After choosing the Regency romance novel, “Shadows of Swanford Abbey” by Julie Klassen for our January and February read, we’ve selected a classic comfort novel for March and April for The Silver Petticoat readers. This time, we’re diving into “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth von Arnim for our book club.
ABOUT “THE ENCHANTED APRIL”
For this book club meeting, we’re switching things up a bit. Typically, we read and review each book ahead of time to make our selection. However, “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth von Arnim is a well-loved classic that’s been on our to-read list for ages, but we haven’t read it yet.
Given its special anniversary this year, we thought it’d be fun to explore this book for the first time alongside all of you. Plus, what better time to read it than in March and April when the title itself hints at the perfect season?
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF “THE ENCHANTED APRIL”
A hundred years ago, “The Enchanted April” was published and became an instant bestseller, selling 40,000 copies in its first year. The novel even inspired a play and several film adaptations over time. In 1991, Mike Newell turned it into an award-winning film that features a fantastic cast, including Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, Alfred Molina, Jim Broadbent, and Michael Kitchen. Fans of “Downton Abbey” would likely enjoy it!
The book’s author, Elizabeth von Arnim, was an Australian-born English writer who gained immense fame and had a circle of famous literary friends, including her lover, H.G. Wells. Besides “The Enchanted April,” she’s also known for “Elizabeth in Her German Garden,” another favorite among classic literature enthusiasts.
If you’re not familiar with “The Enchanted April,” the story is set in Italy and follows four English women on holiday at a small medieval castle, the San Salvatore in Portofino. Through their travels, each woman discovers more about themselves and undergoes a transformation.
If you can’t travel right now, reading this book might be the next best thing! The main characters include Lady Caroline Dester, a young socialite; Mrs. Fisher, an elderly woman; Lottie Wilkins, a young housewife; and Rose Arbuthnot, a religious housewife. These different personalities come together to find their own paths in this delightful tale of self-discovery at an enchanting Italian villa. It’s a clean read with mild language and falls under literary fiction with a happy ending.
JOIN THE SILVER PETTICOAT BOOK CLUB
If you’re hearing about The Silver Petticoat Book Club for the first time, we’d love for you to join us! We’re a community of book lovers who enjoy reading and discussing great books together. You don’t need to be a regular reader of classics to join — we welcome everyone.
Our book club focuses on sweet, smart, or Austenesque books with love stories. Every other month, we choose a book to discuss, rotating between new and classic literature. This round, we’ve chosen a classic, but in May 2022, we’ll pick a newer book from the 21st century.
GENRES WE LOVE:
– Austenesque
– Classic Literature
– Clean & Wholesome Romance
– Fairy Tales
– Fantasy
– Gothic Romance
– Historical Fiction
– Historical Romance
– Literary Fiction
– Paranormal Romance
– Romance
– Romantic Mystery/Romantic Suspense
– Rom-Com
– Women’s Fiction
– YA Fiction (particularly fantasy/paranormal, romance, or historical)
Our discussions steer clear of explicit content or books heavy with profanity or violence. We prefer books with mild steam levels, akin to a Hallmark romance or a PG to PG-13 movie.
We also want to clarify that while we discuss romance, this isn’t strictly a “romance genre” book club. We pick books from various genres as long as there’s some element of a love story.
HOW OUR ONLINE DISCUSSION WORKS
At the end of the second month, we’ll discuss the book on Facebook and Goodreads, with some discussion on Instagram too. You’re welcome to join us and share your thoughts.
You can also download our free printable discussion questions from The Silver Petticoat Review’s website for personal discussions with friends or family. Once the new book is announced, find your copy—whether you buy it, borrow it, or check it out from the library—and start reading! We give about two months to finish each book to accommodate longer reads.
Stay updated by following our site, The Silver Petticoat Review, and subscribing to our newsletter. You can also connect with us on social media using the hashtag TheSilverPetticoatBookClub.
Are you ready to read “The Enchanted April” with us? Have you read this classic before? Let us know in the comments below!
