I have read about this book in so many places over so many years that I felt I just had to read it. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith was written in the 1940s and has been praised in the same category as Jane Austen. It took me a little while to realize that the entire premise of the book is that a young girl, Cassandra, is keeping a journal to hone her writing skills. By "capturing the castle" on the page, Cassandra hopes to someday become a great writer. She documents her family's tragedy and triumphs, telling the story of how they came to live in a beautiful old castle, how her father had spent time in prison, how they currently live in near poverty. The excitement begins when two wealthy single young men (you know what Jane Austen has to say about that) move in to the estate nearby and take an interest in Cassandra's older sister Rose.
I must say I was slightly disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I had hoped I would. It was a bit of a slow read and I really hoped for more for the characters. I will pass it along to a friend of mine who also happens to love Jane Austen and see if she can help me see the error of my ways. Have you read this one? Am I wrong for not falling in love with it? I would love to hear what you think.
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