I Capture the Castle

I Capture the Castle tells a story through the point of view of the witty, and highly relatable, Cassandra Mortmain, as she documents her life over the course of six months.

Living as the daughter of a down-and-out writer, who's once famous novel has petered out of popularity over time, Cassandra and her family find themselves living in poverty. Desperately seeking inspiration, their father squanders the rest of their money on a large castle in the countryside, where they live off of the mercy of their lenient landlord, and through the help of Stephen, the orphaned son of a maid who used to care for the family.

As events transpire that lead the Mortmain family on various life journeys of love and motivation, Cassandra writes it all down in her journals for readers to enjoy.

Dodie Smith pulls together an ensemble of fantastic characters in this novel and writes them in a way that makes each character essential to the plot and to other characters within the plot. Each member of the Mortmain family is vastly different, and each is written with such specific qualities and quirks that it is hard to believe they aren't real people. Through the point of view of her lead character Cassandra Mortmain, Smith write her story with a fresh breath of wit and honesty that doesn't cater to her readers, but instead, surprises them.

"I Capture the Castle" is a wonderful story that is sure to enchant readers for centuries.