I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith

I read this book as part of the Saturday Review Challenge. It came recommended by Carrie at Mommy Brain.) Sherry (Semicolon) also read and enjoyed it.

I'm halfway on this book. On the one hand, I thought it was highly entertaining. In fact, the reason I kept on reading it was because the narrator of the tale, Casssandra, was extremely witty. The story is told through the eyes of Cassandra who "captures" her family in her journal. Her family is quite destitute, lives in an old castle, and is incredibly weird in every way. They make do with very little, try to impress the neighbors and win suitors (think Austen) while trying to cover up the fact that they are just barely scrapping by. Cassandra's father could work but chooses not to. He was an author who basically experienced one smash hit and then never wrote again. Cassandra, her stepmother, sister and brother spend the whole book mollycoddling him along in a way that made me truly hate his character. He is a wimpy, lazy, good for nothing man who refuses to support his family and, instead, notes their needs and lets them try to fend for themselves. There's nothing remotely admirable in that. I truly dispise his character. Enough to not finish the book. But then there is Cassandra and that kept me going.

Cassandra seems to have the best outlook on life than anyone else in the family. Nothing really gets her gander up. She isn't concerned with catching a beau (until the end of the story) and is generally amused with life in general. I liked her a lot. So I hoped for the best and read to the end.

I don't want to spoil anything, because it is a book that could be easily spoiled, so I won't comment on the ending except to say that I almost wished I hadn't read it. But for Cassandra -- and we go full circle!

I would say this is a "take it or leave it" book. The characters really are not all that admirable and some are downright repulsive. The book IS funny though, in some respects. Obviously other people have liked and loved this book. The front cover refers to it as, "The glorious return of one of the century's most beloved novels." I had never heard of it, but I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean anything. (I pride myself.) I would say, if you have some time and want some witty dialogue, this is a fun book. I also would say that you aren't missing a great deal if you never happen to get around to it.

My two cents. For whatever they are worth!