Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Public Domain Books (2005), Kindle Edition
Description
Something long dormant in the reluctant hearts of two downcast London women sparks to life... When four women leave their drab lives behind to go on holiday in Italy, their lives are changed forever by the Mediterranean. Mrs. Arbuthnot and Mrs. Wilkins, while part of the same ladies' club, have never spoken. Lady Caroline Dester and the elderly Mrs. Fisher join their holiday so as to mitigate expenses. As these women come together and learn more about themselves than they ever thought possible, they reveal their true personalities and the backdrops of their lives that tend to hinder them. Inspired by the author's own month-long trip to the Italian Riviera, this novel is noted as her most widely-read work.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Talbin
What a delightful book! I think it's almost perfect in its execution. In The Enchanted April, Elizabeth von Arnim introduces us to four women: Lotty Wilkins, Rose Arbuthnot, Mrs. Fisher and Lady Caroline Dester. Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot see an small ad in a paper advertising an Italian
Von Arnim is a gifted portraitist - the women are so carefully and skillfully drawn that the reader feels as if she knows them. And she handles each transformation so skillfully that you can almost visualize the difference in the women. For some, the ending may be a bit hokey, but I found that it fit. I've read a few reviews that call The Enchanted April "chick lit," and I've been thinking about it. Personally, I think The Enchanted April is as much chick lit as Pride and Prejudice - which is to say, not really. Of course, the genre (if you will) didn't really exist until sometime in the 1980s or so, and it is meant to classify specific forms and themes. The Enchanted April may incorporate that form and those themes, but it did so about sixty years earlier. A precursor, perhaps, but no more than that. In my mind, this is a book that - yes - focuses on women and explores the theme of transformation, but that it does it so well, so tightly and in such a well-observed way, that The Enchanted April rises above being boxed into a strict category.
In any case, I loved this book. Elizabeth von Arnim has crafted a tightly crafted, beautiful novel about what is possible when you open your heart to others.
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castle for rent for the month of April. Quite impetuously, they decide to rent it. In order to defray the costs, they find two other women to share the rent: Mrs. Fisher and Lady Dester. Each woman arrives in Italy with her own private sorrow, but over time the magical atmosphere of the place changes them, allowing each to open her heart and become herself.Von Arnim is a gifted portraitist - the women are so carefully and skillfully drawn that the reader feels as if she knows them. And she handles each transformation so skillfully that you can almost visualize the difference in the women. For some, the ending may be a bit hokey, but I found that it fit. I've read a few reviews that call The Enchanted April "chick lit," and I've been thinking about it. Personally, I think The Enchanted April is as much chick lit as Pride and Prejudice - which is to say, not really. Of course, the genre (if you will) didn't really exist until sometime in the 1980s or so, and it is meant to classify specific forms and themes. The Enchanted April may incorporate that form and those themes, but it did so about sixty years earlier. A precursor, perhaps, but no more than that. In my mind, this is a book that - yes - focuses on women and explores the theme of transformation, but that it does it so well, so tightly and in such a well-observed way, that The Enchanted April rises above being boxed into a strict category.
In any case, I loved this book. Elizabeth von Arnim has crafted a tightly crafted, beautiful novel about what is possible when you open your heart to others.
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LibraryThing member AlisonY
Someone keep me off the internet or I'll be booking tickets to Italy to find San Salvatore before the evening's out...
What a funny, clever observation of life this little classic is. Published in 1922, this novel could as easily have been written yesterday. Social graces may change over the years,
Lotty Wilkins finds herself reading an ad for a castle to rent in Italy one day at her London lunch club, and not having done anything spur of the moment or exciting for years decides on a whim to invite a relative stranger sitting nearby - who she's only seen before at church - to join her in renting the castle for the month of April. Somehow she manages to persuade the quiet, good living Rose Arbuthnot to join her on her mad adventure, and to lessen the damage to her rainy day nest egg they place an ad for two other women to join them to share the rent.
Thus begins the madcap tale of their month in an Italian castle with a wealthy, churlish widow and a beautiful young socialite who is tired of the world falling at her feet.
