📚 'Rather dated' Bookclub; August: Elizabeth von Arnim's 'The Enchanted April' 📚

[FuzzyCaoraDhubh]

This is the thread to discuss The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim.
All are welcome to join in.

This novel was written in 1922 and was inspired by a month-long holiday at the Italian riviera. Von Arnim stayed at the 15th century Castello Brown.

The story follows four women, two of whom only know each other by sight, who after seeing an ad for a castle for hire in Italy, decide to take a break from rainy England and go off and have their own holiday away from their husbands and duties and cares. They take on two more women to help defray the cost of the rental. These others are an elderly lady and a weary socialite. It's rather rocky between them at first, but the tension gradually melts away under the Italian sun as the tranquility and beauty of the environment works its magic on everyone.

I really loved this book. I had no expectations going into it. I thought it sounded a little bit quirky, but I wasn't prepared for how funny it was. Several times I found myself breaking out into a smile on reading a passage (not a common occurrence!) I think Von Arnim had an intelligent sense of humour. It could have become rather silly (the ongoing comments about Mrs Fisher's stick, for example), but she is a skilful writer and it didn't become boring at all.

Underpinning the humour, was a sense of loneliness for all of the women in their own situations and the desperate feeling of something needing to change because going on was becoming too difficult. It was lovely to see the emerging friendships between them and even cranky Mrs Fisher became a new person by the end of the story. It was a transformative experience for everyone. Recommended, definitely.

I loved it as well (it was me that recommended it on the thread so apologies to anyone who didn’t like it!). For me it was an unexpected treasure - I had never heard of it but was drawn to the cover in a bookshop and decided to give it a go. I loved the setting and the way all the characters interacted with each other and I agree that the flashes of humour were well done and unexpected.

I have now bought the author’s complete works (99p on kindle!) so will work through some of those in due course.

I read this last month and absolutely loved it. I was particularly struck by the constraints of marriage on the women; how trapped they were by the expectations of marriage and the inability of the spouses to discuss or connect; how liberating and unusual it was for the women to step outside the social constraints a little and open up to each other. And yet the marital themes were so familiar - a marriage tainted by resentment, a women worried she is unloved, a woman relieved her marriage was over, a woman being seen for her looks not her personality.

I love Elizabeth von Arnim's voice. You could accuse her of wrapping up the storyline in slightly too neat a package, but I loved it and will be hunting out more of her work to fill the month.

That's so true about the women living under constraints. While they came from different backgrounds, they had that much in common. It was an astonishingly brave move to break out and go off by themselves, particularly for Lottie as she was living in very straightened circumstances. You could really feel for the two who arrived in the dark, not knowing if they were being taken advantage of, not able to speak Italian but murmering 'San Salvatore?' hopefully to the servant as he guided them along.

Thanks for the recommendation, Chessie. It's a book that I would read again. I saw the complete collection of Von Armin's as well. There's a lot in it!

I think I mentioned over on the other thread when briefly reviewing it that I'd been vaguely aware of this book for years (and knew about the film), but always somehow thought it was going to be dry and rather dull. Happy to say I couldn’t have been more wrong!

It was a complete delight, and so mischievously funny. The description of the villa, and the gardens, was mouth-wateringly well done - you really could just imagine the beauty of the flowers and trees and the view of the vivid blue sea.

I also loved the way Caroline was so ravishingly beautiful that even when she tried to look disagreeable, everyone just fell in love with her even more - that was such a clever and funny idea.

My only quibble about the happy ending was that Mellersh hadn’t really fallen under the spell of the place as the others had done - he spent the whole time secretly plotting ways to get some good business out of it - but I suppose he was being much nicer to Lotty, so maybe that was as good an ending as it could be…

Elizabeth von Arnim was quite a character, by the sounds of it.

I think that Mellersh (what kind of a name is Mellersh?!) being on his best behaviour to drum up business was more realistic and in keeping with his character than him succumbing to the spell of San Salvatore. It's sad that he only saw Lotty as a commodity ('Did he marry the right wife?') and you could question if they were really suited to each other. The only good thing is that Lotty will be more assertive and not take any old nonsense from him when they are back home, presumably. She became her own person.

I love the Enchanted April - it is my go to book when I'm feeling sorry for myself!

I did enjoy it, but I didn’t love it as much as some of the others we’ve read. I am not quite sure why, because I loved the premise, the writing was sharp and funny and the descriptions of the surroundings absolutely glorious. I think perhaps it felt a bit too mannered to me, slightly unrealistic in the same way PG Wodehouse is unrealistic. And I really hated Mellersh! I didn’t like the way Lotty was so full of love for him and summoned him to the castle, it seemed a shame. The joke about Lady Caroline being so beautiful she couldn’t look cross or fed up was very funny, I agree. And I did like Mellersh’s toadying to her, that was funny. It would make a good film.

