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I Capture The Castle - Book Review

Cassandra Mortmain is a 17-year-old writer who decides to chronicle her daily life in her family's 14th century English castle. She lives with her older sister, father, step-mother, a garden boy, and other eccentric characters. One day, the Cotton family visits and a web of romantic relationships form between the families. The narrator recommends the book highly for older teenagers as Cassandra undergoes a transformation from child to adult over the course of the novel that older readers can relate to more. Cassandra has a wonderful narrative voice that draws the reader in and makes them forget they are reading a story, not a real journal.

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Milacel Mitra Beltran
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1K views1 page

I Capture The Castle - Book Review

Cassandra Mortmain is a 17-year-old writer who decides to chronicle her daily life in her family's 14th century English castle. She lives with her older sister, father, step-mother, a garden boy, and other eccentric characters. One day, the Cotton family visits and a web of romantic relationships form between the families. The narrator recommends the book highly for older teenagers as Cassandra undergoes a transformation from child to adult over the course of the novel that older readers can relate to more. Cassandra has a wonderful narrative voice that draws the reader in and makes them forget they are reading a story, not a real journal.

Uploaded by

Milacel Mitra Beltran
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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I Capture the Castle

Review by Lauren W., age 17, Mensa in Georgia


Dodie Smith's novel I Capture the Castle is a
journey through the mind of a young writer as she
attempts to chronicle her daily life. Seventeen-year-old
Cassandra Mortmain has recently learned to speed-
write, and she decides to work on her writing skills by
describing the actions and conversations of those
around her.
Cassandra lives in a fourteenth-century English
castle with an interesting cast of characters: her
beautiful older sister, Rose; her rather unsociable
author father and his second wife, artist-model Topaz;
Stephen, the garden boy; a cat and a bull terrier; and
sometimes her brother Thomas when he is home from
school. One fateful day they make the acquaintance of the Cotton family,
including the two sons, and a web of tangled relationships ensues.
While I definitely recommend this book to other readers, I would
recommend it to older teenagers, mainly because it will resonate better with
them. The writing is tame enough that younger teens could also read it, but
most of the characters are adults or on the verge of adulthood. Older readers
would take the most from it since they can not only relate, but they may also
better pick up on and appreciate Cassandra's sometimes subtle humor.
Over the course of the novel, Cassandra undergoes a definite
transformation from child to mature young adult, even though it's only over
the course of several months. I love that I could see into her mindset and read
exactly what she was feeling when she thought out situations. Her thoughts
flowed well and moved the book along very quickly.
Cassandra's narrative voice is wonderful. She is serious at times, but
also very witty, which makes for an engaging read. It feels absolutely real, as
though I'm reading someone's actual journal. Sometimes I forget that I am
reading a story and not a real-life account. Her emotions and the dialogue are
so genuine, and they are spot-on for a seventeen-year-old girl in her situation.
Cassandra has many wonderful insights on life, on topics ranging from
writing to faith to matters of the heart. I personally have had some of the same
thoughts as Cassandra, except Ms. Smith was able to put them into words.
Capture the Castle should be essential reading for aspiring writers,
those looking for historical fiction or romance, or anyone who loves reading
amazing classic books. Dodie Smith is an exceptional writer, and I Capture
the Castle is a book that will never become obsolete.

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