Funny yet tender, von Arnim so accurately depicts how differently people can feel on the inside to how they appear on the outside, how we can fear those who threaten our own perceptions of ourselves, and how different people can bring out totally polar sides of our characters, making us bloom or cutting the wind out of our sails.
The depictions of the two marriages in the story were particularly cleverly observed - for different reasons, both parties in the two marriages were feeling cut off and unloved, yet it only took for one person in the marriage to reach their hand across the chasm and the other happily reached out to grab hold. I thought that was so smartly executed - actions that come so naturally in the good times can seem such big steps to take when the going gets tough, and yet sometimes it only takes a little change to make everything fall into place again.
4 stars - a smart and humorous classic that's still very relevant today.
What a funny, clever observation of life this little classic is. Published in 1922, this novel could as easily have been written yesterday. Social graces may change over the years,
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but the intricacies of human interaction stay the same.Lotty Wilkins finds herself reading an ad for a castle to rent in Italy one day at her London lunch club, and not having done anything spur of the moment or exciting for years decides on a whim to invite a relative stranger sitting nearby - who she's only seen before at church - to join her in renting the castle for the month of April. Somehow she manages to persuade the quiet, good living Rose Arbuthnot to join her on her mad adventure, and to lessen the damage to her rainy day nest egg they place an ad for two other women to join them to share the rent.
Thus begins the madcap tale of their month in an Italian castle with a wealthy, churlish widow and a beautiful young socialite who is tired of the world falling at her feet.
Funny yet tender, von Arnim so accurately depicts how differently people can feel on the inside to how they appear on the outside, how we can fear those who threaten our own perceptions of ourselves, and how different people can bring out totally polar sides of our characters, making us bloom or cutting the wind out of our sails.
The depictions of the two marriages in the story were particularly cleverly observed - for different reasons, both parties in the two marriages were feeling cut off and unloved, yet it only took for one person in the marriage to reach their hand across the chasm and the other happily reached out to grab hold. I thought that was so smartly executed - actions that come so naturally in the good times can seem such big steps to take when the going gets tough, and yet sometimes it only takes a little change to make everything fall into place again.
4 stars - a smart and humorous classic that's still very relevant today.
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LibraryThing member bell7
On a regular old February afternoon, Mrs. Wilkins chances across an advertisement for a house to let in Italy for the month of April. Such a trip would, of course, be extravagant, but she can't seem to get the ad out of her mind. Then, she sees Mrs. Arbuthnot perusing the same advertisement. These
This delightful tale introduces the reader to four women - Lotty Wilkins, Rose Arbuthnot, Mrs. Fisher, and Lady Caroline Dester. All of them have their own private unhappiness, reasons that they have decided to come away and want to be left alone. Their internalized thoughts, dreams, and loneliness make up the majority of the plot, as their stay in San Salvatore works in magic on them. The warm and languid tone of the writing matches their ideal Italian holiday of rest and relaxation, and is infused with humor. A truly enchanting read.
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two women, who up until now have never spoken, hit upon a plan: find two others to join them on this selfish trip and split the cost accordingly. Just imagine all the good this holiday could do them...This delightful tale introduces the reader to four women - Lotty Wilkins, Rose Arbuthnot, Mrs. Fisher, and Lady Caroline Dester. All of them have their own private unhappiness, reasons that they have decided to come away and want to be left alone. Their internalized thoughts, dreams, and loneliness make up the majority of the plot, as their stay in San Salvatore works in magic on them. The warm and languid tone of the writing matches their ideal Italian holiday of rest and relaxation, and is infused with humor. A truly enchanting read.
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
All the radiance of April in Italy lay gathered together at her feet. The sun poured in on her. the sea lay asleep in it, hardly stirring. Across the bay the lovely mountains, exquisitely different in colour, were asleep too in the light; and underneath her window, at the bottom of the
I've just spent a few days at the most glorious medieval Italian castle, well off the beaten path with plenty of lovely sitting areas, indoors and out, and flowers bursting into bloom at every turn. The setting alone proved a perfect escape at the end of a busy day, and it was made even better by a truly lovely story.
