The Enchanted April

By: Elizabeth von Arnim

Narrated by: Nadia May

Four very diverse women, all seeking revitalization and escape from the dreary February rains of 1920s London, rent the small medieval castle of San Salvatore, nestled high above the bay of Portofino, Italy. Arriving at San Salvatore, they find it awash with the scent of flowers, its olive groves terracing down to the sun-warmed sea.

Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot are glad to leave their insipid duties and unresponsive husbands behind; the elderly Mrs. Fisher wishes only to sit in the sun and replay her youthful memories; and the bewitchingly beautiful Lady Caroline Dester desires to have seclusion from all adoring suitors. A month of blissful privacy at San Salvatore promises to be the remedy each of them is looking for. Amid the canopies of fragrant wisteria, in the sweet sunshine and melodious silence, four lives are transformed and resuscitated by the magic of San Salvatore.

©1922 Elizabeth von Arnim (P)1994 Blackstone AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"Nadia May's narration is excellent, especially in differentiating the women's voices and in reading their inner dialogues." (AudioFile)

Comparatively quiet story. Slow moving but worth the time.

I bought this book so long ago that I have no idea when I actually did. Going through my library I found it and remembered the story and the movie which was made of it by a number of great English character actors. Do I decided to listen to it , amazed that I thought I'd not yet listened to it. As it started, I realized that indeed I had. It, I'm sure for a second time, was a slow go. It's a lovely portrait of a small, but, I'm sure, representative group of middle class English. It's rather like "A Room with a View" with less action. Ultimately I enjoyed it for what it is. Rather like "tone poem", but a written one. Be prepared for a slow moving read. But you might be charmed by the characters.

Enchanting!

You'll experience a lovely Italian sojourn in this character study of four English ladies. Von Arnim does a good job creating tension between four women who don't know each but are sharing a space and resources that they are paying for. Those boundaries and tensions melt away at different speeds for different characters, ultimately bringing the book to a satisfying ending.

Not for me.

While some may find this book enchanting, I struggled a lot to get through it.

A happy book

This was a pleasure to listen to. Beautifully written, and narrated, with wry humor and insight. I highly recommend it, especially if you are tired of listening to books filled with angst.

Delightful

This is a delightful book, brilliantly read by Nadia May. Uplifting, funny, and highly recommended