Share
About The book
Four women, with very different backgrounds and characters - the artless Lottie Wilkins, the pious Rose Arbuthnot, the cantankerous Mrs Fisher and the haughty Lady Caroline Dester - respond to an advertisement in The Times offering a medieval castle to rent in Italy that April.
As their joint holiday begins, tensions flare up between them, but they soon bond over their past misfortunes and rediscover hope and the pleasures of life in their tranquil surroundings.
A huge best-seller when it was published in 1922, The Enchanted April has inspired generations of readers since and established Portofino and the Italian Riviera as a mainstay of the tourist circuit.
Why We Love It
First published in 1922, The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim is one of those slightly overlooked classics that, once discovered, makes you wonder why it isn’t more widely talked about.
Set in the aftermath of the First World War, it tells the story of four very different women who join together to rent an Italian castle for a month.
Thrown together by circumstance and bound by their own discontentments, the four women don't exactly get along to begin with but the warm Italian climate, beautiful scenery and growing friendship between them gradually has a transformative affect on each of them.
Reading this book is like stepping into a patch of sunshine - Elizabeth von Arnim writes such vivid descriptions of the Italian countryside that you can almost imagine the warmth of the sun and scent of wisteria in the air.
Add into the mix eccentric, yet relatable characters and a warm, gentle humour and you have a truly enchanting novel that will leave you be longing for your own Mediterranean escape.
It's an uplifting, joyous read - perfect for popping into your suitcase before a trip or for curling up on the sofa with on a rainy afternoon to chase away the blues.