Lottie and Rose make an impulsive decision to respond to an advertisement for the Italian castle, which is available for the month of April. Eager to escape their husbands and the wet English spring, they pool their savings to pay the rent, and then place an ad themselves for two women to share the accommodation and expenses. The result is an unlikely foursome, including the elderly Mrs Fisher, and the beautiful wealthy socialite Caroline Dester. The castle proves to be everything they dreamed of, and begins working its transformation almost immediately. The women, who really have nothing at all in common, function independently at first but gradually find connection and even friendship. And there are surprises in store, as their holiday works its magic in other parts of their lives.
I enjoyed the 1991 film adaptation very much, and even though I remembered the basic outline of the story, I still found myself caught up in its magic. I could almost smell the flowers in the gardens, feel the sunshine warm on my shoulders, and taste the delicious meals prepared by the castle's cook. And I loved the relationships between the women, and the way each of them grew personally over the course of their holiday. This is a book worth saving for a rainy day re-read.
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flower-started grass slope from which the wall of the castle rose up, was a great cypress, cutting through the delicate blues and violets and rose-colours of the mountains and the sea like a great black sword.I've just spent a few days at the most glorious medieval Italian castle, well off the beaten path with plenty of lovely sitting areas, indoors and out, and flowers bursting into bloom at every turn. The setting alone proved a perfect escape at the end of a busy day, and it was made even better by a truly lovely story.
Lottie and Rose make an impulsive decision to respond to an advertisement for the Italian castle, which is available for the month of April. Eager to escape their husbands and the wet English spring, they pool their savings to pay the rent, and then place an ad themselves for two women to share the accommodation and expenses. The result is an unlikely foursome, including the elderly Mrs Fisher, and the beautiful wealthy socialite Caroline Dester. The castle proves to be everything they dreamed of, and begins working its transformation almost immediately. The women, who really have nothing at all in common, function independently at first but gradually find connection and even friendship. And there are surprises in store, as their holiday works its magic in other parts of their lives.
I enjoyed the 1991 film adaptation very much, and even though I remembered the basic outline of the story, I still found myself caught up in its magic. I could almost smell the flowers in the gardens, feel the sunshine warm on my shoulders, and taste the delicious meals prepared by the castle's cook. And I loved the relationships between the women, and the way each of them grew personally over the course of their holiday. This is a book worth saving for a rainy day re-read.
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LibraryThing member AMQS
This 1922 novel was the perfect distraction for a tough week. During a miserably wet and gray London March, Mrs. Wilkins, a worn down, unhappy woman, happens to read an advertisement for a month in a wisteria-covered medieval seaside Italian castle. After seeing another woman -- an equally unhappy
Ms. von Arnim delves deeply into the characters of each of the women. None of them are particularly likable at first, but all of them reflect a lot during their Italian holiday, and each emerges with new understandings about herself and very positive and surprising changes. This is a light but not fluffy read -- perfect for the beach, or that holiday at an Italian villa, or as a spring tonic. The Enchanted April has a 1991 and a 1935 movie adaptation -- I've heard great things about the 1991 version, so may look for it at the library.
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Mrs. Arbuthnot linger over the ad, she surprises herself by suggesting they take it and share it between them. Unable to afford the cost on their own, they place an ad of their own seeking two additional women to share the cost and the castle. And so begins the holiday of Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Arbuthnot, the imperious widow Mrs. Fisher, and the irresistibly beautiful Lady Caroline Dester. While three of the women vie for positions and maneuver for the private use of the best sitting room, a secluded garden spot of one's own, the best bedroom, and mistress-of-the-house duties (or exemption from them), Lottie Wilkins almost instantly transforms, filling with love and goodwill, accurately "seeing" and understanding things about her cohorts, and wanting to share the exquisite beauty and restful seclusion with her husband, from whom she took such great pains to get away.Ms. von Arnim delves deeply into the characters of each of the women. None of them are particularly likable at first, but all of them reflect a lot during their Italian holiday, and each emerges with new understandings about herself and very positive and surprising changes. This is a light but not fluffy read -- perfect for the beach, or that holiday at an Italian villa, or as a spring tonic. The Enchanted April has a 1991 and a 1935 movie adaptation -- I've heard great things about the 1991 version, so may look for it at the library.
