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Enchanted August
On a dreary spring day in Brooklyn, Lottie Wilkes and Rose Arbuthnot spot an ad on their children’s preschool bulletin board:
Hopewell Cottage
Little Lost Island, Maine.
Old, pretty cottage to rent on a small island.
Springwater, blueberries, sea glass.
August.
Neither can afford it, but they are smitten—Lottie could use a break from her overbearing husband and Rose from her relentless twins. On impulse, they decide to take the place and attract two others to share the steep rent: Caroline Dester, an indie movie star who’s getting over a very public humiliation, and elderly Beverly Fisher, who’s recovering from heartbreaking loss. If it’s not a perfect quartet, surely it will be fine for a month in the country.
When they arrive on the island, they are transformed by the salt air; the breathtaking views; the long, lazy days; and the happy routine of lobster, corn, and cocktails on the wraparound porch. By the time of the late-August blue moon, real life and its complications have finally fallen far, far away. For on this idyllic island they gradually begin to open up: to one another and to the possibilities of lives quite different from the ones they’ve been leading. Change can’t be that hard, can it?
A modern retelling of Elizabeth von Arnim's Enchanted April.
Hopewell Cottage
Little Lost Island, Maine.
Old, pretty cottage to rent on a small island.
Springwater, blueberries, sea glass.
August.
Neither can afford it, but they are smitten—Lottie could use a break from her overbearing husband and Rose from her relentless twins. On impulse, they decide to take the place and attract two others to share the steep rent: Caroline Dester, an indie movie star who’s getting over a very public humiliation, and elderly Beverly Fisher, who’s recovering from heartbreaking loss. If it’s not a perfect quartet, surely it will be fine for a month in the country.
When they arrive on the island, they are transformed by the salt air; the breathtaking views; the long, lazy days; and the happy routine of lobster, corn, and cocktails on the wraparound porch. By the time of the late-August blue moon, real life and its complications have finally fallen far, far away. For on this idyllic island they gradually begin to open up: to one another and to the possibilities of lives quite different from the ones they’ve been leading. Change can’t be that hard, can it?
A modern retelling of Elizabeth von Arnim's Enchanted April.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
181 people are currently reading
3411 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Bowen
6 books34 followersBRENDA BOWEN read Pride and Prejudice in one sitting when she was twelve and has never quite recovered. She is devoted to Jane Austen, Mary Wesley, Philip Roth, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Billy Collins, Billy Shakespeare, Billie Holliday, Billy Wilder, and many other people named Billy. She lives and writes on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Her favorite food in all the world is the blueberry.
If you are curious as to how Brenda got the idea for Enchanted August, this is what she says: “I almost never watch a movie based on a book before reading the book, but in the case of Enchanted April (the movie) I didn’t even know there was The Enchanted April (the book by the incomparable Elizabeth von Arnim). I saw the movie, loved it, read the book, loved it more — and every time I watched the film or read the novel I thought 'This story could be happening now.’ I wanted to read the updated version of The Enchanted April so much that I wrote it myself.”
Brenda was born in Philadelphia, grew up in England (from Herman’s Hermits to Queen to the Clash), was graduated from Colby College, made her career in New York, and longs for a cottage in Maine.
Enchanted August (the book) will be published by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking in June, 2015, and by Vintage UK in July, 2015. An audio book, narrated by Broadway star Sierra Boggess, will also be available from Random House Audio in June. A new edition of The Enchanted April, with an introduction by Brenda Bowen, will be published at the same time by Penguin Classics.
If you are curious as to how Brenda got the idea for Enchanted August, this is what she says: “I almost never watch a movie based on a book before reading the book, but in the case of Enchanted April (the movie) I didn’t even know there was The Enchanted April (the book by the incomparable Elizabeth von Arnim). I saw the movie, loved it, read the book, loved it more — and every time I watched the film or read the novel I thought 'This story could be happening now.’ I wanted to read the updated version of The Enchanted April so much that I wrote it myself.”
Brenda was born in Philadelphia, grew up in England (from Herman’s Hermits to Queen to the Clash), was graduated from Colby College, made her career in New York, and longs for a cottage in Maine.
Enchanted August (the book) will be published by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking in June, 2015, and by Vintage UK in July, 2015. An audio book, narrated by Broadway star Sierra Boggess, will also be available from Random House Audio in June. A new edition of The Enchanted April, with an introduction by Brenda Bowen, will be published at the same time by Penguin Classics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 464 reviews
May 20, 2015
Staying on an island off the coast of Maine can be a peak summer experience, and Brenda Bowen gets full points for imagining what a relief it would be to leave New York in August. She places four out-of-sorts New Yorkers by the ocean; taken out of their usual environment and away from family and friends, they should be able to see their lives with some perspective and clarity. The book is meant to be a light-hearted summer romance but I found myself unable to be convinced by the characters.
Wealthy New Yorkers are a breed apart, and while Bowen gave us several examples of the type, I found them confounding and by the end acting outside of the character that Bowen had crafted for them. It was jarring to see an adult act with the kind of petulance Caroline exhibited: for example, after the “hat party” given on the island late in summer, she threw into the woods “for the raccoons to eat” the 100-year-old cloche she had borrowed from the house where she stayed. She is an actress, so that may go some ways to explain her sense of entitlement, but after a month on the island getting in touch with her better self, it echoed the childishness of the whole book.
Although we could see the tie-ups planned for the end telegraphed all through the novel, the satisfaction one gets from a romance is that everyone gets something totally unrealistic but really wonderful by the end of the story. By denying that to us, Bowen broke the golden rule of romance.
Coming from a family of Maine islanders myself, I found Bowen’s glee at island life too shrill and too expensive for my taste. Her book is not aimed at ornery cusses from New England I suspect, though these folks want reminders of the beauties of island life. Bowen is writing for people, as we say in New England, "with more money than brains." Perhaps people at the beach like to read about being on a beach, or maybe she is writing for the millions of folks stuck in a hot, crowded city in August…
Writing a book, even a summer romance, is hard work (all those words!) and one senses the author was hoping to write, as she puts it, “incredibly lucrative trash.” She has a terrific marketing team behind her, so she may be able to pull it off. But sorry, no, this is no The Enchanted April.
Wealthy New Yorkers are a breed apart, and while Bowen gave us several examples of the type, I found them confounding and by the end acting outside of the character that Bowen had crafted for them. It was jarring to see an adult act with the kind of petulance Caroline exhibited: for example, after the “hat party” given on the island late in summer, she threw into the woods “for the raccoons to eat” the 100-year-old cloche she had borrowed from the house where she stayed. She is an actress, so that may go some ways to explain her sense of entitlement, but after a month on the island getting in touch with her better self, it echoed the childishness of the whole book.
Although we could see the tie-ups planned for the end telegraphed all through the novel, the satisfaction one gets from a romance is that everyone gets something totally unrealistic but really wonderful by the end of the story. By denying that to us, Bowen broke the golden rule of romance.
Coming from a family of Maine islanders myself, I found Bowen’s glee at island life too shrill and too expensive for my taste. Her book is not aimed at ornery cusses from New England I suspect, though these folks want reminders of the beauties of island life. Bowen is writing for people, as we say in New England, "with more money than brains." Perhaps people at the beach like to read about being on a beach, or maybe she is writing for the millions of folks stuck in a hot, crowded city in August…
Writing a book, even a summer romance, is hard work (all those words!) and one senses the author was hoping to write, as she puts it, “incredibly lucrative trash.” She has a terrific marketing team behind her, so she may be able to pull it off. But sorry, no, this is no The Enchanted April.
June 21, 2015
Structured on the plot of Elizabeth von Arnim's much loved classic The Enchanted April, Enchanted August, takes the same named four characters, changing them from English to American setting them in modern times with its contemporary problems, obsessions and inclinations and instead of an Italian castle, they wins up at Hopewell Cottage, Little Lost Island in Maine.
With more than 4,000 islands in this archipelago, they should be hard to find, one of the reasons the destination appeals to Caroline Dester, celebrity actress currently in hiding from the cruelty of the press after an embarrassing Oscar moment, Rose has left her writer-husband without even telling him where she is going, Lottie lasts a day before forgetting she's not on good terms with her husband and begs him to join them and Beverly is still grieving for his two recently deceased companions, despite the need to tend to affairs that are threatening to overwhelm him.
Then there is Robert, the loner owner of the cottage who can't stop from inviting himself into the strangers midst, along with his long held fantasy that if a woman falls in love with his cottage they may fall in love with him. He has his sights set on Rose who resembles one of the portraits hanging in the cottage.
They arrive with their hang ups and gripes and over the course of four weeks, they will each have transformed somewhat, as the island and the cottage works its charm on them and the simplicity of island life brings them back to who they were before things took a wrong turn.
An entertaining, summer read, not quite the charm and witticism of Elizabeth von Arnim, always a risk when following so closely in the footseteps of another author's plot.
Maine didn't conjure up the same blissful images as the Ligurian Coast of Italy for me, it being unfamiliar. It would be interesting to know how this worked for those who already have an attachment to the area.
My complete review here at Word by Word.
With more than 4,000 islands in this archipelago, they should be hard to find, one of the reasons the destination appeals to Caroline Dester, celebrity actress currently in hiding from the cruelty of the press after an embarrassing Oscar moment, Rose has left her writer-husband without even telling him where she is going, Lottie lasts a day before forgetting she's not on good terms with her husband and begs him to join them and Beverly is still grieving for his two recently deceased companions, despite the need to tend to affairs that are threatening to overwhelm him.
Then there is Robert, the loner owner of the cottage who can't stop from inviting himself into the strangers midst, along with his long held fantasy that if a woman falls in love with his cottage they may fall in love with him. He has his sights set on Rose who resembles one of the portraits hanging in the cottage.
They arrive with their hang ups and gripes and over the course of four weeks, they will each have transformed somewhat, as the island and the cottage works its charm on them and the simplicity of island life brings them back to who they were before things took a wrong turn.
An entertaining, summer read, not quite the charm and witticism of Elizabeth von Arnim, always a risk when following so closely in the footseteps of another author's plot.
Maine didn't conjure up the same blissful images as the Ligurian Coast of Italy for me, it being unfamiliar. It would be interesting to know how this worked for those who already have an attachment to the area.
My complete review here at Word by Word.
June 5, 2015
(I got this book free from FirstToRead.com)
Why are all of the characters in chick lit horrible? Is it just the books I’ve been picking up or is the genre really this awful? I quit this book halfway through because I couldn’t handle it anymore. Two unfulfilled housewives, an unemployed socialite and the living embodiment of a gay male stereotype go to a cabin in Maine (not the start of a joke, just the start of this novel). The owner of said cabin is apparently a creeper who lives in the attic and assumes one day someone will love the cabin so much that they’ll love him too. The husbands of both housewives are pricks but for some reason the wives are desperate to keep them – it’s basically their only conversation other than their children and how much they love this 40-room cabin. While the stereotype of a gay man desperately mourns the loss of his cat, the socialite-turned-ex-actress laments that no one is interested in her despite the fact that she came to the island so people would leave her alone. I wanted to punch each of them in the head – both for their original boring characterizations and again each time one of them pulled a personality 180 out of nowhere because of the “magic” of the cabin. Maybe it gets better… maybe in the end a dragon comes and eats all of them leaving the rest of the islanders to dance in the sun coated in their blood. I don’t know because I gave up.
Why are all of the characters in chick lit horrible? Is it just the books I’ve been picking up or is the genre really this awful? I quit this book halfway through because I couldn’t handle it anymore. Two unfulfilled housewives, an unemployed socialite and the living embodiment of a gay male stereotype go to a cabin in Maine (not the start of a joke, just the start of this novel). The owner of said cabin is apparently a creeper who lives in the attic and assumes one day someone will love the cabin so much that they’ll love him too. The husbands of both housewives are pricks but for some reason the wives are desperate to keep them – it’s basically their only conversation other than their children and how much they love this 40-room cabin. While the stereotype of a gay man desperately mourns the loss of his cat, the socialite-turned-ex-actress laments that no one is interested in her despite the fact that she came to the island so people would leave her alone. I wanted to punch each of them in the head – both for their original boring characterizations and again each time one of them pulled a personality 180 out of nowhere because of the “magic” of the cabin. Maybe it gets better… maybe in the end a dragon comes and eats all of them leaving the rest of the islanders to dance in the sun coated in their blood. I don’t know because I gave up.
