Lovely Discovery (and New Favourite Book)

A while ago, a dear friend of mine (you know who you are :) ) recommended that I read a book she particularly liked.  I'd never heard of it before, but it sounded lovely, so I searched the library for it. I ordered it in through Inter Library Loan, but it would be ages before I actually got to read it.  So I did a little more searching and discovered a movie version of it, which I checked out of the library and watched at home.  I wasn't disappointed.  It was such a beautiful, calming film that I left it feeling very relaxed and uplifted.

After watching it, I desperately wanted to read the original book.  So I resorted to Librivox and downloaded it in audio version.  Over the next few weeks, I listened to it in my free time; which was often just the time before I fell asleep.  I fell in love with the storyline and the characters, enjoyed the lyrical style of the writing, and decided that I need to rent a castle in Italy someday.

But before I run away with myself, in case any of you are not yet familiar with the story, I'll fill you in.  It begins in London; rainy, miserable London.  One poor soul, a Mrs. Wilkins (who dislikes her last name and remarks that it has an end 'like the upward curve of a pugdog's tail.') is especially miserable.  But then she glimpses light at the end of this sad tunnel in the form of an advertisement in the paper.  A small medieval Italian Castle is to be let in Italy for those who 'appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine'.  She recruits another lady from her church, Mrs. Arbuthnot, and together they rent the villa and find two other ladies to join them.  In Italy, they each discover Paradise in their own way.

I won't spoil the ending, but I will say this; I have a new favourite book.  I bought it from Amazon and it was shipped today!  It has a place waiting on my shelves.

There is one thing that I want to mention, in between all my praise.  I didn't agree with some of the characters' ideas about religion and being good.  For example, Mrs. Wilkins exclaims to Mrs. Arbuthnot that she thinks they are miserable because they'd been good for so long.  This is completely untrue; if you really had been good, you would be happy.  Other than that, I would recommend this to any romantic.  From one romantic to another; you will love it.