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LibraryThing member khuggard
The Enchanted April has a lot of the elements of books that I often love: a beautiful setting, charming characters, a meandering story, and a touch of romance. Yet, even with all of that, I finished it and felt a little bit dissatisfied. I couldn't figure out why until I realized that this book is
I didn't hate it, but I won't read it again. I won't seek out any more of Von Arnim's work, and I won't be recommending this one to other readers.
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chick lit, and I don't like chick lit. The fact that it was written and set in the 1920s and that is fairly well written initially hid that fact, but when you get right down to it, it's chick lit. Even though it is 85 year old it's got all of the characteristics of modern chick lit:- Characters who are stuck in a humdrum life and looking for excitement
- An unexpected move to a faraway setting
- Sudden and unbelievable changes of personality
- Situations that wrap up just a little too neatly and conveniently
- A happy ending for all without any complications
I didn't hate it, but I won't read it again. I won't seek out any more of Von Arnim's work, and I won't be recommending this one to other readers.
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LibraryThing member bookbutterfly9
Anyone looking out their window on a dull, dreary day can feel the lure of the sun soaked coastline of an Italian castle blooming with wildflowers during the month of April. The four British women, varying in ages and situation are all drawn to San Salvatore, Italy and immediately begin to change.
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I loved how they all opened their hearts to love and friendship by recognizing the emptiness of their lives. It's not just the sun and rest though that brought about the changes...I believe it was true friendship with extraordinary people. Show Less
LibraryThing member daisyq
This book is quite charming. It's a quiet character study of four women taking a brief escape from their everyday lives, by renting a castle in Italy for a month. The descriptions of the villa in Italy are total wish fulfilment for me, and are well-written. The four women are distinct and
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interesting characters. The male characters are not nearly as sympathetic and the ending is all a bit too convenient, but it was a lovely light read. I'm renting the movie next! Show Less
LibraryThing member eachurch
A charming fairy tale which is a delight to read. Underneath its simple exterior, however, there lies an interesting exploration of the importance of beauty and being seen, and how much of who we are is determined by where we are, and how we respond to others.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Mrs Wilkins (Lotty) is spending a February afternoon at the Women’s Club when she happens to see an advertisement in the newspaper – a “castle” to let for the month of April in sunny Italy. This very proper British wife of an up-and-coming solicitor would never dream of doing anything so
Thus begins a delightful adventure for four women who really do not know one another but agree to share the unique property. It is not quite what they were expecting, but somehow everything they dreamed of; friendship and love bloom along with wisteria in the Italian sunshine.
This is a gentle read. The story moves with the languorous pace of a day spent relaxing in the sun, with nothing more to worry about than what time lunch will be served. Von Arnim really gives us just a snapshot of these four women during one month spent in Italy; the reader learns about them in dribs and drabs … much as you would discover a new acquaintance (and hoped-for friend).
I found Lotty’s enthusiasm infectious; in fact, it is she who brings the others to a sense of peace and happiness. Rose and Lady Caroline Dester are perhaps the least happy with their lives in London, but each begins to flower as she relaxes and sheds her anxieties and worries. And Mrs Fisher has possibly found a true friend to comfort her in her old age. We get to know a little about their lives before they came to San Salvatore, but we are left to imagine what will happen once they leave.
One thing that surprised me was Lotty’s seeming ability to “see” what will happen. In that respect there was a bit of “magic” to the tale, and the story reminded me of modern works by Sarah Addison Allen.
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rash as going on holiday without her husband. And yet … who could blame her for desiring “wisteria and sunshine,” and she does have that little nest egg saved. Oh, but she couldn’t possibly … As she turns from her reverie she sees that Mrs Arbuthnot (Rose), a woman she knows only by sight and with whom she’s never spoken, is now looking at the same page of the paper. Could she possibly be looking at the same advertisement? Could they manage it if they did it together, perhaps with one or two other women as well?Thus begins a delightful adventure for four women who really do not know one another but agree to share the unique property. It is not quite what they were expecting, but somehow everything they dreamed of; friendship and love bloom along with wisteria in the Italian sunshine.
