I Capture the Castle

Definitely recommended!

It is seldom that I find a book that keeps me coming back because of a compelling narrator. It can be the tone or the plot or the language, but it is unusual to find a really compelling narrator. But however seldom it is, I have now found one. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is a first-person narrative, and Cassandra, the narrator, is really nice, and I found that while I was reading the book, I just wanted to get back to it to spend time with her. And now I actually miss her. It makes me sad that I won't ever hear new words from her in my head.

The book is written as a series of journals spanning about a year in Cassandra's family's life. They live in a castle, and Cassandra sets out meaning to capture each member of the family and their lives. Events that reveal the characters roll along, and most of the characters go though change, large or small. The story is told subjectively, but the narrator is so awesome that I don't mind being inside her mind at all.

The style is easy, and the images and metaphors are good, and used sparsely. I caught myself wishing that I could be friends with Cassandra - and it almost felt like I was while reading the book. Of all the characters I have ever encountered in books, she is one of my favourites (I could never choose between friends). Her journey is really remarkable, she really grows up during this book, making it a coming of age story. But she manages to go through all of it without loosing herself at all, and I find that impressive.

I Capture the Castle gave me inspiration to write more in my own journal. I write much more now than I did before. Earlier this year, I bought myself a fountain pen, and I LOVE writing with it in my paperblanks journal. My expenses related to writing has gone up, given the increased rate at which I go through journals (what used to take more than a year to fill, now takes only three to four months) and how often I have to change the ink cartridge (about once a week). But I think it's worth it. I am now putting many of my thoughts into writing, and it really helps me to sort through them.

Awesome Lizzie Bennet Diary!

This is becoming quite a long blog post, but I have one more thing I want to say. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is nearing its conclusion, and they have finally released a diary to go with it! So that will definitely be my next journal - I am hoping for it as a birthday present. I just hope that the pages are thick enough to avoid bleed through from the ink (I guess changing ink colour to cyan would help a little, but I prefer black).


I really hope the next adaptation the LBD team decide to do isn't far away, because I don't know how I will cope without my Lizzie fix.

Spring: Extreme edition

2nd of March...that means spring, right? Well, this year, Trondheim has apparently decided to give us the extreme edition. Other places, you can feel the spring coming on because the sun is shining and it is actually warming you up. And you smell the fragrance of spring. Not so in Trondheim. Here, you can feel spring coming because the wind blows like crazy.

The view out of my window.
Notice the bending trees and the very wet window pane.

And this weekend, we are apparently being treated to the extreme edition of spring, with sleet and a gale. Have I mentioned that I don't really like the in-between seasons - autumn and spring? I don't like the slush, the sleet, the rain, temperatures around zero degrees centigrade, and I especially don't like the the unpredictable weather. I mean, it does help that green things start sprouting and that things go from grey to colour. But that is later - like around May. Sometimes I wish that we could just skip autumn and spring, and just go directly from summer to winter and the other way. But I guess nature needs the time to get used to a new season.




Anyway, I am glad that I have a warm, dry house to be in with a possibility of making tea and watching a film or reading a good book (I Capture the Castle, for example) while the storm rages outside. I will try to remember that I am thankful that I am not outside, and look out at the weather with a satisfaction of knowing that this takes us at least one step closer to summer.

Lifescouts

Alex Day recently started a project called Lifescouts, where you get badges for life experiences (hear him explain it here). This is a tumblr thing, where you reblog the badge and tell the story you have about that particular badge. You can also buy physical badges. That way, you can scroll through the notes of that badge and read other people's stories related to that. I have reblogged and told my stories concerning the 13 badges I have earned. I have also added a page with all the badges I've earned (this will be updated as more badges are released). Click on a badge below to be taken to my story.

Proud Norwegian Ravenclaw

My pretty mittens

I knitted some typically Norwegian mittens (Selbuvotter) during my Christmas break, and I decided to do them in Ravenclaw* colours because...well, because I identify with that house (and I was sorted into it on Pottermore), and I love the colour combination from the films (navy and light grey). It was fun knitting from a pattern. The pattern I used can be found here (leave a comment if you want a translation). I am pleased with the result, although for my next house colour project, I will be using a lighter shade of blue (this one is too close to black, I feel). My next project will be a house scarf, like those worn in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the film). I'll post pictures when I'm finished (which will be in quite a while, I think).

These mittens will allow me to show that I am Norwegian (everyone here wears mittens like these), and subtly hint to my house identity. I really like that double message. It makes them a bit special.

You know how I talked about reading loads of books in my Christmas holidays? Yeah...that didn't happen, as you can probably guess. I decided I wanted to knit more than I wanted to read. I ended up having read 40 books in 2012. This year I have decided to focus more on the pleasure of reading, reading because I want to instead of trying to complete a goal.


All the same, if I continue reading at the pace I have been so far this year, reading 50 books shouldn't be so hard. I've already read seven books since the start of January, although lying in my bed sick for a week might have accounted for that number. The seven books I have read have been extraordinarily good - I am off to a good start on my pleasure reading year. The books I have read so far are, in order:

Isn't this book pretty?

Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith
I read this on the train returning to school. It is, according to the author, best read on a train journey. I agree. It is a book that makes you examine your heart and it has a feel and pace to it that made me relax and feel good.







Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
This one is really good, but you knew that, right? I listened to the audio book read by Stephen Fry, and it made me appreciate the book in fresh ways.

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
This is another epic tale from the planet of Pern. It's good, but a little slow at times. I would recommend that you read other Pern books before this one - try Dragonflight for a taste of the world.



Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan
A message to all of us on how to treat each other and nature. Powerful and wonderful, the story of a woman's journey to learn valuable life lessons.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
This one is good, but I feel that I'm not really the right audience for it. It's really good nonetheless, and of course I had to read it after seeing the film in cinemas three times.

This cover is really nice,
one of my favourites

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
A really cool and kind of scary and creepy book that is packed with suspension and just makes you want to continue reading. A really good story with villains, marshes, an orphanage, magic, and love.

This cover is also
one of my favourites
(so stylish!)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
A really good book about a mysterious circus that just suddenly appears, and is open only at night. The story is told wonderfully, even though the narrator seems kind of detached from the story. It works well, though, and I am left with amazing, almost living, wonders in my head.







* Ravenclaw is one of the four houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff.  Its house colours are blue and bronze in the books, although in the films this is changed to blue (navy) and silver. The other houses have other house colours. The Harry Potter series is mostly set at Hogwarts.