September 11, 2016
Habe das Buch abgebrochen weil es mir einfach überhaupt nicht gefallen hat! Habe mir wesentlich mehr von der Geschichte erhofft!
April 2, 2015
Pure pleasure. Well set up plot line/situation and particularly well defined and sympathetic young women characters. I have lived in Brooklyn's Park Slope (where the book begins) for 40plus years and raised a now grown son in the the more funky and self consciously progressive days of 'the Slope'. I suspect that younger women will respond to Bowen's book the the same way I did when I first read Anna Quinlen or Wendy Wasserstein as a young working mother in a rocky marriage oh so many years ago. I was hungry for smart,funny and spot on writing that helped me make sense of my life and were great reads too. Bowen nails it.
Though this is being published just in time to be classified as 'Beach Read' this is so much more!
Buy it. Read it. share it. Not fluff but truly satisfying and sustaining stuff.
Though this is being published just in time to be classified as 'Beach Read' this is so much more!
Buy it. Read it. share it. Not fluff but truly satisfying and sustaining stuff.
August 26, 2015
A retelling of The Enchanted April (1922) by Elizabeth Von Arnim, here 4 strangers fleeing problems and spouses rent a big old summer cottage on Little lost Island , Maine , instead of a castle. Ocean, sand, lobsters, blueberries, and sun on an island which can only be reached by Ferry boat is the perfect setting for strangers to become friends, families to reunite, and for some to find love. A nice beach read for those who got to the beach this summer , or for those like me who only wish we had. Surely made me want to escape "real life " for a month or so. 3 stars
August 4, 2018
I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't stomach the characters, Beverly was the only one I could tolerate. The story teliing itself was also weird- some of the events seemed slapped together and there were a lot of parts where the timing of things didn't make sense. I had high hopes for it- the synopsis seemed so lovely- but everything just fell short.
June 18, 2016
Elizabeth von Arnim's The Enchanted April is the book I should've read for a second time and not wasted hours reading this horrid book. I believe they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, well this wasn't! I tried to go with the flow on this novel, and I just couldn't do it. I guess I need to remember to stick with the original and not the copy!
September 14, 2018
Loved this! Such a sweeping novel and didn't want it to end!
My Rating: 5+ stars
My Rating: 5+ stars
June 11, 2015
Whether you've read Elizabeth von Arnim's The Enchanted April or not, Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen is a near-perfect summer novel. So clear your calendar, pull up a beach chair, pour a cold drink, and prepare to be transported.
Just like The Enchanted April's castle in Italy, I inhabited Hopewell Cottage on Little Lost Island, Maine... and regular readers of this blog know how much I love Maine! I gazed at the ocean, gathered sea glass, smelled the flowers, listened to birdsong, and feasted on lobster. Pure bliss.
Bowen's characters - a pair of harried New York City moms, a publicly humiliated movie star, and the elderly, grieving Beverly Fisher - offer an entertaining twist on Von Arnim's Londoners... especially Beverly Fisher. I delighted in my time with this group.
As a rule, I am not a fan of 'modern retellings'. In fact, I can only think of one I truly enjoyed. Now that number has doubled. And by the way, If you haven't read The Enchanted April, now is the perfect time. Why not read the two books back to back?
Bottom line:
Relax and enjoy some summer fun. Escapist reading doesn't get much better.
Just like The Enchanted April's castle in Italy, I inhabited Hopewell Cottage on Little Lost Island, Maine... and regular readers of this blog know how much I love Maine! I gazed at the ocean, gathered sea glass, smelled the flowers, listened to birdsong, and feasted on lobster. Pure bliss.
Bowen's characters - a pair of harried New York City moms, a publicly humiliated movie star, and the elderly, grieving Beverly Fisher - offer an entertaining twist on Von Arnim's Londoners... especially Beverly Fisher. I delighted in my time with this group.
As a rule, I am not a fan of 'modern retellings'. In fact, I can only think of one I truly enjoyed. Now that number has doubled. And by the way, If you haven't read The Enchanted April, now is the perfect time. Why not read the two books back to back?
Bottom line:
Relax and enjoy some summer fun. Escapist reading doesn't get much better.
April 11, 2015
An absolutely delightful confection. This is an ensemble piece, a window into the slow dawning of happiness for a collection of not-so-happy New Yorkers, those of a certain artistic/literary world. The setting is lovingly represented, clearly one the author knows well. There are wittily crafted sentences, nothing harsh, but some gently realistic about this particular class and group of people. Somewhat in the vein of Meg Wolitzer, but a bit more lighthearted. Clever and charming, overall a terrific reinvention of the original British movie. My guess is this will be a movie too, before very long.
August 9, 2018
The premise of the book was so promising but it fell short. This was mainly due to the characters who feel flat. None of them were interesting or likable. A month in Maine in August without any responsibilities sounds heavenly but the book didn't lend itself to the escape the reader would expect or want.
August 8, 2018
The premise of this book sounded so promising. It was in fact a fun enough read if you could get past the fact that the majority of its characters were absolutely horrible people. The thought of spending a month at a cottage in Maine and everything that goes with that was what was exciting. The story itself was choppy and disjointed in places and I found myself confused a couple times as to what day we were on but then I realized I really didn’t care. The few big plot twists were easy to figure out before they happened and it was so predictable. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I do think it would make a pretty good movie for the Lifetime channel. 😊
June 1, 2015
3.5 stars
This was a book that is a little outside my comfort zone. I normally don’t read a lot of women’s fiction but I thought the setting and the promise of a personal ‘journey’ for our women characters was appealing.
The setting intrigued me. I haven’t read a lot of ‘true beach reads’ but a summer on the eastern seaboard held a lot of interest for me. Visions of clam chowder, clam bakes, and long lazy bike rides filled my minds eye.
This book and it’s setting embodied the east coast summer house feel for sure, but what I loved more than the authentic setting was that the island itself was so remote and isolated. There were no cars and no internet so the women could truly get a way and enjoy the scenery.
