Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“She stared. Such beauty; and she there to see it. Such beauty; and she alive to feel it. Her face was bathed in light. Lovely scents came up to the window and caressed her. A tiny breeze gently lifted her hair. Far out in the bay a cluster of almost motionless fishing boats hovered like a flock of white birds on the tranquil sea. How beautiful, how beautiful. Not to have died before this... to have been allowed to see, breathe, feel this... She stared, her lips parted. Happy? Poor, ordinary, everyday word. But what could one say, how could one describe it? It was as though she could hardly stay inside herself, it was as though she were too small to hold so much of joy, it was as though she were washed through with light.”
“She felt small and dreadfully alone. She felt uncovered and defenceless. Instinctively she pulled her wrap closer. With this thing of chiffon she tried to protect herself from the eternities.”
“She felt small and dreadfully alone. She felt uncovered and defenceless. Instinctively she pulled her wrap closer. With this thing of chiffon she tried to protect herself from the eternities.”
I adored this book. It is quite simply magical. Some of the magic comes from people just being kind to each other,
Why couldn't two unhappy people refresh each other on their way through this dusty business of life by a little talk—real, natural talk, about what they felt, what they would have liked, what they still tried to hope?
And some of the magic comes from friendship and deep gratitude,
Very soon Mrs. Wilkins took her shoes and stockings off, and let her feet hang in the water. After watching her a minute Mrs. Arbuthnot did the same. Their happiness was then complete. Their husbands would not have known them. They left off talking. They ceased to mention heaven. They were just cups of acceptance.
This book, published in 1922, is also quite funny, which I was not expecting,
"But there are no men here," said Mrs. Wilkins, "so how can it be improper? Have you noticed," she inquired of Mrs. Fisher, who endeavoured to pretend she did not hear, "How difficult it is to be improper without men?"
Ah Mrs. Wilkins, a kindred spirit to Anne-with-an-e, if I could have any friend from any book, it would be you
There [Mellarsh] would sit arrayed in stars, thought Mrs. Wilkins, in whose mind, among much other débris, floated occasional bright shreds of poetry.
Even the cantankerous, old lady, Mrs. Fisher, designed to be hated, grew on me, almost literally ;)
She had heard of dried staffs, pieces of mere dead wood, suddenly putting forth fresh leaves, but only in legend. She was not in legend. She knew perfectly what was due to herself. Dignity demanded that she should have nothing to do with fresh leaves at her age; and yet there it was—the feeling that presently, that at any moment now, she might crop out all green.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was lovely for the most part. I didn't love the conclusion Lady Caroline got, but I have a feeling a re-read might smooth that out. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but I think it may have been that listening to the book I had no idea how close to the end I was, so that too will likely be smoothed out. After all, as Mrs. Wilkins, Lotty, would say, what did it matter? You did not mind things in heaven.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5, because, heaven.
Why couldn't two unhappy people refresh each other on their way through this dusty business of life by a little talk—real, natural talk, about what they felt, what they would have liked, what they still tried to hope?
And some of the magic comes from friendship and deep gratitude,
Very soon Mrs. Wilkins took her shoes and stockings off, and let her feet hang in the water. After watching her a minute Mrs. Arbuthnot did the same. Their happiness was then complete. Their husbands would not have known them. They left off talking. They ceased to mention heaven. They were just cups of acceptance.
This book, published in 1922, is also quite funny, which I was not expecting,
"But there are no men here," said Mrs. Wilkins, "so how can it be improper? Have you noticed," she inquired of Mrs. Fisher, who endeavoured to pretend she did not hear, "How difficult it is to be improper without men?"
Ah Mrs. Wilkins, a kindred spirit to Anne-with-an-e, if I could have any friend from any book, it would be you
There [Mellarsh] would sit arrayed in stars, thought Mrs. Wilkins, in whose mind, among much other débris, floated occasional bright shreds of poetry.
Even the cantankerous, old lady, Mrs. Fisher, designed to be hated, grew on me, almost literally ;)
She had heard of dried staffs, pieces of mere dead wood, suddenly putting forth fresh leaves, but only in legend. She was not in legend. She knew perfectly what was due to herself. Dignity demanded that she should have nothing to do with fresh leaves at her age; and yet there it was—the feeling that presently, that at any moment now, she might crop out all green.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was lovely for the most part. I didn't love the conclusion Lady Caroline got, but I have a feeling a re-read might smooth that out. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but I think it may have been that listening to the book I had no idea how close to the end I was, so that too will likely be smoothed out. After all, as Mrs. Wilkins, Lotty, would say, what did it matter? You did not mind things in heaven.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5, because, heaven.
pleasant and entrancing! a very happy little book, with surprisingly well-developed characters for its length.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Me ha encantado muchísimo tanto la ambientación como las historias de las chicas, pero me sobran tantísimo los hombres, encima los tres mediocres en comparación con ellas.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This is a captivating story that unfolds with marvelous pacing and distinctly interesting characters I came to care about even though they all annoyed me to start with. Part of the character development, which we see in masterful dialog and interior thoughts, comes from the contrast of wet and dreary London with sunny, lush Portofino in April. Von Arnim’s scent- and color-filled descriptions of the flowers blooming week to week in the castle gardens are ravishing, and she made me believe as much as Lotty Wilkins does in the magical power of the place to awaken happiness and love, but as a reader I also see how the interactions of the characters work equally to transform them. Bonus: the humor. This was laugh-out-loud funny.
