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.