The Enchanted April cover art

The Enchanted April

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Enchanted April

By: Elizabeth von Arnim
Narrated by: Nadia May
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £13.89

Buy Now for £13.89

About this listen

 Four very diverse women, all seeking revitalization and escape from the dreary February rains of 1920s London, rent the small medieval castle of San Salvatore, nestled high above the bay of Portofino, Italy. Arriving at San Salvatore, they find it awash with the scent of flowers, its olive groves terracing down to the sun-warmed sea.

Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot are glad to leave their insipid duties and unresponsive husbands behind; the elderly Mrs. Fisher wishes only to sit in the sun and replay her youthful memories; and the bewitchingly beautiful Lady Caroline Dester desires to have seclusion from all adoring suitors. A month of blissful privacy at San Salvatore promises to be the remedy each of them is looking for. Amid the canopies of fragrant wisteria, in the sweet sunshine and melodious silence, four lives are transformed and resuscitated by the magic of San Salvatore.

©1922 Elizabeth von Arnim (P)1994 Blackstone AudioBooks Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Heartfelt

Critic reviews

"Nadia May's narration is excellent, especially in differentiating the women's voices and in reading their inner dialogues." ( AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant
Yes, it feels a bit dated in many ways yet the question of how to live one's life, what's important, and the healing power of nature and beauty are as relevant as ever. I loved the description of the villa and garden. Utterly charming and well read by Nadia May.

This little book brought me so much joy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love this audiobook and highly recommend it! Full of humour and brilliant descriptions of a wonderful holiday in Italy.

The Enchanted April - very funny and entertaining

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Absolutely lovely, the story unfolded gently with wonderful characterisations & descriptions that transported me to Italy. I enjoyed the narration greatly. Unlike other reviewers I’d not seen or heard this before so had no preconceptions. Thoroughly recommend it.

Heaven!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautifully observed, well read. I could almost smell those flowers. Quietly amusing must see if I can find the film version.

Evocative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Nadia May excels herself here as the narrator, she sounds as if she's enjoying reading the story. All in all, it's a lively, refreshing, simple book making it easy to listen to. One character in The Enchanted April describes their holiday in Italy, as taking place in heaven. Elizabeth Von Arnim also lavishly describes a garden and the flowers of Italy, interwoven in a lovely story. There's gentle comedy in here too, what more can you ask for?

A trip to heaven!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews