'I Capture the Castle' is one of the most infuriating books I've ever read! (Spoilers)

Submitted by BomberBootBabe88 t3_zt731j in books

I want to completely rewrite it and call it 'I Capture the Castle but Cassandra Isn't Such a Silly Bitch About That Creep Simon and Marries Stephen in the End'

The first half of the book was great! Beautifully well written and really got the feel of an English countryside spring. I loved it.

It's Midsummer Eve where it takes an awful turn and within a few chapters I put it down and just read the plot synopsis on Wikipedia because I couldn't finish it.

Maybe part of my problem might be due to living in 2022 America and the book takes place in 1930's England, so there's a cultural gap as well as a difference in time period, but the whole evening just put me off. Cassandra is 17, just weeks away from turning 18, which isn't the big deal here but it plays into my problem. The problem is that Simon treats her like a child, and even CALLS her a child, but then kisses her in the same breath. That on top of being engaged to Rose. It's disgusting! After that Cassandra's character completely changes and she's absolutely unbearable to read. She's selfish, unreasonable, obsessive, and very very cruel to Stephen, when she was such a delight to read in the first half of the book.

I wasn't expecting a completely happy ending, but for the love of God, let there at least be some justice or an epiphany or something! I really wanted her to see how stupid she was being, come clean to her sister, and start making amends with Stephen.

I'm glad Simon's heart got broken though, he deserved it.

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jefrye t1_j1ckv49 wrote

I read this about a year ago and really liked it. I think it helps to look at it as a coming-of-age story and not a romance: Cassandra is 17, fairly sheltered, and in love for the first time. Of course she doesn't know how to handle the situation and is constantly mistakes! The novel is all about her overcoming those mistakes and growing as a person, which is demonstrated when she refuses both Stephen (because it wouldn't be fair to him) and Simon (because it wouldn't be fair to her). After all, she wasn't in love with Stephen (probably because he's basically her brother) and so was right to turn him down.

Perhaps a bit unsatisfying if you were expecting a romance novel, but it felt like the perfect ending to me as, in the spirit of a true bildungsroman, it shows exactly how Cassandra has come face-to-face with reality and is a stronger person for it. (She's also still incredibly young with her whole life before her.)

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bofh000 t1_j1cu4kr wrote

I agree, it’s - among other things - an exploration of romantic feelings within the coming of age of a very sheltered teenager in a very specific context.

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BomberBootBabe88 OP t1_j1dhlcv wrote

I suppose you're right about Stephen and Simon. I think the problem is that I fell in love with Stephen and wanted him to end up happier, but also that I saw a little too much of myself as a teenager "in love" for the first time in Cassandra. I'm pretty sure I have journal entries that read very much the same as hers after she "falls in love" with Simon.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from the book. I read it because my daughter (who is 5) is obsessed with Disney's 101 Dalmations right now and I got curious about Smith's other work. I know she wrote it because she was living in America and missed England, and having just recently visited England for the first time I miss it too, so I gave it a shot.

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bofh000 t1_j1cuaxg wrote

I think it does pretty well at capturing the less likable and endearing parts of a young woman’s thinking and feeling. As another commenter mentions, it’s a coming of age story. And it’s supposed to show the most inner thoughts and feelings. The kind we all have, but never express them out loud.

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Ealinguser t1_j1dn034 wrote

I think the problem is more with your expectations than the book.

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