{"id":1591,"date":"2016-06-21T20:50:18","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T15:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fableandi.com\/?p=1591"},"modified":"2020-02-24T09:58:48","modified_gmt":"2020-02-24T04:28:48","slug":"capture-castle-dodie-smith-quirky-young-adultish-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebooksatchel.com\/capture-castle-dodie-smith-quirky-young-adultish-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith \u2013 Quirky, Young Adultish and a Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"
From the creator of The 101\u00a0<\/em>Dalmatians<\/i>\u00a0and Cruella de Vil, is a story about a young girl in a castle. I Capture the Castle<\/em> is Dodie Smith at her finest, snarky yet real.\u00a0I am one of the few who read this book recently, as an adult and I must admit it was one of the best decisions I made in my reading life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cassandra Mortmain and her family live in a crumbling castle with finances so bad that they buy food by selling their remaining furniture. The unexpected arrival of the rich American brothers who have inherited the neighbouring home, sends Rose into a fever of husband-hunting. But does she find the right guy? Does Cassandra fall in love? Does the entry of the Americans make things better for the Mortmain family or were they better off living in poverty?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I Capture the Castle<\/em> is a book filled with hilarious moments and subtle thoughts looming in the mind of a teenage girl. This one is definitely a fun read.<\/p>\n 1. \u201cI WRITE THIS SITTING IN THE KITCHEN SINK\u201d <\/p>\n 2. THE CHARACTERS : <\/p>\n 3. AMERICANS VS ENGLISH : <\/p>\n 4. MIDSUMMER EVE : <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here is why YA fans will love it. The whole story happens in a HUGE castle in the Sussex countryside. There is a moat, there is a tower, there are cold dingy rooms and there are spacious unfurnished ones. Also, the book boasts of every kind of moments \u2013 the creepy fearful ones, the romantic tug-your-heart string ones and also the ones that will break your heart.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND WORDS OF WISDOM : <\/p>\n 3. CASSANDRA IS NASTY : <\/p>\n 4. COMING OF AGE STORY OF A HOPELESS DAYDREAMER : <\/p>\n 5. SISTERLY LOVE AKA BFF :<\/p>\n The affection (and also the fights) between Rose and Cassandra is wonderfully described. It is Cassandra\u2019s truthful portrayal of their situation that made me non judgmental about her sister\u2019s desire to marry a rich guy.<\/p>\n 6. ROMANCE :I Capture the Castle<\/em> is a Quirky Book<\/h3>\n
\nThe opening line \u201cI write this sitting in the kitchen sink<\/em>\u201d pulls you right into the novel. You are confused. Why would someone sit in a kitchen sink? Why is she writing in the sink? Is something wrong? Why would she write if something is? Or is everything okay? Why would one sit in a sink if all is well? You cannot ignore that sudden rush of bookish blood through your body and not continue reading.<\/p>\n
\nThe book has the quirkiest characters ever. Cassandra (our seventeen year old diary writer), her sister Rose (whose sole ambition is to marry a rich guy), her step mother, Topaz (ex- model who is known for roaming around naked on the grounds), her father (eccentric, unproductive novelist who has written nothing after one modernist best seller and isn\u2019t concerned about the household in the least bit), Stephen (the adopted handsome live-in-help who is hopelessly in love with Cassandra and copies love poems to her from books). And oh! There is a dog named Heloise and a cat named Alecard. What more can you want?<\/p>\n
\nThe flavor of Cassandra\u2019s diary changes when they get new landlords in the form of two American brothers. The clash between the American and British style of speaking, mannerisms and even table manners (OH! YES) are hilarious.<\/p>\n
\nEvery year, on Midsummer Eve, Cassandra holds rites \u2014 spell casting around a volatile fire, chanting and dancing \u2014 at the foot of the tower.<\/p>\n I\u00a0Capture the Castle<\/em>\u00a0is a YA novel<\/h3>\n
\n1. CASTLE:<\/p>\n
\nWould you be an Emily or Charlotte Bronte? Do you know speed writing? Why is summer mist romantic and autumn mist just sad? Cassandra is full of thoughts. And she writes them all.<\/p>\n
\nDon\u2019t get me wrong. She is nasty because she is so truthful in her writing. She writes about everything, her shortcomings, her fears and the mindset of the unusual inhabitants of the castle. This is one of the few books written as a journal and reads like an honest unedited diary of a teenage girl.<\/p>\n
\nCassandra daydreams about boys the way all teenage girls do. She spends time imagining herself marrying or having lusty time or fantasizing about being in love. Totally relateable.<\/p>\n
\nThis book is young love at its best – whether it be Stephen trying hard to impress Cassandra, Cassandra being unsure of herself, Rose thinking she can fall in love after getting married or Neil, the American brother, being cynical of love -this book has it all.<\/p>\n