Summary of I Capture the Castle
Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain lives with her eccentric family in a crumbling castle in Suffolk, in the East of England, during the 1930s. Her father, once a celebrated novelist, bought the castle hoping it would overcome his writer’s block. As the family’s finances dwindle, Cassandra’s elder sister Rose longs to escape their poverty and dreams, in true Jane Austen fashion, of marrying a wealthy young man. When two American brothers arrive in the neighbourhood, Rose sees her chance. But Cassandra discovers that she also feels the signs of romance, jealousy, and guilt.
Reasons to read I Capture the Castle
“I Capture the Castle” is a tender coming-of-age novel about a young woman on the threshold of adulthood. Through her diary, Cassandra sets out to ‘capture’ the people and events around her. The book’s appeal lies not only in its romantic storyline, but also in Cassandra’s distinctive voice: observant, witty, and candid, as she searches for her place in the world and experiences first love. Dodie Smith was a celebrated English novelist and playwright. Her best-known works are “I Capture the Castle” and the children’s classic “The Hundred and One Dalmatians”, later adapted into Disney’s animated film. “I Capture the Castle” has enchanted readers across generations, both young and adult, and was voted one of Britain’s 100 best-loved novels in the BBC’s The Big Read survey.
Setting: Suffolk (England, UK)
Original title: I Capture the Castle
Year of publication: 1948
Nr of pages: 400
