DSL June Read: Mary's Pick

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Originally published in 1948, this little charmer came back into print a few years ago. Its author is best known for writing 101 Dalmatians, which is much, much better than the cartoon.

I Capture the Castle is about a writer who lives in a mouldering castle with his two daughters and their stepmother, Topaz, a former artist's model. The writer hasn't published anything in years and sits around in a corridor of the castle pretending to be writing, but really just reading detective novels. And Topaz walks around naked a lot, "communing with nature." And the two daughters are just a wreck. And then their fortunes change for the better, and everything really goes bats.

I wanted to suggest this book back in February, but thought, nah... it's too Jane Austen-y. While there's a certain Pride & Prejudice vibe, this book is way funnier. I read it a few years ago, and thought it was hilarious, but don't remember how it turns out. Brady read it more recently and thought it was kinda depressing, but charming.

So, see what you think.

posted by mary_m @ 10:04 PM 19 comments