Review of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
If you aren't hooked at the opening sentence, “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” I'm not sure you will fall in love with this book by Dodie Smith. You may not recognize the name Dodie Smith, but I'm sure you know of her successful story the 101 Dalmatians.
Cassandra, a seventeen-year-old girl tells us the story of her family life living in a rundown castle in the English countryside. Her father, once a successful novelist, is now living a reclusive life locked up most of the day in parts of the castle claiming to be writing. The castle walls are falling in and the family is living in poverty as the father is not working to bring home any money, lucky for them the landlord isn't demanding money.
Cassandra has a cheerful outlook on life and is not bothered by what seems like the worse hand on the planet to have been dealt according to her sister Rose. Rose finds life in the castle to be dismal and is never happy and always dwelling on their situation. She wants to get whisked away by a rich man and leave all this gloom behind, but where do you find a rich man when you are dressed in rags and hardly have enough to eat. Stephen, a free helping hand, grew up with the girls when his mother served them in brighter time and feels obligated to the family. He helps for no pay and even goes as far as finding a job to help put food on the table when the father does not and they have nothing left to sell for money.
Cassandra weaves an elegant tale of daily life as she takes us on a six-month journey through the castle walls as the girls have a chance to discover love. Her writings and antics will amuse and delight as you follow her growth into young adulthood. This was one of my Top Ten picks for 2013.
[Notice: Original posting 2014-01-01 at Plethora of Books Blog: http://bookchallenges.weebly.com]
Tags: Top Ten by Year, 2013
If you aren't hooked at the opening sentence, “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” I'm not sure you will fall in love with this book by Dodie Smith. You may not recognize the name Dodie Smith, but I'm sure you know of her successful story the 101 Dalmatians.
Cassandra, a seventeen-year-old girl tells us the story of her family life living in a rundown castle in the English countryside. Her father, once a successful novelist, is now living a reclusive life locked up most of the day in parts of the castle claiming to be writing. The castle walls are falling in and the family is living in poverty as the father is not working to bring home any money, lucky for them the landlord isn't demanding money.
Cassandra has a cheerful outlook on life and is not bothered by what seems like the worse hand on the planet to have been dealt according to her sister Rose. Rose finds life in the castle to be dismal and is never happy and always dwelling on their situation. She wants to get whisked away by a rich man and leave all this gloom behind, but where do you find a rich man when you are dressed in rags and hardly have enough to eat. Stephen, a free helping hand, grew up with the girls when his mother served them in brighter time and feels obligated to the family. He helps for no pay and even goes as far as finding a job to help put food on the table when the father does not and they have nothing left to sell for money.
Cassandra weaves an elegant tale of daily life as she takes us on a six-month journey through the castle walls as the girls have a chance to discover love. Her writings and antics will amuse and delight as you follow her growth into young adulthood. This was one of my Top Ten picks for 2013.
[Notice: Original posting 2014-01-01 at Plethora of Books Blog: http://bookchallenges.weebly.com]
Tags: Top Ten by Year, 2013