I Capture the Castle
(1949) by Dodie Smith
“Journaled” by 17-year old, Cassandra Mortmain, I Capture the Castle
tells the story of the endearing and slightly eccentric Mortmain family. Although extremely poor, the family lives in an old English castle. At the beginning of the story, their lives seem destined to continue in the same manner forever, but things quickly change for them after meeting their new neighbors, The Cottons. From the lovely Midsummer’s Eve rites to the hilarious meeting of Simon and Neil, Cassandra captures everything and everyone perfectly in her “journal.” Her humanness and appreciation of life make me feel I’ve found a true kindred spirit. Cassandra takes on such a life of her own that she really feels like so much more than just a character in a book.
One review of this book says, “It’s as fresh as if it were written this morning and as classic as Jane Austen,” which sums up my thoughts perfectly. Full of humor, surprise, romance, family, and self-discovery, I Capture the Castleranks as one of my all-time favorite books. I read it at least once a year, and it’s a treat every single time. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
(I refuse to see the film version, of course, as I feel Cassandra (Dodie Smith) has done such an excellent job capturing life at the castle that I see everything very clearly played out on the pages, and I couldn’t bear to ruin that.)
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Anne of Green Gables
