Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Book Chat: The Enchanted April

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim



****



"What do you get when you take four total strangers, a castle, and a plethora of flowers set somewhere on the Italian coast? That's easy, The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. The Enchanted April is a light and often humerous story of 4 women, each at a different place in their lives, renting a castle in Italy for the month of April (hence the name). The story explores how females relate to each other while trying to deal with the men in their lives. The characters are well developed and the descriptions of the flowers, while thorough and enticing, add to the picture and atmosphere of the story instead of bogging it down. I was intrigued by the way that people lived and interacted with each other. I want to go to Italy to experience the magic of San Salvatore (the castle).



It was sweet and real. However, since The Enchanted April was written in the 1920s, it lacks some of the more probing scandal you might be looking for, but it is an easily read, feel-good, enjoyable story that might offer some fodder for self-reflection without a lot of drama." -Katy Carroll

4 comments:

  1. Katy, just by your summery of this book I am putting it on my list! It sounds interesting and I love the setting of the 1920's You can always warm up to a 'feel good' novel these days. Thanks, Charlotte Kraft

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am adding this to my growing list of books for this summer. Thanks! I think I'm going to like a book without a scandal:) Mary Anne Maupin

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mother really liked this book but my sister was not impressed. I think that this is a story that everyone can enjoy if you are not looking for drama, intrigue, or suspense. I don't want to oversell it but I liked it.

    Katy Carroll

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh this sounds good. I don't mind 'tamer' tales and older books. Thanks for recommending.

    Cat Olson

    ReplyDelete