I adore this book! I Capture The Castle is the 1930’s version of Pride and Prejudice. The main character and narrator, Cassandra Mortmain even points out the similarities herself. Cassandra and her family are poor, but well educated and without hope of improving their circumstances and then two wealthy young men move into the estate near their home… The book has incredible English wit and humor. I laughed out loud numerous times (I’m pretty sure my children think I’m a bit crazy).

The characters have their quirks and foibles like many of the characters I have grown to love from Jane Austen novels, but don’t go thinking this is remake of the same story. I Capture the Castle is a wholly unique adventure. The description of the scenery, the castle and the weather are incredibly captivating, and give you just enough to imagine it yourself, but not so much that you get bored with wading through descriptions. Belmotte Tower, Godsend Village, Scoartney, and the other places of this book are forever etched in my mind. Cassandra is an expert narrator and you love her instantly. There is more of a sense of Coming of Age in this novel than in any of Jane Austen’s. In all it was spellbinding. It is a book I will return to often to revisit it’s magic.

Recommended for:

Anyone who loves British Literature (I thoroughly enjoyed the numerous references to literature, poetry and other art, it was like a game within the book, remembering where I had read those lines before, and seeing how they so wonderfully added to the mood of the book).

Jane Austen fans

Someone seeking a good intelligent laugh