For me, the setting added a lot to the novel and I could just imagine sitting on the wrap around porch of Hopewell Cottage, taking in the fresh sea air trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life. The east coast and seashore represents a certain nostalgia for me.
For me personally, I found something in each women that I admired and could relate to. The characters were quirky and so different from one another that I am sure most readers would be able to identify with at least one of them in one way or another.
This book is an updated story based on 1920’s novel The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. While I have not read that novel, other reviewers have said that Enchanted August follows the plot of the original but is more contemporary with modern dialogue and more modern characters. I would agree that the novel is very modern with some sexual references but I think it is tasteful and fit well in the overall story.
So what didn’t I like…..that’s difficult to say. While I really enjoyed the novel and the journey of the women there were some things that just felt ‘wanting’ for me and I’m having a hard time trying to piece it together.
For instance, I wanted it to be longer. I mean over all the stories wrapped up nicely and the characters grew and changed as expected but for me it just ended too soon. I’ve been trying to put my finger on just what it was that felt wanting…..maybe more in depth, detailed growth or something….I’m not sure I just wanted more.
Also, some of the content was a little heavy at times. I wanted a little more humor to break things up in some way. Sometimes I just felt sad for the women. I was satisfied with the overall resolution but something about the novel just felt incomplete for me.
I wouldn’t classify this as ‘just a beach read’. The journeys and changes that these women make are satisfying and inspiring. This isn’t just a fluff book, it has substance and I really enjoyed my time on Hope Island!
See my full review here
This was a book that is a little outside my comfort zone. I normally don’t read a lot of women’s fiction but I thought the setting and the promise of a personal ‘journey’ for our women characters was appealing.
The setting intrigued me. I haven’t read a lot of ‘true beach reads’ but a summer on the eastern seaboard held a lot of interest for me. Visions of clam chowder, clam bakes, and long lazy bike rides filled my minds eye.
This book and it’s setting embodied the east coast summer house feel for sure, but what I loved more than the authentic setting was that the island itself was so remote and isolated. There were no cars and no internet so the women could truly get a way and enjoy the scenery.
For me, the setting added a lot to the novel and I could just imagine sitting on the wrap around porch of Hopewell Cottage, taking in the fresh sea air trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life. The east coast and seashore represents a certain nostalgia for me.
For me personally, I found something in each women that I admired and could relate to. The characters were quirky and so different from one another that I am sure most readers would be able to identify with at least one of them in one way or another.
This book is an updated story based on 1920’s novel The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. While I have not read that novel, other reviewers have said that Enchanted August follows the plot of the original but is more contemporary with modern dialogue and more modern characters. I would agree that the novel is very modern with some sexual references but I think it is tasteful and fit well in the overall story.
So what didn’t I like…..that’s difficult to say. While I really enjoyed the novel and the journey of the women there were some things that just felt ‘wanting’ for me and I’m having a hard time trying to piece it together.
For instance, I wanted it to be longer. I mean over all the stories wrapped up nicely and the characters grew and changed as expected but for me it just ended too soon. I’ve been trying to put my finger on just what it was that felt wanting…..maybe more in depth, detailed growth or something….I’m not sure I just wanted more.
Also, some of the content was a little heavy at times. I wanted a little more humor to break things up in some way. Sometimes I just felt sad for the women. I was satisfied with the overall resolution but something about the novel just felt incomplete for me.
I wouldn’t classify this as ‘just a beach read’. The journeys and changes that these women make are satisfying and inspiring. This isn’t just a fluff book, it has substance and I really enjoyed my time on Hope Island!
See my full review here
May 24, 2015
Enchanted August
By
Brenda Bowen
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Lottie and Rose and Caroline and Beverly and even Possum...you will find out more about Possum when you read the book...find themselves renting a "cottage" in Maine for the month of August. All of them really need an escape and they are all hoping that they will find peace at the "cottage". The absolute best part of the cottage is that it's on an island in Maine...Little Hope Island. The island is inhabited by other summer Islanders and other cottages and a myriad of Little Hope Island traditions. There are tennis games and lobster dinners and walks and hat parties and no wifi or TV or Internet. It's awesome! Lottie is sweet and psychic and hasn't had sex with her husband in ages. Rose laments her past lost life...everything stopped for her when her twins were born, Caroline...actress...child star...but now sort of floundering...and Beverly...his husband is dead...Possum is dead and he has stolen the cottage coffee maker for his room.
My thoughts after reading this book...
This book is so special...sweet yet peckish and irritating characters all believing that the massive cottage will help them...hopefully. Robert...lute player and the owner of the cottage...nerdy...mysterious...and lost...he is just as lost as his renters. Will the cottage work its magic for everyone?
What I loved about this book...
I loved these characters as well as this massive cottage. I loved the way Caroline found things...the hats, the photo books, the third floor room that Robert loved, too. Just exploring this house along with the renters was a joy. Trunks and rooms and notebooks and maps...I want this island to be real! No cars were allowed on the island...you took the ferry to the "bigger" island for food and wifi. Everything that you needed you had to wheelbarrow up to the cottage or cart up...the views...the water...the glory of Little Hope Island...all of this was in my head while I read this lovely book!
What I did not love about this book...
It ended too soon for me...September came too quickly but I loved the idea...the promise...of another August to come!
Final thoughts...would this be a good choice for you...potential reader?
The only way that I can answer this is that if you love quirky characters and a beautiful storyline...and sweet lovely writing...this is a book that should not be missed!
By
Brenda Bowen
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Lottie and Rose and Caroline and Beverly and even Possum...you will find out more about Possum when you read the book...find themselves renting a "cottage" in Maine for the month of August. All of them really need an escape and they are all hoping that they will find peace at the "cottage". The absolute best part of the cottage is that it's on an island in Maine...Little Hope Island. The island is inhabited by other summer Islanders and other cottages and a myriad of Little Hope Island traditions. There are tennis games and lobster dinners and walks and hat parties and no wifi or TV or Internet. It's awesome! Lottie is sweet and psychic and hasn't had sex with her husband in ages. Rose laments her past lost life...everything stopped for her when her twins were born, Caroline...actress...child star...but now sort of floundering...and Beverly...his husband is dead...Possum is dead and he has stolen the cottage coffee maker for his room.
