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The Enchanted April cover art

The Enchanted April

By: Elizabeth von Arnim
Narrated by: Eleanor Bron
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Summary

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.

What listeners say about The Enchanted April

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Lovely Listen

This is a real feel-good story. Eleanor Bron is an excellent reader who brings out the full humour of the dialogue, as well as doing full justice to the descriptions of Italy. Hearing it read aloud, as opposed to reading it from the page, totally enhances this classic book, and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a mental escape to a perfect destination.

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18 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good as 'Love' by the same author


The 'Love' I am referring to is another lesser known book by Elizabeth von Arnim and which is to my mind a far more interesting story. The Enchanted April is a pleasant enough book and it does have some biting wit, but on the whole it is all rather safe and lovely, like a cosy but slightly stifling Sunday afternoon BBC drama. This follows the story of 4 gentile but rather different ladies taking a holiday in Italy together. As is predictable, their rather frosty exteriors begin to melt in the glorious Italian sunshine and the causes of their various miseries are magically resolved. I must admit I found the deference paid to the Lady Caroline character extremely irritating and made the whole thing seem very bourgeois and dated, but then I suppose that's what this book is, and I shouldn't be too surprised. Once again Eleanor Bron does an excellent job but without any really dramatic scenes I don't think she really had to try too hard with this one.

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13 people found this helpful

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Magical

A delightful read, describing times we have perhaps forgotten, when women were not free to make their own choices. Written nearly 100 years ago, this book will delight, appall and enrage you until the magic of Italy pulls you in and enchants you.

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8 people found this helpful

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Well written improbable escape

What did you like most about The Enchanted April?

Well written, beautifully read. Charming escape.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting content: characters of different women of the time and insights into their lives. Beauty of Italy; different sorts of marriages.

What about Eleanor Bron’s performance did you like?

Eleanor Bron reads superbly. She is one of my go to narrators.

Any additional comments?

Well worth a listen if you like character and relationship based fiction that doesn't move too fast.

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6 people found this helpful

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Wonderful

I loved this book so much. I really felt I was there and Eleanor Bron was the perfect narrator.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • H
  • 18-07-14

A Glimpse into a Bygone Age

What did you like most about The Enchanted April?

I loved the uniqueness of the characters and their interaction with each other; how they developed and matured during the story

What did you like best about this story?

The depiction of Italy, its gardens, its food, its people and the contrast between the stiff Anglo Saxons and the passionate and volatile Italians

What does Eleanor Bron bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

She made the characters come alive - such a fabulous voice - so well-read.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful!

A beautiful, original, funny and inspiring story. Excellent narration too. Highly recommend. Thank you

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Very enchanting listen

Loved getting to know the four very different women as they go to got to know each other and how they bloomed one April. Very lovely escape from the day to day.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Well worth a listen.

A real feel good story, put it on when it was raining and miserable, and cheered me up no end.

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Easy listening

Not much happens in the story but there are some good descriptions of the characters and their surroundings. Easy to listen to after a busy day!

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2 people found this helpful