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I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Posted by Sara on July 1st, 2008
Join us in a discussion of one of my favorite novels, I Capture the Castle. There are different motivations in pulling a book from the shelves and deciding to follow the author into a different world. Sometimes we are looking for a little relaxation, mental stimulation, or belly grabbing laughter. This novel offers all of this through the eyes of Cassandra Mortmain, a young woman who realizes much about herself and her odd family in six short months… Written over 50 years ago, Dodie Smith takes you into a dilapidated castle and uncovers a heartwarming, dysfunctional family.
Join us and enter to win one of our Adult Summer Reading Raffles:
$30 to Cliff’s Country Inn
$75 to DiSiena Furniture
Tuesday, July 15th @ 6:30 pm
July 29th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I have simply adored this book since I discovered it through a Woman’s Hour reading back in the early 70’s. I must have read it a hundred times, and probably know huge chunks of it by heart. I think the more I read it, the more subtle the story seems, the cleverer the delineating of Cassandra’s development. I even read it myself onto tape for my Mother, who has lost much of her vision and can no longer read, because I wanted to share it with her. It’s a very good way to get a real sense of the construction and pacing of her writing.
But, as Cassandra herself notes, the most interesting stories are the ones without a ‘brick wall happy ending’…has anyone else speculated about what happened to Cassandra and the others as time went on, as the War encroached upon them, as life changed forever? I have my own scenario, but wouldn’t presume to try to write it - I like leaving Cassandra with an open future and every possibility still available to her.
July 25th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the story, but felt the ending could have been more exciting.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I love this story for many reasons. In particular, how Dodie Smith takes the reader through Cassandra’s “coming of age” through the girl’s diary entries. Even the notebooks she uses changes as she matures. It was a fun read about a place I have never been to and a time that will never be again. Good Stuff!
July 14th, 2008 at 7:04 am
How many times did the author need to tell us that she was trying to “capture” the moment????? Loved the story except for this one bit of obvious-ness repeated once too often……..