My thoughts after reading this book...
This book is so special...sweet yet peckish and irritating characters all believing that the massive cottage will help them...hopefully. Robert...lute player and the owner of the cottage...nerdy...mysterious...and lost...he is just as lost as his renters. Will the cottage work its magic for everyone?
What I loved about this book...
I loved these characters as well as this massive cottage. I loved the way Caroline found things...the hats, the photo books, the third floor room that Robert loved, too. Just exploring this house along with the renters was a joy. Trunks and rooms and notebooks and maps...I want this island to be real! No cars were allowed on the island...you took the ferry to the "bigger" island for food and wifi. Everything that you needed you had to wheelbarrow up to the cottage or cart up...the views...the water...the glory of Little Hope Island...all of this was in my head while I read this lovely book!
What I did not love about this book...
It ended too soon for me...September came too quickly but I loved the idea...the promise...of another August to come!
Final thoughts...would this be a good choice for you...potential reader?
The only way that I can answer this is that if you love quirky characters and a beautiful storyline...and sweet lovely writing...this is a book that should not be missed!
June 16, 2015
I received a free advanced reader copy for review. I was looking to read something lighthearted and fun and summery but this book was a lot of frustrating fluff. With the exception of Beverly, an elderly gay man mourning the loss of his partner and his cat the characters were insufferable. Robert - owner of the cottage, I think was meant to be a romantic idealist but seemed like a pathetic stalker type. The husbands were terrible and the wives were shallow. Ugh I wish this was better because I did enjoy the descriptions of the location.
June 11, 2015
Original Post: Adaptation: ENCHANTED AUGUST (included a Giveaway)
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Audiobook provided by publisher for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
One of my favorite movies has been ENCHANTED APRIL, a 1992 film directed by Mike Newell (IMDB) with actors both well, and not so well, known. It has charmed me each time I have seen it.
So, the title ENCHANTED AUGUST on Penguin Random House’s tear sheet caught my eye. You know how people adapt Shakespeare to the modern day, or how EMMA was adapted to become CLUELESS and P & P became Bridget Jones’ Diary? This is in the same vein: where ENCHANTED APRIL is about a group of Edwardian-era British escaping to Italy for an April break, ENCHANTED AUGUST is about a group of modern-day New Yorkers escaping to, Little Lost Island, a small Shangri-La of an Island off the Downeast part of Maine (the Northern-most coastal area).
According to Wikipedia, ENCHANTED APRIL was a
…film adaptation of Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel, “The Enchanted April,” directed by Mike Newell. The novel was previously adapted as a stage play by Kane Campbell in 1925, and as an RKO Radio film in 1935. A new, Tony Award-nominated stage adaptation of the novel by Matthew Barber debuted on Broadway in 2003.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchante...
According to me, this book stays remarkably close to the film; I cannot say how close it is to the original book. But here is the question: It’s one thing to adapt a book to a play or movie, or adapt a play or a movie to a different time and/or place, but, what is it to rewrite a book with almost the same characters to a different time and place? Is this art, imitation or downright copying?
There are a few changes in the plot: The reasons the women want the vacation are originally different from what drives them in the movie but in the end it is a sort of peace and solitude within themselves they crave; a rebuilding of themselves before they can repair their relationships with their significant others and the world in general.
Again, I have not read the 1924 novel so I cannot say how different, how more accessible or less accessible it is. I know that prose style has changed in 90 years and so it may be that this is an easier read, more in tune with today’s needs and humor. I cannot spoil other differences between the film and the book regarding plot or character since, with a retelling it is those changes — how the story was adapted — that are often the most interesting and telling things.
And location: In Victorian and Edwardian literature, Italy was both a wild and civilized place, a place of higher passions and wild humanity (as we see in Forrester’s ROOM WITH A VIEW). “Italy” was distant land, a fairy tale, a concept that asked if we can have the higher passions of love and art and devotion without the darker sides of the same.
I don’t know that an island of the coast of Maine offers the same ideas of beauty wild and refined and the healing nature to the human psyche when these seemingly dichotomous ideas are reevaluated holistically.
One thing that has stayed the same is Lottie’s intuitive abilities. These are not paranormal in the way of fantasy literature where they give someone power. Her intuition is more along the lines of “everyday magic.” In either the film or here it enhances the other-worldliness of the getaway; it sets apart life before, during and after the trip.
The recording was charming, the reader’s voice evocative of cool, pine needle littered paths through gardens and woods, peaceful like a retreat. It was a very enjoyable listen.
But, the thing I had to ask throughout was why was this, or any other retelling without significant change, book written? Why not just read the original tale? Have we changed so much in ninety years that the Edwardian story is less instructive, entertaining or enjoyable? The popularity of the Jane Austen’s even older novels would say we have not. And, when Austen is mashed up it is the changes in genre, continuations of the storyline, or an appeal to a younger audience than happily reads the original.
I don’t think there is enough difference between the storylines in the film I saw and this text to say it is an original work. It is more of a translation of the 1924 book combined with the 1992 film, and the language and situations of today than it is an original idea.
If that is what you seek then this is a lovely vacation or beach read. It would be great fun to read the book and watch the movie; or read both books and watch the movie.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Audiobook provided by publisher for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.
One of my favorite movies has been ENCHANTED APRIL, a 1992 film directed by Mike Newell (IMDB) with actors both well, and not so well, known. It has charmed me each time I have seen it.
So, the title ENCHANTED AUGUST on Penguin Random House’s tear sheet caught my eye. You know how people adapt Shakespeare to the modern day, or how EMMA was adapted to become CLUELESS and P & P became Bridget Jones’ Diary? This is in the same vein: where ENCHANTED APRIL is about a group of Edwardian-era British escaping to Italy for an April break, ENCHANTED AUGUST is about a group of modern-day New Yorkers escaping to, Little Lost Island, a small Shangri-La of an Island off the Downeast part of Maine (the Northern-most coastal area).
According to Wikipedia, ENCHANTED APRIL was a
…film adaptation of Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel, “The Enchanted April,” directed by Mike Newell. The novel was previously adapted as a stage play by Kane Campbell in 1925, and as an RKO Radio film in 1935. A new, Tony Award-nominated stage adaptation of the novel by Matthew Barber debuted on Broadway in 2003.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchante...
