The Enchanted April cover art

The Enchanted April

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The Enchanted April

By: Elizabeth von Arnim
Narrated by: Eleanor Bron
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About this listen

It began in a women's club in London on a February afternoon. A discreet advertisement in The Times, addressed to "Those who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine..." lures four very different women away from the dismal British weather to San Salvatore, a castle high above a bay on the sunny Italian Riviera. There, the Mediterranean spirit stirs the souls of Mrs Arbuthnot, Mrs Wilkins, Lady Caroline Dester, and Mrs Fisher, and remarkable changes occur.

©1922 Elizabeth von Arnim (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Women's Voices Feel-Good Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant  
I loved being transported by this brilliant book. And the excellent reading helped one appreciate the skill in the writing. One of the best audiobooks I have come across.

Outstanding rendition of a wonderful book

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A very well written, totally plausible tale of self discovery and love. Beautifully interpreted by E.Bron...and then there is Italy in her splendor and glorious scents!

beautiful

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I loved this.
So full of humour and delicacy.
The narration simply perfect.
I will be listening to this again.

Beautifully narrated

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I am so sad that this book has finished. All good things come to an end. I have found this book so relaxing to listen to obviously because it’s written so beautifully with a lovely story but also perfect narration too!

Loved this enchanting book

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Beautifully read by one of my heroines, Eleanor Bron. This is a story of women finding some sort of fulfilment. Rather an odd storyline, but one that will stay with you when the tale has been told.

Odd but great story.

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A very Enchanting story exquisitely read and written with great intrigue and characters bought to life

Enchanted April

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A perfect combination of an excellent story and Eleanor Bron. Heaven. I really recommend this book

An Excellent Book

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A delightful romantic story set in an Italian castle by the sea. Four strangers spend a month in this idyllic setting and their lives become intertwined in this gentle world ale. Beautifully and sympathetically narrated.

Easy listen

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Transports you to another time and place. Descriptions of Italian spring are a delight. Characters are ok

Charming

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Gentle look at female friendship and need for a 'room of one's own' in a fairy-tale castle setting.

This was timed well for me: at the same time I was watching Shirley Valentine reassess her life on the theatre stage and after having seen Woolf's titular production as well, and after The Blue Castle, I was in the 'zone' of women looking for their own lives, peace and paths.

I noticed this on Audible and looked into it, having never heard of the film adaptations, title or author before. It turned out to be a lyrical and slow-moving story that was quite enjoyable, certainly as an addition to the above titles and productions.

After seeing an advertisement in The Times for a castle in Italy, available for April, Mrs Arbuthnot persuades an acquaintance - Mrs Wilkins - to share the costs with her. Both are unhappy in their marriage for various reasons and want time away. Searching for two more to bring the costs down still further (after all, it is the 1920s and women don't often have funds in their own right), they interview and accept Lady Caroline Dester and Mrs Fisher, also both keen on time away from their lives.

It isn't long before the sunshine and medieval castle setting see the women relax, reconsider their lives and priorities and open up to the reader about their very different roles and aspirations. A whole panoply of female characters appears to us with their individual problems in their social context.

Husbands (sadly I thought) make an appearance later, and there is a fairly obligatory 'happy ending' for some, making it a little conventional where before it had seemed unusual. Nevertheless, this was enjoyable summer fare and a welcome foray into the period.

Female friendship and a room of one's own

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