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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
slow-paced
I may have expected too much since the tag classical is applied to this book. It isn’t horrible - it has its funny moments and quirky characters. It just didn’t grab hold of me and keep me that interested in the characters or the story.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
True Rating: 4/5 Stars
Like many classics I've picked up, I had no true idea what to expect going into this. I had what the synopsis told me and the knowledge that many other people loved it, but not much else. I'm happy to say that this is one classic I definitely enjoyed and will read again.
"I Capture the Castle" is a mix of character study, a come-of-age story, and a love story to a country the author obviously missed. Dodie Smith wrote this while living in California with her husband, after they left England because he objected to the war, and you can see Smith's love for her home country in the detailed and provocatively atmosphere descriptions of Cassandra's home. I would recommend this as a must-read for any lover of the English countryside, or fans of the descriptions in L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables."
The actual plot is endearing, and something readers of almost any age will be able to relate to. It's almost magic how the reader's feelings about the characters grow and change during the course of the novel. Every character is flawed, even our narrator, and aren't entirely likeable -which makes them very realistic, even when events in the story aren't. The ending of the novel is also perfectly flawed, something I appreciate; I think if it had ended any other way, the story wouldn't be as strong.
This has instantly become one of my favorite classics, and I can definitely see myself reading it every summer.
Like many classics I've picked up, I had no true idea what to expect going into this. I had what the synopsis told me and the knowledge that many other people loved it, but not much else. I'm happy to say that this is one classic I definitely enjoyed and will read again.
"I Capture the Castle" is a mix of character study, a come-of-age story, and a love story to a country the author obviously missed. Dodie Smith wrote this while living in California with her husband, after they left England because he objected to the war, and you can see Smith's love for her home country in the detailed and provocatively atmosphere descriptions of Cassandra's home. I would recommend this as a must-read for any lover of the English countryside, or fans of the descriptions in L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables."
The actual plot is endearing, and something readers of almost any age will be able to relate to. It's almost magic how the reader's feelings about the characters grow and change during the course of the novel. Every character is flawed, even our narrator, and aren't entirely likeable -which makes them very realistic, even when events in the story aren't. The ending of the novel is also perfectly flawed, something I appreciate; I think if it had ended any other way, the story wouldn't be as strong.
This has instantly become one of my favorite classics, and I can definitely see myself reading it every summer.
funny
lighthearted
Strong character development:
No
(...but only Topaz captures my heart. An eminently forgettable read.)
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Meh... I just couldn't get into this. I've started a few times over the last month and finally today just skimmed the whole thing. The writing was just not my style I guess.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I knew from the first paragraphs that this was a book I'd come back to. But I wasn't prepared for it to emotionally damage me. It would be complete 5 stars for me if the characters had made the choices I hoped they would. But I think it was the author's intention: to show the truth of growing up, making questionable decisions, becoming disillusioned and overcome by your emotions. And the nostalgia you can feel for your own naiveté...