Ni vet de där "viktiga böcker i mitt liv"-inslagen jag läser i varenda magasin jag kommer över? Där alla säger Enid Blyton som barndomsminne och nån filosofisk bok om döden som lärorik?
I två sådana intervjuer i rad (med "kända" personer jag inte minns/vet vilka de var) nämndes plötsligt von Arnims bok, som jag innan dess aldrig hade hört talas om. Så, det blev en till 1920-talsbok (utöver Dorothy Sayers) i juli.
Precis som jag nämnde sist är det många ord. Många artigheter. Många gester.
Men också många känslor, som - under alla de där artiga orden och gesterna - är förvånansvärt moderna. Egentligen är hela upplägget modernt: Fyra kvinnor reser iväg tillsammans till ett soligt paradis och upptäcker sig själva och livet. Sådana böcker (även kallad chic eller beach lit) läser jag visserligen inte, så jag kan inte jämföra rakt av, men... Det här är nog betydligt bättre. Smart och skarpt och snyggt, under alla föråldrade förhållningssätt.
Dessutom kan jag inte gissa hur det ska sluta, ens när slutet närmare sig.
Enid Blyton är ett överflödigt tips. Elizabeth von Arnim ett uppiggande och uppskattat.
I två sådana intervjuer i rad (med "kända" personer jag inte minns/vet vilka de var) nämndes plötsligt von Arnims bok, som jag innan dess aldrig hade hört talas om. Så, det blev en till 1920-talsbok (utöver Dorothy Sayers) i juli.
Precis som jag nämnde sist är det många ord. Många artigheter. Många gester.
Men också många känslor, som - under alla de där artiga orden och gesterna - är förvånansvärt moderna. Egentligen är hela upplägget modernt: Fyra kvinnor reser iväg tillsammans till ett soligt paradis och upptäcker sig själva och livet. Sådana böcker (även kallad chic eller beach lit) läser jag visserligen inte, så jag kan inte jämföra rakt av, men... Det här är nog betydligt bättre. Smart och skarpt och snyggt, under alla föråldrade förhållningssätt.
Dessutom kan jag inte gissa hur det ska sluta, ens när slutet närmare sig.
Enid Blyton är ett överflödigt tips. Elizabeth von Arnim ett uppiggande och uppskattat.
Este ha sido mi primer acercamiento a Elizabeth Von Arnim. He elegido esta novela porque sí, soy lectora estacional, creo que cada vez más. Así que quería algo con flores, paisajes, y buen rollito primaveral.
Esta novela nos sitúa en Italia, en un castillo cerca del mar. Cuatro mujeres que no se conocen conviven durante un mes en esta casa. Cada una tiene sus propios motivos por los cuales decidieron emprender esta aventura tan poco usual en las mujeres de la época.
Es una novela amable que profundiza mucho en los personajes, en cada una de estas mujeres que nos presenta la autora, un poco como una representación del perfil femenino de principios de siglo XX en Reino Unido. Tenemos a la viuda refunfuñona y la mayor de todas, la jovencita rica y guapa que anda cansada de serlo, la soñadora que desea liberarse y la beata que descubre otros valores.
Al salir de la rutina aburrida, todas ellas se encuentran consigo mismas, chocan con las otras y al mismo tiempo, van sintiendo que algo las une. Es una historia pasajera, volátil, de descubrimiento y liberación personal. Un soplo de aire fresco.
La descripción del paraje y los alrededores del castillo no tiene desperdicio, realmente logra ambientarnos la historia de primavera, naturaleza y pureza.
Esta novela nos sitúa en Italia, en un castillo cerca del mar. Cuatro mujeres que no se conocen conviven durante un mes en esta casa. Cada una tiene sus propios motivos por los cuales decidieron emprender esta aventura tan poco usual en las mujeres de la época.
Es una novela amable que profundiza mucho en los personajes, en cada una de estas mujeres que nos presenta la autora, un poco como una representación del perfil femenino de principios de siglo XX en Reino Unido. Tenemos a la viuda refunfuñona y la mayor de todas, la jovencita rica y guapa que anda cansada de serlo, la soñadora que desea liberarse y la beata que descubre otros valores.
Al salir de la rutina aburrida, todas ellas se encuentran consigo mismas, chocan con las otras y al mismo tiempo, van sintiendo que algo las une. Es una historia pasajera, volátil, de descubrimiento y liberación personal. Un soplo de aire fresco.
La descripción del paraje y los alrededores del castillo no tiene desperdicio, realmente logra ambientarnos la historia de primavera, naturaleza y pureza.