Whether your summer plans include travelling the world or a sunny staycation, your companion should always be a good book. With a wide variety of themes, writing styles and locations to choose from, there will certainly be one on this list to entice you into its summer scene. From classical to modern, here are six titles which can transport you to another country.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim, (1922)
If you’re searching for an entrancing, escapist novel, then Elizabeth Von Arnim’s The Enchanted April is for you. Four dissimilar women living different lives separately set off on a month-long trip to a medieval castle in Portofino, Italy. Some fleeing their ungrateful husbands and others shunning societal expectations, they come together on a journey of hopeful self-discovery in a tranquil, idyllic setting quoted as ‘All the radiance of April in Italy gathered together’. Arnim’s early summer spell takes over their lives and identities, and her mesmerizingly detailed descriptions will undoubtedly whisk you away to the wisteria-clad castle too.
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, (1934)
‘On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera’, everything isn’t as it seems beneath the surface of Tender is the Night. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s final novel captures the glitz and glamour of a French Riviera summer, yet he uses this facade to confront the complex realities behind relationships and mental health. Following the rise and fall of Dick Diver, this is less of a light beach read, but a classic which dissects how love and power coexist. Unveiling the hidden reality behind riches and stardom, Fitzgerald’s language and imagery create a lasting portrait of the crisis that comes from abuse of power.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, (2011)
‘Brilliant’ is the perfect word for Elena Ferrante’s coming-of-age tale. Set in a poor neighbourhood in Naples in the 1950s, My Brilliant Friend narrates the universal, youthful experience of struggling to navigate friendships and relationships whilst discovering your individual identity. This novel is a reflection on childhood by the protagonist Elena, following the disappearance of her life-long friend, Lila; ‘The truest evocation of a complex and lifelong friendship between women I’ve ever read’, states author Emily Gould. Ferrante’s prose enlivens the Neapolitan community, realistically portraying the inevitability of social differences and diverting paths in adulthood.
August Blue by Deborah Levy, (2023)
Deborah Levy uses the familiar trope of travelling to ‘find yourself’ with her protagonist Elsa, who flees to Athens to escape reality, running from her past and failing pianist career. ‘August Blue is full of such delightfully strange moments’ as Elsa’s journey to discovering her identity unravels, according to The IPaper, seeing parts of herself in the people she meets and observes on her travels. This novel incorporates a post-coronavirus world, heightening Elsa’s need to explore the world and discover her sense of self. Levy’s lyrical writing in tune with the musical theme embedded throughout the novel makes this an introspective, relatable summer read.
A Room with a View by E. M. Forster, (1908)
A Room with a View introduces eccentric, English characters on their Italian summer getaway. E. M. Forster details Lucy’s conflict between following her heart towards independence and travel or conforming to societal expectations. With this defining trip leading to her indecision, ‘The true Italy is to only be found by patient observation’ is Forster’s message. Lucy embodies the restrictions of the Edwardian-Era, ultimately succumbing to convention rather than finding herself through adventure. This classical romance perfectly captures the freedom and endless opportunity that summer embodies.
Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee, (1959)
Set in the English countryside of the Cotswolds, Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie is an autobiography recalling life in a remote, countryside village. It follows his journey throughout childhood into adolescence, navigating defining experiences such as love and loss. In a post Great War world, Lee focuses on the inevitability of change, reflecting on traditional village life before this significant societal alteration. Cider with Rosie ‘has got a marvellous morning freshness’ about it, says the Daily Mail, making it the ideal read if you’re searching for the wholesome, heartwarming nostalgia of childhood summers.
These accessible books have the ability to entrap you within their pages for hours on end. Whether you wish to be whisked away to the Italian coast or to the English countryside, one of these tales is certain to occupy your next sunny summer’s day.
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