Thursday, October 7, 2010

Finished for Friday: The Enchanted April

Here is a book that you really ought to read.  It's in the public domain, so if you have a Kindle, or the Kindle app for PC or Mac, or cell phone or ipod touch, you can download it.  It's also available free in many formats from Project Gutenberg.

It begins with two women who don't have much in common except a bad case of burnout.   Lotty is the frumpy, stuck-in-a-rut housewife who first finds an advertisement for renting an Italian villa.  She convinces Rose, who lives to volunteer for others, to join her.  Together they enlist an elderly woman and a socialite to help them cover the rent.

The four women initially cannot relate to each other but solitude and the complete beauty of their surroundings soften their minds and hearts and brings out the best in each of them.  It's a beautiful novel, with lush descriptions of the glorious gardens and castle grounds, as well as the hidden doubts and longings in each of their minds.  Although their transformation and bonding is predictable, the writing is so superb I savored every page.  Reading this book is as relaxing and refreshing as taking a holiday yourself.

What have you been up to this week?  Finish a book or a project?  Join in and let us congratulate you.

5 people stopped folding laundry to write:

Anne said...

Thanks for hosting yet another great linky party!!!

Miri said...

Thanks for the review! I'll have to check that out. I review "vintage"-that is free in the public domain- books every Tuesday. I usually listen to the audio book but I also give the link for the e-book for pdf or kindle download.

The Single Nester said...

Definitely going to have to check out this book! Thanks for sharing and for hosting.

Pati @ A Crafty Escape said...

Thanks for the tip, going to download it now.

Laura said...

Oh, I agree! This is a lovely book! I read it years ago, and it is wonderful. I may have to go get it again, now that you've reminded me...

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