I really enjoyed this charming, observant and gently humorous novel about the transformative, invigorating power of a holiday.
It doesn’t happen often, but I’m pretty sure that I picked up this book, first published in 1922, based on the vibe and feel of its title alone. April in Melbourne means shortening days, dropping temperatures and autumnal leaves, but even after nearly thirty years in Australia, the word April speaks of spring to me, bringing to mind rejuvenation and things coming back to life. It’s a perfect title for a story about four very different women who find themselves changed during a month’s stay at a beautiful small castle on the Mediterranean coastline.
The first person to get an idea about renting a medieval castle in Italy is Mrs Lotty Wilkins, a young woman tired of her drab life and marriage to an unappreciative husband, with limited financial resources of her own. Lotty is the kind of shy wallflower who gets ignored at parties, but when she spots a newspaper advertisement for those who appreciate wistaria and sunshine, she finds the courage to approach Mrs Arbuthnot, who belongs to the same club as Mrs Wilkins and fills her life with church and good deeds for the poor.
Though the two women are basically strangers, Mrs Arbuthnot is drawn into Lotty’s scheme, craving escape from her fractured marriage. To split the costs further, they find two more women to share the castle with. One is Mrs Fisher, a rich and bossy elderly widow who’d like nothing more than to retreat into her memories of famous and distinguished men she used to know. Another is Lady Caroline, known to her friends and family as Scrap, a jaded young woman who finds her own physical beauty a burden and wants nothing more than to get away from the “grabbers” and have some privacy at last.
As I followed Mrs Wilkins and Mrs Arbuthnot on their way to San Salvatore, I wondered briefly if the book was going to hold my attention. I enjoyed its humour and social observations, but I wasn’t sure if this light read was too light for me. Once our heroines reach the castle and experience the sun, sea and flowers, the appeal of Arnim’s book became more obvious.
Another novel might have focused solely on the relationships between the four women, friendships, tensions and shifting dynamics. The Enchanted April does cover these, but above all it taps into that freeing feeling you might have during a holiday in a brand new, beautiful setting, a sensation of being released and your spirit expanding. It doesn’t go on a grand tour of Italy, but it has a lot in common with the book and movie sub-genre about finding comfort, release or profound personal change during travels. Lotty is the first one to surrender to the magic of the castle, and her transformation can’t help but affect others, even if it leads to some painful soul-searching and awareness of how miserable their life back home is.
Some new and unexpected arrivals at the castle aside, the plot here is fairly minimal, but Arnim’s light and deft prose, exuberant descriptions of nature and wry humour make this book a delight. She effortlessly switches between the characters’ perspectives and their views of each other, and mines hilarious comedy from the interactions of various social classes and a particular kind of English reserve. As befits a wish fulfillment fairytale, the novel doesn’t examine if the magic lasts once the holiday is over, but it would feel churlish to complain.
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