This is a gentle read. The story moves with the languorous pace of a day spent relaxing in the sun, with nothing more to worry about than what time lunch will be served. Von Arnim really gives us just a snapshot of these four women during one month spent in Italy; the reader learns about them in dribs and drabs … much as you would discover a new acquaintance (and hoped-for friend).
I found Lotty’s enthusiasm infectious; in fact, it is she who brings the others to a sense of peace and happiness. Rose and Lady Caroline Dester are perhaps the least happy with their lives in London, but each begins to flower as she relaxes and sheds her anxieties and worries. And Mrs Fisher has possibly found a true friend to comfort her in her old age. We get to know a little about their lives before they came to San Salvatore, but we are left to imagine what will happen once they leave.
One thing that surprised me was Lotty’s seeming ability to “see” what will happen. In that respect there was a bit of “magic” to the tale, and the story reminded me of modern works by Sarah Addison Allen.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
In The Enchanted April, three Englishwomen—strangers to one another—impulsively decide to rent a medieval house in Italy after seeing an ad in a newspaper addressed to “those who appreciate wistaria and sunshine.” There are Mrs. Wilkins, a housewife wanting a break from the rainy monotony
Elizabeth Von Arnim’s descriptions of Italy, and the castle’s gardens, are superb; you actually feel as though you’re in Italy with the women as they enjoy their holiday. But the women never seem to lave San Salvatore, and so the action of the novel seems a bit stagnant at times; I felt while reading this that the characters were running around in circles. You get lots of descriptions of the gardens around San Salvatore (Von Arnim was an avid gardener), and the food that they eat; it made me want to hop on a plane and go to Italy myself! Reading this book is a little like taking a vacation, too; there’s a very surreal, magical feeling to the book, almost as though you’re walking on air (a weird way to describe a book, but that’s what I felt when reading!). It’s one of those books that are perfect for reading on vacation.
The story started off really well. However, the plot gets lost a little bit towards the middle, as the husbands and potential lovers begin arriving. The characters changed far too much, too soon but ultimately, I really believed in their transformations. It seems as though San Salvatore has an effect on everyone, whether or not they want it to. The author also rushes a little bit at the end to tie things up, sometimes not realistically. But I did love the author’s writing style, and I’m looking forward to tracking down more novels by her.
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of London; Mrs. Arbuthnot; Lady Caroline Dester, young and fickle; and Mrs. Fisher, older than the rest but also in need of a break.Elizabeth Von Arnim’s descriptions of Italy, and the castle’s gardens, are superb; you actually feel as though you’re in Italy with the women as they enjoy their holiday. But the women never seem to lave San Salvatore, and so the action of the novel seems a bit stagnant at times; I felt while reading this that the characters were running around in circles. You get lots of descriptions of the gardens around San Salvatore (Von Arnim was an avid gardener), and the food that they eat; it made me want to hop on a plane and go to Italy myself! Reading this book is a little like taking a vacation, too; there’s a very surreal, magical feeling to the book, almost as though you’re walking on air (a weird way to describe a book, but that’s what I felt when reading!). It’s one of those books that are perfect for reading on vacation.
The story started off really well. However, the plot gets lost a little bit towards the middle, as the husbands and potential lovers begin arriving. The characters changed far too much, too soon but ultimately, I really believed in their transformations. It seems as though San Salvatore has an effect on everyone, whether or not they want it to. The author also rushes a little bit at the end to tie things up, sometimes not realistically. But I did love the author’s writing style, and I’m looking forward to tracking down more novels by her.
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LibraryThing member cyderry
"To Those Who Appreciate Wisteria and Sunshine" - how enticing can an advertisement be than to lore you in with the thought of flowers and sunshine? So four unrelated ladies decide to rent an Italian castle for 4 weeks to escape from their everyday lives.
