The story in one page
Mrs. Wilkins, seeking escape from a dreary London marriage, spots a newspaper advertisement for a small medieval Italian castle. She recruits the pious Rose Arbuthnot to share the cost. They then add the formidable, elderly Mrs. Fisher and the glamorous, aloof Lady Caroline to their party to lower expenses. At San Salvatore, the scent of wistaria and the warmth of the Mediterranean sun dissolve their rigid British reserve. As the month progresses, the women find their grievances replaced by serenity, eventually inviting their grumpy husbands and romantic interests to the castle, where reconciliations bloom alongside the white acacia blossoms.
Who's who
- Mrs. Wilkins
An imaginative woman who orchestrates the trip to Italy.
- Rose Arbuthnot
A pious woman searching for emotional fulfillment outside her marriage.
- Mrs. Fisher
An elderly woman who clings to her status and past.
- Lady Caroline
A socialite tired of being pursued for her beauty.
What it's really about
- Transmutation
- People and environments dissolve into light and joy.
- Thrift
- Savings can either fund a castle or sit stagnant.
Why it's memorable
- Mrs. Wilkins seeing her husband shimmer into an iridescent, harmless light.
- Mrs. Fisher experiencing the absurd, youthful sensation that she might suddenly burgeon.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
As everyone departs on May first, the scent of the acacias lingers in the air. The guests leave San Salvatore as entirely different, and more content, people.
For your book club
- Can a change of scenery actually replace internal character growth?
- Why does the castle act as a catalyst for such rapid personality shifts?