According to me, this book stays remarkably close to the film; I cannot say how close it is to the original book. But here is the question: It’s one thing to adapt a book to a play or movie, or adapt a play or a movie to a different time and/or place, but, what is it to rewrite a book with almost the same characters to a different time and place? Is this art, imitation or downright copying?
There are a few changes in the plot: The reasons the women want the vacation are originally different from what drives them in the movie but in the end it is a sort of peace and solitude within themselves they crave; a rebuilding of themselves before they can repair their relationships with their significant others and the world in general.
Again, I have not read the 1924 novel so I cannot say how different, how more accessible or less accessible it is. I know that prose style has changed in 90 years and so it may be that this is an easier read, more in tune with today’s needs and humor. I cannot spoil other differences between the film and the book regarding plot or character since, with a retelling it is those changes — how the story was adapted — that are often the most interesting and telling things.
And location: In Victorian and Edwardian literature, Italy was both a wild and civilized place, a place of higher passions and wild humanity (as we see in Forrester’s ROOM WITH A VIEW). “Italy” was distant land, a fairy tale, a concept that asked if we can have the higher passions of love and art and devotion without the darker sides of the same.
I don’t know that an island of the coast of Maine offers the same ideas of beauty wild and refined and the healing nature to the human psyche when these seemingly dichotomous ideas are reevaluated holistically.
One thing that has stayed the same is Lottie’s intuitive abilities. These are not paranormal in the way of fantasy literature where they give someone power. Her intuition is more along the lines of “everyday magic.” In either the film or here it enhances the other-worldliness of the getaway; it sets apart life before, during and after the trip.
The recording was charming, the reader’s voice evocative of cool, pine needle littered paths through gardens and woods, peaceful like a retreat. It was a very enjoyable listen.
But, the thing I had to ask throughout was why was this, or any other retelling without significant change, book written? Why not just read the original tale? Have we changed so much in ninety years that the Edwardian story is less instructive, entertaining or enjoyable? The popularity of the Jane Austen’s even older novels would say we have not. And, when Austen is mashed up it is the changes in genre, continuations of the storyline, or an appeal to a younger audience than happily reads the original.
I don’t think there is enough difference between the storylines in the film I saw and this text to say it is an original work. It is more of a translation of the 1924 book combined with the 1992 film, and the language and situations of today than it is an original idea.
If that is what you seek then this is a lovely vacation or beach read. It would be great fun to read the book and watch the movie; or read both books and watch the movie.
December 15, 2015
I don't know if it was my pain medication or what, but I found it hard to concentrate while reading this book. There was too much going on and not enough to hold my interest. I just read and read and kept waiting for the point to be made.
Enchanted August was hailed as a modern re-telling of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. I have not read that book, so I can't really note how this compares to that one.
We follow four characters, Lottie, Rose, Caroline, and Beverly. Most of the book really does focus on Lottie and Rose. I really couldn't get a handle on the characters for the most part. I feel like a jerk, but I really could not stand Lottie, Rose, or Caroline. Beverly was an easy character to like and heck if it included him more, maybe I would have liked that book.
Having these three women and one man go off the coast of Maine for the month of August should have been interesting. Instead we have a lot of craziness going on with ridiculous romantic subplots being introduced. I am a huge fan of romance novels. And for me I want to read about romance. I am not a fan of affairs or anything remotely like that in my romance novels or even a hint of it. It just colors the whole thing. So for me I was just annoyed throughout this whole book.
Lottie who is angry at her husband for reasons has decided to deny the guy sex. So they haven't had sex in like a year. Who the heck doesn't have a discussion with their husband at that point?
Rose is angry at her husband and feels overwhelmed by her two twins. When the local private muckety mucky school she sends them to threatens to expel her one child, she is at her breaking point.
Caroline is an indie actress claiming to be hiding from scandal but acts like a brat through the whole book.
Beverly is mourning the loss of his partner and his cat. Like I said above, the only character I liked and sympathized with in the entire book.
We also had a lot of secondary characters that sucked all of the warmth out of the book for me. We get the character of Robert, who owns the cottage the foursome stay at, who keeps poking into their business because he has fallen in love at first sight or some such nonsense with Rose. I wanted to shake Robert throughout this entire book. His entire reasoning was just weak as anything. And no I wasn't rooting for him while reading.
The entire plot of the book is about these characters getting away for the month of August and finding themselves due to their new surroundings and people. I for one am perplexed at what they really did find in the end. Two of the marriages seemed to be pure agony and loveless from the beginning and middle part of the book.
The writing was just okay and I can say the flow was hampered by trying to follow all of these characters. And like I already said, every time the character of Robert showed up I groaned inwardly.
I will say that the one thing that I liked was the description of the cottage and the island. I don't know if this is a real place or not, (book takes place in Little Lost Island, Maine) and I am not invested enough in this book to Google to see if this exists or not. Other than that, the book doesn't have a lot going for it at all.
Eventually the book whimpers to an end.
Enchanted August was hailed as a modern re-telling of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. I have not read that book, so I can't really note how this compares to that one.
We follow four characters, Lottie, Rose, Caroline, and Beverly. Most of the book really does focus on Lottie and Rose. I really couldn't get a handle on the characters for the most part. I feel like a jerk, but I really could not stand Lottie, Rose, or Caroline. Beverly was an easy character to like and heck if it included him more, maybe I would have liked that book.
Having these three women and one man go off the coast of Maine for the month of August should have been interesting. Instead we have a lot of craziness going on with ridiculous romantic subplots being introduced. I am a huge fan of romance novels. And for me I want to read about romance. I am not a fan of affairs or anything remotely like that in my romance novels or even a hint of it. It just colors the whole thing. So for me I was just annoyed throughout this whole book.
Lottie who is angry at her husband for reasons has decided to deny the guy sex. So they haven't had sex in like a year. Who the heck doesn't have a discussion with their husband at that point?
Rose is angry at her husband and feels overwhelmed by her two twins. When the local private muckety mucky school she sends them to threatens to expel her one child, she is at her breaking point.
Caroline is an indie actress claiming to be hiding from scandal but acts like a brat through the whole book.
