The Enchanted April in Around the World in 80 Books

Apr 09, 2013 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, x13-wishes, library, cozy-comforts, audible, a-lucky-one

John Steinbeck said, at the beginning of his book, Travels with Charley: In Search of America, that "...we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." I was reminded of that quote so many times while escaping to Italy in this wonderful book.

I don't think the power of a trip such as the one these four women took can be overestimated. We see in the novel how their lives were all transformed as a result. It's a pleasant story, but I think as women, as the primary (in most cases) caretakers of our homes ...more

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Apr 17, 2023 Lisa of Hopewell rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2023, audio-books

My Interest
“Reading was very important; the proper exercise and development of one’s mind was a paramount duty.”

This is one of those “Is it a classic or is it just an old book?” that makes the rounds of book blogs each Spring. I was reading seasonally in 2022, so I started this just as a my then “new” job went south. It got lost in the shuffle. This year, having found it on audio, I decided to finish it.

The Story
“How passionately she longed to be important to somebody again – not important on pl My Interest
“Reading was very important; the proper exercise and development of one’s mind was a paramount duty.”

This is one of those “Is it a classic or is it just an old book?” that makes the rounds of book blogs each Spring. I was reading seasonally in 2022, so I started this just as a my then “new” job went south. It got lost in the shuffle. This year, having found it on audio, I decided to finish it.

The Story
“How passionately she longed to be important to somebody again – not important on platforms, not important as an asset in an organisation, but privately important, just to one other person, quite privately, nobody else to know or notice. It didn’t seem much to ask in a world so crowded with people, just to have one of them, only one out of all the millions to oneself. Somebody who needed one, who thought of one, who was eager to come to one – oh, oh how dreadfully one wanted to be precious.”

Four bored, lonely and somewhat neglected women take a castle in Italy to escape dreary post World War I London. The catch is–they don’t know each other and each of them are very, very different. The group was gathered together by means of an ad in the paper. Most of the marriages are well, dull? tired? going awry? The ladies learn to rub along with each other once in the castle, but the fun really begins as the men begin to arrive to join the party. Frederick earns his money in the most interesting way. The castle’s young owner, too, joins in and is a welcome addition to the comedy.

My Thoughts
“Always being there was the essential secret for a wife.”

“In bed by herself: adorable condition.”

For some reason this book has been a beast to review! It just kept getting better and better is about the only real opinion I have of it. I loved the way the “ensemble” grew! The women were such different “types” that they provided comic moments. The men made it all even more fun.

I’m sorry this is such a nothing of a review, but trust me–just go read or listen to the book. I’m anxious to see the movie when I find it online for free somewhere. ...more

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Jul 17, 2019 Kay Green rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookclub

Sweet charming book set in a castle in Portofino in the 1930s. Started slow but grew on me as I got to know the personalities of the 4 main female characters as they all came for a month long vacation to find something missing in their lives. Some parts felt dated but then others would seem universal. Watched the movie as a delightful companion. Lovely descriptions of the gardens and many repeatable passages.

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