I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith

     We write this sitting at our green desk. It is much more comfortable than a kitchen sink, as Cassandra Mortmain can attest. She begins chronicling her life at the Castle in the kitchen sink because, as she explains, "sitting in a place where you have never sat before can be inspiring." Dodie Smith's novel, told through the journals of the intelligent, witty, and perceptive Cassandra, is a classic and must-read mentioned on nearly all book blogs. We searched for a copy for months and finally found one in a used bookstore. Although I Capture the Castle is a perfectly good book to read by yourself, we recommend reading it aloud as we did.

     In a crumbling castle in 1930s England, the Mortmain family struggles to survive the father's writer's block, poverty, and the lack of eligible bachelors in the country. 17-year old Cassandra's voice is genuine and captivating, often standing out as the only sensible one in the family. Through her diaries, Cassandra manages to capture the essence and eccentricities of life in the Castle.

Best Line: "I wish Stephen hadn't made me think of food, because I have been hungry ever since; which is ridiculous as I had a good egg tea not six hours ago."