Book Review: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

The Enchanted April. Elizabeth von Arnim. Vintage Classics (2015) (First published 1922). 262 pages. Genre: Classic. 

First lines: "It began in a Women's Club in London on a February afternoon - an uncomfortable club, and a miserable afternoon - when Mrs. Wilkins, who had come down from Hampstead to shop and had lunched at her club, took up The Times from the table in the smoking-room, and running her listless eye down the Agony Column saw this:  To Those Who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine.  Small mediaeval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be Let furnished for the month of April."

Summary:  Four very different woman agree to split the rent of an Italian castle for the month of April.  Each of them wants to escape their life in London for just a little while.  Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot feel unappreciated by their husbands.  Lady Caroline wants to be in a place where she is unrecognized by anyone and can avoid being "grabbed at" for just a little while.  Mrs. Fisher wants to be able to sit and remember undisturbed.  Each of them has preconceived notions about how life should be lived.  But before long, the beauty and serenity of the castle by the sea casts its spell on each of them.  

My thoughts:  What a delightful book!  I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did.

Mrs. Wilkins wouldn't say that she is unhappy in her marriage, she is just "blotted out", hardly noticed.  Her husband is handsome and the life of the party.  She is plain and quiet.  

Mrs. Arbuthnot's husband writes memoirs of the famous.  The kind of memoirs only "certain people" read.  Mrs. Arbuthnot is not "certain people" and frankly, she struggles with the way her husband makes money.  She has thrown herself into work at the church.  Mr. Arbuthnot has taken to spending most of his time away from home. 

Lady Caroline's beauty often casts a spell on men.  She is so tired of besotted men constantly "grabbing" at her.  She is just not interested in any of them and longs to get away from it all and think.

Mrs. Fisher has been widowed for a number of years, but continues to wear her mourning clothes.  She met many interesting people when she was young and loves to reminisce about them.  

Each of these women grows over the course of the book.  Each of their lives is changed for the better. Watching their transformations was delightful. 

There is so much humor in this story!  It reminded me of The Importance of Being Earnest in the way that it was something of a comedy of errors.  The thoughts and dialogue of the characters had me laughing more than once. 

To top it all off, the descriptions of Italy in the springtime are beautiful.  

"Such beauty; and she there to see it.  Such beauty; and she alive to feel it. Her face was bathed in light. Lovely scents came up to the window and caressed her.  A tiny breeze gently lifted her hair.  Far out in the bay a cluster of almost motionless fishing boats hovered like a flock of white birds on the tranquil sea."

"The first week the wistaria began to fade, and the flowers of the Judas-tree and peach-trees fell off and carpeted the ground with rose-colour.  Then all the freesias disappeared, and the irises grew scarce.  And then, while these were clearing themselves away, the double banksia roses came out, and the big summer roses suddenly flaunted gorgeously on the wall and trellises.  Fortune's Yellow was one of them; a very beautiful rose."

If you are looking for a light read filled with beauty, wit and interesting characters, I highly recommend this book.