It was a BBC film IIRC back in the 90s with Josie Lawrence as Lottie.

And it's on youtube

Ooh, I just read this. I liked the first half but got a bit fed up of when the men came along and everything seemed to be tidied up too neatly. Before that it was smashing the Bechdel test, which is unusual for novels of that time!

I got onto it from a Barbara Pym biog which was excellent too

It was a bit 'right, you've had your holiday, ladies, and given the men time to realise what jewels they are married to.' I have a Virago edition and the introduction calls it a flurry of contrivance that would work well as a play, but that the magic of the castello casts a spell over all of them and miracles of love take place.

And the decriptions of the castello and the surroundings are so beautiful.

Because actually their lives would be better without the men, right - they rely on them financially but other than that it doesn't seem like they add much to their lives other than a ton of housework.

The descriptions of it being a tub of love or something made it sound like a polyamorous set up where they'd all end up in an orgy! (even Mrs Fisher) But then oh no - just fall in love with your husband then, that's a better solution :)

I absolutely adored this book. I loved the depictions of the relationships between the women, and how they changed as they got to know each other. And the juxtaposition of a comedy of errors and a very tender and rather moving story of growth and friendship was lovely.

I was particularly delighted by Lottie and Rose, and by Lottie's growing confidence. Caroline was a touch irritating, but no more than she was meant to be. I didn't want the men to arrive, and would have loved more of the women on their own. And when they did arrive, it became slightly less acerbic and a touch more mawkish, but still intensely enjoyable.

And the book just screamed "warm spring on the Tuscan coast" - I know that area well and it was so evocative. The langour that takes over after a couple of days somewhere warm was so well done, and the jostling for position while not doing it explicitly was just brilliant (who's in charge on a group holiday, who gets the best room, how do you manage different needs - it was absolutely spot on).

I shall be recommending this to (and buying as a gift for) various different people. I think it's a good example of how a lot of novels written by women can seem superficially light, and be judged as such, but actually be acutely well observed and reveal a lot of truth about human nature.

Just reading everyone's comments on this.

I saw the film when it was on and read the book a few years ago. I've got such a bad memory for books but remember enjoying it a lot although I felt the film slightly spoiled it for me. I also enjoyed the film; it's worth seeing, but I wish I'd read it first.

The good thing about having a bad memory for books is I can read it again now and then see the film again!

Just had a search and see there's an audible edition available read by Eleanor Bron if anyone's interested.

Thanks for starting the thread, Fuzzy. I have some WiFi today so will add my thoughts briefly.

There was a lot I enjoyed about the book. As others have said, the writing was very witty. The description of Rose and Lottie's journey by fly to San Salvatore did make me laugh. And as others have said, the descriptions of the scenery and the garden were so vivid and evocative. And the story of emergent female friendships was also appealing.

However, I personally found all the 'tub of love' stuff made me squirm, and I felt Lottie seemed a bit dotty by the end. I was also a bit put off by the trope of sunny Italy as an idyll of love and redemption. But perhaps this wasn't such a well-worn cliche when the book was first written and published? Dare I say it, but the plot was a bit shades of Shirley Valentine to me.

However, overall I still got a lot of pleasure from reading the book, and the deft writing made up for a lot.

It was no bother at all MotherofPearl!
Everyone turned up :)

Lotty in England and Lotty in Italy were two different people. Also, it's like she developed a second sight with regard to what others were thinking and how they were feeling. Her behaviour definitely became more and more ... unhinged, to borrow a phrase from Mrs Fisher. Dotty Lotty, but she was very likeable.

It was very neatly tied up too, but I'm happy to overlook it as the writing was good. It could have been mawkish but it wasn't, I don't think.

Loved this until the men showed up. Before that I liked how they managed to 'escape' to go to Italy and then the first days as they got to know each other and their routines,

It was a bit 'right, you've had your holiday, ladies, and given the men time to realise what jewels they are married to.' I have a Virago edition and the introduction calls it a flurry of contrivance that would work well as a play, but that the magic of the castello casts a spell over all of them and miracles of love take place.

Agree completely with this. I'm glad it was nominated this month though as I've had my lovely copy on my shelf for a few years.

I've started it, having been lent it by a neighbour, but having been a bit reluctant. It didn't seem my thing (and my mother had kept recommending the German garden, but without a copy, her taste was not mine), but this has helped me get into it. She lent me the video, with strict instructions to read the book first.
Lotty having to have a dress allowance from her father, that has been an eye opener. And her husband such a penny pincher, what sort of a solicitor was he?