet brings to each letter is magical… her joshing with Sidney over which leg was injured…and the cables back and forth on that are fun, fun, fun… </p>
<p>I think I would like to listen to this book now that I have read it… and one of my favorite ways to waste time is pondering which of my best friends I will offer my copy to… as I want to ensure whoever gets it will read it and enjoy it…</p>
<p>Onward, I would love to visit Guernsey too. I think it’s fascinating to visit historical places and picture how it used to be. </p>
<p>I am writing this from a hotel room. We’ve just spent the good part of the last two days in the car driving and listening to audio books. I was hoping that we had the Guernsey books in audio format at our library because I thought it would be good one to listen to. They didn’t. What I brought though was Robinson Crusoe and A Walk in the Woods. The latter is kind of fun because it’s about hiking the Appalachian Trail and we’re driving parallel to the AT as we go to the panhandle of Florida.</p>