I Capture the Castle

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Dodie Smith, Dodie Smith: I Capture the Castle (Paperback, 2003, St. Martin's Griffin)

Paperback, 352 pages

English language

Published April 1, 2003 by St. Martin's Griffin.

ISBN:
978-0-312-31616-7
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5 stars (2 reviews)

Cassandra, the 17-year-old narrator, lives an eccentric existence in a crumbling castle in the English countryside in the 1930s. Her father is a former bestselling novelist now suffering from a chronic case of writer's block and her glamorous but bohemian stepmother Topaz is a sometime artist model. Money is in short supply but Cassandra and her discontented older sister Rose are forced to make the best of things - until some young, wealthy American neighbours arrive and Rose sees an opportunity for them all to escape their impoverished existence.

Even when she is encountering the difficulties of first love and first heartbreak, Cassandra remains a wonderfully likable heroine, with a strong narrative voice and a distinctive sense of humour. Whimsical, charming and beautifully written, this engaging classic novel will appeal equally to both adult and young adult readers.

55 editions

A deserved classic

5 stars

For some unknown reason I had managed to get completely the wrong idea about I Capture The Castle. I'd avoided reading it for years because I expected a kind of boys own adventure for younger readers! When I spotted a cheap paperback in a Torquay charity shop earlier this year however, I actually read the synopsis and realised my mistake! I'm so glad I did because I love this novel!

A vivid coming of age story, the title I Capture The Castle refers to our heroine, Cassandra who is attempting to hone her writing skills by capturing in prose all the details of her somewhat eccentric family and their life of genteel poverty in a ruined castle. Despite the perpetual cold and lack of sufficient food, I was absolutely entranced by the castle! The history of the place and the idea of its varied rooms and towers totally captured my …

Subjects

  • Movie/Tv Tie-Ins
  • 20th Century English Novel And Short Story
  • Fiction
  • Fiction - Romance
  • Romance - General
  • Historical - General
  • Fiction / Historical
  • Classics
  • Movie-TV Tie-In - General