Before You Begin

Before you begin.

On a grey February afternoon in London, four women who have scarcely met before find themselves drawn toward the same unlikely escape: a medieval villa above the Ligurian coast, rented for the month of April. Mrs. Wilkins is eager for colour and sunlight; Mrs. Arbuthnot guards a quieter inner life; Lady Caroline is weary of being watched; and Mrs. Fisher carries the habits of another generation. At San Salvatore, wisteria spills over old stone and the sea brightens the horizon, while each woman begins to see her days from a different angle.

Elizabeth von Arnim published The Enchanted April in 1922. Its comedy comes from the meeting of distinct temperaments, its warmth from the ordinary work of sharing a house, and its deep pleasure from the way a place can alter what seems possible. The novel keeps its gaze on small gestures, private thoughts, gardens, meals, and the changing light of spring.

This illustrated edition opens with the cast, the places they inhabit, the ties among them, and scenes from the novel. Eight Story Medallions hold a single image from selected passages; the chapter recaps gather only what has happened so far. Turn the page and follow the four women toward the coast.