This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design, and corrected formatting. In Elizabeth Enright's Return to Gone-Away, the Blake family embarks on a captivating journey to the enchanting Villa Caprice near the mysterious Gone-Away Lake, a place rich with childhood memories for Portia and her cousin Julian. The once-grand house, now overrun by nature, offers endless opportunities for exploration and adventure, igniting the imaginations of the young cousins. As they prepare for their move, the excitement is palpable; Portia dreams of the turret room while Mrs. Blake envisions transforming the house into a home, despite Mr. Blake's practical concerns about plumbing and electricity. The journey to their new home is filled with lively banter and the promise of adventure, setting the stage for nostalgic explorations and family bonding amidst nature's spring awakening. Upon arrival, the childrens spirits soar as they explore the dilapidated yet intriguing Villa Caprice, where humorous interactions unfold between the adventurous children and the cautious adults. Joining them are quirky neighbors like Aunt Minnehaha and Uncle Pin, who add charm to the setting. The story is steeped in the warmth of family life and the joys of discovering hidden secrets, as Portia and Julian, along with Portia's younger brother Foster and his friend Davey, navigate the delightfully eerie rooms and dusty, cobweb-filled corridors. They encounter whimsical characters like Baron Bloodshed, a comically frightening figure made from a dressmaker's dummy, sparking curiosity and excitement. With themes of family bonding, the thrill of exploration, and the charm of childhood wonder, Return to Gone-Away invites readers to embrace the quirks of family life and the endless possibilities of adventure.
A wish come true. That's what Portia thinks when her parents buy Villa Caprice, a tumbledown Victorian house along the swampy edge of Gone-Away Lake. A new house is always full of surprises, but Porcia is completely unprepared for the extraordinary things that happen when her family moves into a new old house. Empty for half a century, ugly as a horned toad, Villa Caprice is a mildewy, cobwebby, boarded-up, junk-cluttered museum to a way of life long forgotten. But it is also a wonderland, filled to the rafters with fifty years' worth of treasures and secrets - small mysteries that Portia and Julian must solve to uncover the greatest secret of all.... (Goodreads)