Beverly is mourning the loss of his partner and his cat. Like I said above, the only character I liked and sympathized with in the entire book.
We also had a lot of secondary characters that sucked all of the warmth out of the book for me. We get the character of Robert, who owns the cottage the foursome stay at, who keeps poking into their business because he has fallen in love at first sight or some such nonsense with Rose. I wanted to shake Robert throughout this entire book. His entire reasoning was just weak as anything. And no I wasn't rooting for him while reading.
The entire plot of the book is about these characters getting away for the month of August and finding themselves due to their new surroundings and people. I for one am perplexed at what they really did find in the end. Two of the marriages seemed to be pure agony and loveless from the beginning and middle part of the book.
The writing was just okay and I can say the flow was hampered by trying to follow all of these characters. And like I already said, every time the character of Robert showed up I groaned inwardly.
I will say that the one thing that I liked was the description of the cottage and the island. I don't know if this is a real place or not, (book takes place in Little Lost Island, Maine) and I am not invested enough in this book to Google to see if this exists or not. Other than that, the book doesn't have a lot going for it at all.
Eventually the book whimpers to an end.
June 3, 2015
Hopewell Cottage
Little Lost Island, Maine
Old, pretty cottage to rent, on a small island.
Springwater, blueberries, sea glass.
August.
Such a small, nondescript ad, and yet one that Lottie Wilkes and Rose Arbuthnot can't resist. A cottage in Maine, all to themselves. It would be the perfect getaway! To cut costs, the two women post their own ads, bringing in two more renters: Beverly Fisher, who isn't exactly what they expect, and Caroline Dester. THE Caroline Dester.
Hopewell seems to find the renters who need it most and, as it turns out, this group does indeed need it most. One month is all it takes, but when they leave each of them will be transformed.
Lottie and Rose, whose marriages are both on the brink; Caroline, who believes she needs time away from the limelight and the judgmental public; and Beverly, who still hasn't recovered from losing his life partner... each of them is searching for something. And each of them is inevitably altered by their time on Little Lost Island. Hopewell Cottage offers something more than simple r&r. There's a magic to the place, a magic that Bowen's prose brings to life. A magic that leaps off the page, to be quite honest!
You don't have to have read Enchanted April to be - as the title promises - enchanted by Brenda Bowen's modern twist on the tale. But if you have, I think you'll agree that Bowen has preserved the essence of the story wonderfully while still adding a fabulous new spin on it. It is a spin beyond simply moving it from the 1920s to present day and from Italy to Maine. Bowen has taken the characters and made them her own. And again, it goes beyond the obvious changes - like Beverly being a man. It's in the subtle details as well, each of which maintains the love and respect Bowen obviously feels for the source material while also making it new and refreshing for today's audience.
I thoroughly enjoyed it! In fact, I think it's the perfect breezy read to take your mind off of things. Though it will no doubt make you long for your own island paradise to get away to - it definitely did for me.
Little Lost Island, Maine
Old, pretty cottage to rent, on a small island.
Springwater, blueberries, sea glass.
August.
Such a small, nondescript ad, and yet one that Lottie Wilkes and Rose Arbuthnot can't resist. A cottage in Maine, all to themselves. It would be the perfect getaway! To cut costs, the two women post their own ads, bringing in two more renters: Beverly Fisher, who isn't exactly what they expect, and Caroline Dester. THE Caroline Dester.
Hopewell seems to find the renters who need it most and, as it turns out, this group does indeed need it most. One month is all it takes, but when they leave each of them will be transformed.
Lottie and Rose, whose marriages are both on the brink; Caroline, who believes she needs time away from the limelight and the judgmental public; and Beverly, who still hasn't recovered from losing his life partner... each of them is searching for something. And each of them is inevitably altered by their time on Little Lost Island. Hopewell Cottage offers something more than simple r&r. There's a magic to the place, a magic that Bowen's prose brings to life. A magic that leaps off the page, to be quite honest!
You don't have to have read Enchanted April to be - as the title promises - enchanted by Brenda Bowen's modern twist on the tale. But if you have, I think you'll agree that Bowen has preserved the essence of the story wonderfully while still adding a fabulous new spin on it. It is a spin beyond simply moving it from the 1920s to present day and from Italy to Maine. Bowen has taken the characters and made them her own. And again, it goes beyond the obvious changes - like Beverly being a man. It's in the subtle details as well, each of which maintains the love and respect Bowen obviously feels for the source material while also making it new and refreshing for today's audience.
I thoroughly enjoyed it! In fact, I think it's the perfect breezy read to take your mind off of things. Though it will no doubt make you long for your own island paradise to get away to - it definitely did for me.
June 20, 2015
To the point: I liked this book, I felt it was very realistic and pretty calm. It's a contemporary novel about everyday life.
Review: This book is very tranquil. Just like the tranquility that Lottie and Rose are looking for. There is something so calm about the book that it makes it a perfect read. Especially a beach read. It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day things we all have to do and I think in that sometimes we lose who we are and we lose our connections in our relationships with the people around us. There is something unique about a book that so subtly reminds you of your life and kind of opens your eyes about the habits we fall into. It allows you to awaken and start living each moment with meaning again.
Although I enjoyed that this was calm and breezy, I also expected something. I'm not sure what I was looking for but I kept expecting something to happen and I would turn the page and it didn't. With that said, this book lead me to a dreamy land where I could smell the sea salt in the air around me and I almost ran away with the characters. I'm a very uptight person, yea I'll say it. I get wound up very easily and the tightness takes over in my body, this book unwound me. It gave me some good reminders about life and love and I really appreciate that.
I gave this book 4 stars, it's beautifully written and I adored it. The characters are great to get to know and the story is enchanting. Though I was terribly excited this book gave me something else, calm enjoyment - a feeling of content I so rarely get from books or movies.
Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen. Pamela Dorman Books (June 2, 2015). 320 pages. Women's Fiction. I received this copy through a Goodreads Giveaway.
www.amandanicolebooks.wordpress.com
Review: This book is very tranquil. Just like the tranquility that Lottie and Rose are looking for. There is something so calm about the book that it makes it a perfect read. Especially a beach read. It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day things we all have to do and I think in that sometimes we lose who we are and we lose our connections in our relationships with the people around us. There is something unique about a book that so subtly reminds you of your life and kind of opens your eyes about the habits we fall into. It allows you to awaken and start living each moment with meaning again.