Four ladies so uniquely different - Lottie
The writing brings a sense of peace to the reader as we picture the buzzing bees, blazing flora, and the puffing floating clouds on the hill overlooking the Mediterranean. There are also moments of amusement as well as self-analysis.
A great beach read IMHO.
Four ladies so uniquely different - Lottie
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is a demoraliized house wife who decides that this is what she wants to do with her nest egg. Having met Rose Arbuthnot, who is of like mind, they advertise for two additiinal ladies to share the cost of the rental and head off to Italy for the month of April. Each lady has her own reason for avoiding their normal home environment, and friendships are formed as well as lives repaired amid the flourishing gardens and idyllic setting. The writing brings a sense of peace to the reader as we picture the buzzing bees, blazing flora, and the puffing floating clouds on the hill overlooking the Mediterranean. There are also moments of amusement as well as self-analysis.
A great beach read IMHO.
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LibraryThing member 2wonderY
I found this paperback at the library. Partway through, the flow of words was so strikingly old-fashioned and pleasant that I was not surprised to learn the copyright date was 1922. No wonder I was enjoying it so much!
Listen: a sour old woman – “Dignity demanded that she should have nothing to
Four London women, of varying unsatisfying circumstances, combine resources to rent a castle in Italy for a month. The sun and beauty surrounding them begin to work a subtle magic on their souls.
The author knows a few neat secrets of human nature.
Elizabeth von Arnim originally published by her first name only, and I found a used copy at my local bookstore in the E’s.
I’ve read one other book by this author – Introduction to Sally, which begins hilariously, but the tongue is set so deeply in the cheek that muscle cramp sets in.
Enchanted April was filmed in 1994 (hence the paperback re-issue.) The movie is a faithful rendering, but some of the action would be obscure without having read the novel first.
Listen: a sour old woman – “Dignity demanded that she should have nothing to
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do with fresh leaves at her age; and yet there it was – the feeling that presently, that at any moment now, she might crop out all green.”Four London women, of varying unsatisfying circumstances, combine resources to rent a castle in Italy for a month. The sun and beauty surrounding them begin to work a subtle magic on their souls.
The author knows a few neat secrets of human nature.
Elizabeth von Arnim originally published by her first name only, and I found a used copy at my local bookstore in the E’s.
I’ve read one other book by this author – Introduction to Sally, which begins hilariously, but the tongue is set so deeply in the cheek that muscle cramp sets in.
Enchanted April was filmed in 1994 (hence the paperback re-issue.) The movie is a faithful rendering, but some of the action would be obscure without having read the novel first.
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LibraryThing member dianaleez
The perfect book to chase away February's gloom. It should be required winter reading. Anyone want to share an Italian villa?
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
What a wonderful book this is. It made me want to immediately pack up and go to an Italian castle and spend all of April in its gardens. Von Arnim paints those wild gardens so intricately the reader feels the sun and smells each new type of flower as it blooms. Then there are the wonderful ladies:
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Lotty Wilkins, the timid little mouse who roars; Rose Arbuthnot who has pampered her conscience by denying herself every bit of the pleasure of life; haughty Mrs. Fisher who clings to dignity and dead writers; and the irresistible Lady Caroline who cannot make herself disagreeable no matter how hard she tries. There are also the completely self absorbed Mr. Mellerish-Wilkins, the aging, carefree and scandalous Frederick Arbuthnot, and the orphaned owner of the castle Mr. Briggs - but there's never any question that, though the men are in charge of all they survey, they are but supporting players in the story. Over all is "Lotty's belief in the irresistible influence of the heavenly atmosphere of San Salvatore." This is a glorious book to read in April and one I may re read for many Aprils to come. Show Less
LibraryThing member luvamystery65
[The Enchanted April] is exactly what the title describes. A month in Italy where the four main characters are "enchanted" during their stay at an old castle in San Salvatore. Each lady has her reasons for escaping London, although the horrid weather is the given excuse. Each wants to be alone with
The novel wraps things up a bit neatly as most "romantic" type novels do, but I do like the bit at the end where both Mrs. Fisher and Mr. Melleresh Wilkins are horrified as Lotty calls Lady Caroline and Mr. Briggs, The Briggses Back to form so quickly and not even on British soil yet. What I found delightful was that Lotty didn't care what they thought. A trip to Italy might not be life changing for most, but it gave her a courage that was new for her.
