The Enchanted April in Around the Year in 52 Books

Sep 05, 2023 Wendy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 500-women, nyrb, armchair-travel, effing-delightful, 2023

I finally found my enchanting summer book of the year by early September, though this would be a good one to pick up during the doldrums of February. A group of four very different women, all strangers to each other, decide to split the cost of renting a castle on the Italian coast for the month of April. As expected, there are clashes of personality and selfishness at first (not to mention an exploding patented bath...), but this fantasy Italian atmosphere works its magic in a rather charming w ...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Marie (UK) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-reading-challenge

This would not have been a book that I would have chosen for myself. As the library book group read it was delightful, charming and witty. von Arnim writes lyrically and with a sharp sense of ironic wit. Her characterisation is excellent and I both loved and hated some of the characters in equal measure. I wanted a little more from the ending but overall a surprising and enjoyable read

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Jun 17, 2024 Jen K rated it really liked it

The title is spot on; this story was truly enchanting. A wife not quite fulfilled by life in England finds an advert to let a villa by the sea for the month of April and starts dreaming. When she sees another lady eying the same, they start to make a plan to make a month by the sea actually happen. Needing to share the rent further, they find 2 more ladies to share the villa. Each lady has her own discomforts which make them yearn for a month away, more for the isolation and beauty away from dre ...more

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Jun 20, 2022 Barbara rated it liked it · review of another edition

I sometimes find it difficult to review books written before my time unless they contain universal themes or studies of human character. I supposed this book falls into the latter category, although I am somewhat disturbed about how petty all of the female characters in this book seem. Hard to judge when times were very different for women and the cultural differences from country to country were more exaggerated because of less exposure to "other" in the 1920s, when this book was written. Four ...more

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Jul 12, 2017 Ron rated it it was amazing

Light social satire in which four Englishwomen, strangers to each other, plot to escape the ennui of dreary interwar England by renting an Italian castle for a month. The book has little to do with Italy, and everything to do with the inner landscape of femininity. We as readers know the inner thoughts of each main character so we can enjoy the subtleties of each relationship and situation as their idyllic holiday unfolds.

The story is told with affection for the diverse cast of characters, so as ...more

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Mar 18, 2022 Dixie rated it liked it

Honestly I preferred the film, though both were good.

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Sep 23, 2020 Kaye rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 0fiction, authorfrom-britain

Charming book.

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Mar 14, 2022 Bea rated it liked it · review of another edition

A delightful story of love in all seasons of life. I especially liked Lotty and Mrs. Fisher. The men who appeared late in the story were less well developed as characters and only used to reflect the changes in each of the women. A wonderful example of stories written in the 20s.

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