Reviews

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

mrsguin's review against another edition

5.0

I am not sure how to write a review for this wonderful novel, so I will take a cue from its narrator Cassandra and think it over before I put it in writing. However, I can highly recommend this to lovers of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters!

sjbloomstone's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

dejaentendu's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

mrs_hk's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

amy_macbeth_aotearoa's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

fiona_may333's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

terraturtles's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

javinki_'s review against another edition

4.0

Another book which I've owned for yeeeaaars, but never read until now. As everyone else has already said, 'I Capture the Castle' is an utterly charming coming-of-age novel in the vein of the Brontes / Austen / usual suspects, with a thoughtful and endearingly ("consciously") naive 17-year-old narrator bringing the houses and dramas and humans that inhabit her world to life through journal-style prose. The narrative started to get a little too neat for my liking towards the end, but that didn't ruin the book by any stretch. By that point I was fully invested in a story which, on paper (lol), should've bored my tits off. The sign of a good book, huh?

That said, there's nothing quite as off-putting in a book as a quote on the back from JK Rowling, so I've sharpied her name off my copy - censorship rulez OK :)

blossom_holland's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

5.0

ejwilf98's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely loved this and couldn’t put it down, even though it’s not particularly action-packed. Such a charming voice! A bit fairytale like, yet so realistic and mature at the end.