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her thoughts, problems and loneliness. The stay in the Italian countryside gives them time to reflect on their problems away from their normal routines. Each eventually sees themselves as part of their own problems. The novel wraps things up a bit neatly as most "romantic" type novels do, but I do like the bit at the end where both Mrs. Fisher and Mr. Melleresh Wilkins are horrified as Lotty calls Lady Caroline and Mr. Briggs, The Briggses Back to form so quickly and not even on British soil yet. What I found delightful was that Lotty didn't care what they thought. A trip to Italy might not be life changing for most, but it gave her a courage that was new for her.
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LibraryThing member SFM13
Rose feels neglected by her writer husband, and Lottie is tired of being "good." The remedy they suppose is to get away for a month, using money they have saved, without their husbands. They decide to rent a small castle in Italy, and they recurit two other ladies along to help foot the bill.
Lady
The four are off and soon arrive at the most beautiful setting. They become close, as sisters, and the effect of their surroundings awakens the stale love in Rose & Lottie for their husbands. Soon the husbands are invited to join the vaction. Lottie & Rose rekindle the romance and are reminded of life as newlyweds.
Scrap meets the owner of the resort when he comes to check on his guests. He is smitten and she is scared. Love has always done her wrong in the past. At the end of the story they are seen walking through a garden and the converstaion leads one to believe that they will be happy together. A match made in paradise.
Mrs. Foster who only had her "dead authors" to keep her company before the trip, has now adopted the young couples as children. She, once a fussy old woman, has now acquired a softened heart.
Lady
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Caroline, or Scrap, is a young, high society girl and Mrs. Foster is an old widow with a cane. They join Rose & Lottie after replying to an ad requesting traveling/vacation companions. The four are off and soon arrive at the most beautiful setting. They become close, as sisters, and the effect of their surroundings awakens the stale love in Rose & Lottie for their husbands. Soon the husbands are invited to join the vaction. Lottie & Rose rekindle the romance and are reminded of life as newlyweds.
Scrap meets the owner of the resort when he comes to check on his guests. He is smitten and she is scared. Love has always done her wrong in the past. At the end of the story they are seen walking through a garden and the converstaion leads one to believe that they will be happy together. A match made in paradise.
Mrs. Foster who only had her "dead authors" to keep her company before the trip, has now adopted the young couples as children. She, once a fussy old woman, has now acquired a softened heart.
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LibraryThing member cameling
A charming story about 4 women, strangers to each other, who decide to share an old castle in Italy for the month of April. They are all of different dispositions and seek different things in their vacation.
What's common among them though, is a feeling of unhappiness with their lives, and the need
The meekest and mildest of the 4 appears to go through a complete transformation upon waking up to her first morning in San Salvatore, and her joie de vie and conviction that all will be well because she sees the innermost thoughts and feelings of people, soon brings a thaw to the women.
The only character I felt detached from was Lady Caroline and her suggested capitulation to Thomas Briggs seemed totally out of character, especially since she saw him as yet another male besotted with her beauty.
Beautifully written and rich with descriptive detail, this is a delightful read.
What's common among them though, is a feeling of unhappiness with their lives, and the need
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to get away from all that is familiar, if only for a month.The meekest and mildest of the 4 appears to go through a complete transformation upon waking up to her first morning in San Salvatore, and her joie de vie and conviction that all will be well because she sees the innermost thoughts and feelings of people, soon brings a thaw to the women.
The only character I felt detached from was Lady Caroline and her suggested capitulation to Thomas Briggs seemed totally out of character, especially since she saw him as yet another male besotted with her beauty.
Beautifully written and rich with descriptive detail, this is a delightful read.
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LibraryThing member debnance
I loved the movie. The movie sticks pretty close to the book. One of the rare books where I liked the movie a bit better than the book.