Although I enjoyed that this was calm and breezy, I also expected something. I'm not sure what I was looking for but I kept expecting something to happen and I would turn the page and it didn't. With that said, this book lead me to a dreamy land where I could smell the sea salt in the air around me and I almost ran away with the characters. I'm a very uptight person, yea I'll say it. I get wound up very easily and the tightness takes over in my body, this book unwound me. It gave me some good reminders about life and love and I really appreciate that.
I gave this book 4 stars, it's beautifully written and I adored it. The characters are great to get to know and the story is enchanting. Though I was terribly excited this book gave me something else, calm enjoyment - a feeling of content I so rarely get from books or movies.
Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen. Pamela Dorman Books (June 2, 2015). 320 pages. Women's Fiction. I received this copy through a Goodreads Giveaway.
www.amandanicolebooks.wordpress.com
June 2, 2015
Enchanted August certainly lives up to its 'modern retelling' angle - there are entire conversations quoted verbatim here that were from The Enchanted April! There were a few moments when I felt a little iffy about that, obviously there would be similarities, but here the original story was lifted in its entirety and transplanted to present day Maine. Instead of a castle, it's a giant cottage. Instead of a carriage bringing them to their destination, it's a ferry. Rather than send letters home to their families, they shoot off texts and e-mails when the spotty wi-fi cooperates. While I wasn't entirely comfortable with such minor tweaking, I ultimately enjoyed this one and it makes for a perfect beach read. There's enough substance to sink your teeth into without being overwhelmed - Enchanted August is equally as enchanting as its predecessor with a fun, modern twist and a delightful surprise I didn't see coming!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
August 15, 2016
A good summer read is what I was looking for and that is exactly what Brenda Bowen gave me. The story of two moms, wives, and women who rent a cottage in Little Lost Island, Maine and then invite two strangers to join them to help offset the cost of the rent. I loved the dynamics between the renters. The lifestyles could not have been more different, the reason for escaping to Maine different, yet they worked together. I enjoyed getting to know each of the 4 renters more as the book went on. The fact that Brenda Bowen did not just give away the entire life stories of each renter in the first few chapters and instead gave clues to them throughout the entire book.
The setting of a small island off Maine is gorgeous. I loved the descriptions of the trails and the beaches. I could picture the library and the other wonderful places that were visited throughout the book. The quaint places, the wonderful people they meet, and the experiences they have all make this book the perfect summer read.
The setting of a small island off Maine is gorgeous. I loved the descriptions of the trails and the beaches. I could picture the library and the other wonderful places that were visited throughout the book. The quaint places, the wonderful people they meet, and the experiences they have all make this book the perfect summer read.
May 12, 2019
Basically there are three kinds of people who read this book - ones who haven't read The Enchanted April, ones who have read the book, and ones who have read the book and it is one of their favorite books. I belong to the third group and as a result can't help but compare. The names of the four main characters are almost the same and the situations are also very much the same, with some added spice for 21st century readers. But it doesn't work as well in the 21st century as it did in the early 20th. I loved the setting - the coast of Maine. I have been there only once and it is beautiful. The author's descriptions of the setting were lovely and made me wish I were there. But the story itself didn't appeal to me very much as I thought it was lacking when being compared to the original. Elizabeth von Arnim can rest in peace. Her book is still one of my favorites.
August 8, 2015
Bowen, an award winning children's' author, has made her debut with Enchanted August. Four people rent a home on an island in Maine. Lottie is a young mother of one who has intuitions. She is very sweet and trusting. Rose is a mother of twins looking for an escape as she's just been told it might be a good idea to find another preschool for her son. Caroline is the actress who was humiliated on Oscar night after being snubbed and is looking for somewhere to hide out. Beverly is trying to recoup after the loss of his pet cat. Not one of the characters engaged me.......Lottie was a little too sweet, Rose too morose, Caroline too entitled and Beverly too grumpy and stodgy. Robert, the owner of the house appeared too creepy to me. Slightly entertaining, fluffy beach read. The story takes place during a Blue Moon and I read it during a Blue Moon.
June 16, 2015
I received this from First to read in exchange for a review. This is the contemporary version of An Enchanted April. Setting is moved to a remote island in Maine. I really enjoyed these characters to the original. Plenty of laugh out loud moments. Favorite character was Beverly Fisher. The author has quite a way with getting the characters personalities to leap off the page. This would make a funny Rom-Com movie.
.
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May 20, 2015
An updating of Enchanted April but set on an island in Maine so more all-day lobster bakes than Italian castles. Sweet enough but not my thing. On the other hand, if it makes you go back and read Elizabeth Von Armin, that's a good thing. I don't know what it says about me but I found the ladies from the 1920s so much more sympathetic than their contemporary counterparts.
June 18, 2015
I skipped part of it and just read the end; not worth my time. The husbands are terrible people. The wives are stupid/annoying. Robert was somewhat creepy at first. The movie star was a complainer. Beverly was pretty cool, although a huge jerk, even if grieving a cat and husband.
October 5, 2015
I didn't connect to this book, ended up scanning to read the second half.
December 30, 2019
This was an average read. There really wasn't much of a plot, and nothing to look forward to at the end.
February 4, 2020
Perhaps it wasn't fair of me to read this back to back with The Enchanted April. I did not expect this book to be on par with von Armin's masterpiece but this book was still disappointing. The characters were flat and not believable. One of the main characters causally wonders if her husband is having an affair with a co-worker the same way she might wonder if cherries are in season. Beverly was the only character who I could care about. The husbands, who are supposed to be unlikeable in the beginning, never transformed into likeable characters. The one child who had more than a passing appearance, was supposed to be 3-4 years old but often spoke and acted as if he was 5-6. Then, bizarre oddities like a husband being annoyed at all wife's friends calling and leaving multiple messages on the home phone about who was sick, all the updates for the school, etc. In a book set in the current day? It was just odd. Moms text this kind of information. I did finish the book and it did make me want to visit the islands of Maine.
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