LibraryThing member punxsygal
A lovely book about four women who share the rental of a large house in Italy in the month of April. The book was written in 1921 and, at first, I found the writing to be a little stiff and old fashioned (until I went back and read the introduction and realized when it had been written). However,
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the more I read the more I found to read slowly and savor. Show Less
LibraryThing member krazy4katz
Lovely, well-written little book with delightful humor and tender depiction of women (and some men) from different backgrounds who end up sharing a month in a medieval castle in Italy. Such different characters with different tastes living together. Unexpected difficulties! How will it all end?
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Witty, fun, relaxing. Show Less
LibraryThing member SheReadsNovels
The Enchanted April, first published in 1922, is the story of four women who rent a castle in Italy together one April. The women are strangers to each other at the beginning of the novel, but each of them has her own reasons for wanting a holiday. Spending a month at San Salvatore surrounded by
I'm so glad my first experience with Elizabeth von Arnim was a good one. I hadn't expected something so readable and full of gentle humour and wit and yet with so much depth and such a lot of character development. I also loved the setting and the atmosphere. The images of Italy in the spring were beautifully described, with the sun shining and the flowers bursting into bloom. I defy anybody to read this story and not want to immediately book a trip to Italy this April!
As the title suggests, The Enchanted April is a lovely, enchanting story! After enjoying this one so much, I'll definitely be reading more of von Arnim's work.
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sunshine and flowers gives each woman a chance to resolve her problems and try to find happiness.I'm so glad my first experience with Elizabeth von Arnim was a good one. I hadn't expected something so readable and full of gentle humour and wit and yet with so much depth and such a lot of character development. I also loved the setting and the atmosphere. The images of Italy in the spring were beautifully described, with the sun shining and the flowers bursting into bloom. I defy anybody to read this story and not want to immediately book a trip to Italy this April!
As the title suggests, The Enchanted April is a lovely, enchanting story! After enjoying this one so much, I'll definitely be reading more of von Arnim's work.
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LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
Sometimes, it's nice to read a book where nothing dramatic, terrible, horrible, shocking or saddening happens. It sounds boring, but The Enchanted April gives so much satisfaction to its reader that it's hard to be bored by it.
Before this book was recommended to me I'd never heard of it. But since
Each woman in this story had qualities I admired greatly. I loved the progression of not only their relationships to each other, but also to those around them and in their daily lives. And there is just something so whimsical and provoking of the imagination when thinking of escaping to an exotic, quiet place in the Italian countryside. Who hasn't thought about escaping the hustle-bustle of real life to live on an island for a little bit?
This book is shelved on my list of favorites. I'm glad I was exposed to it and that I finally made the decision to crack it open and read it. Now to find an equally beautiful hard copy to display on my shelf (and hopefully, by doing so, inspire someone else to read it).
Before this book was recommended to me I'd never heard of it. But since
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I've been reading and talking about it, numerous people have exclaimed how much they loved the movie (which is next on my list to check out) and how much they want to read the book. It's such a quiet, unassuming book that it's easy to see how it slips to the back of one's mind, but I'm glad I pulled it out of the depths of mine and gave it the shot it deserves.Each woman in this story had qualities I admired greatly. I loved the progression of not only their relationships to each other, but also to those around them and in their daily lives. And there is just something so whimsical and provoking of the imagination when thinking of escaping to an exotic, quiet place in the Italian countryside. Who hasn't thought about escaping the hustle-bustle of real life to live on an island for a little bit?
This book is shelved on my list of favorites. I'm glad I was exposed to it and that I finally made the decision to crack it open and read it. Now to find an equally beautiful hard copy to display on my shelf (and hopefully, by doing so, inspire someone else to read it).
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LibraryThing member SharonGoforth
An insightful, clever, and charming look at four very different women who rediscover their true selves during a month-long holiday in an Italian castle. Wonderful reading - very smartly done.
LibraryThing member jennorthcoast
I confess I liked the book, but I prefer the recent movie version better.
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Original publication date
1922