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Original poster

Something like I capture the castle

41 replies

Iknownothing · 18/10/2023 16:29

DD (17) has post gcse rediscovered her passion for reading. I gave her ‘I captured the castle’ which she loved. Also loved Little women. She’s asked for similar vibe books for Christmas- any recommendations? I was thinking some Jane Austen?

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GonnaGetGoingReturns · 23/10/2023 16:29

spitefulandbadgrammar · 19/10/2023 10:10

A Little Love Song
Cold Comfort Farm
The Whalebone Theatre
The Square Root of Summer
A Moment in Time (HE Bates, it’s out of print but well worth finding second hand on Abe Books)
The Greengage Summer (I actually prefer this to Castle, sacrilege I know)
Summer of Salt
We Are Okay

She might also enjoy Barbara Trapido for that chaotic bohemian family feel.

Can’t remember the name of Laura Wood’s YA novels but they’re very Castle influenced. Also Eva Ibbotson!

I tried and failed to like Brother of the More Famous Jack (Trapido). Maybe too chaotic bohemian family feeling for my liking!

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 23/10/2023 16:27

Frost in May and both the Mitford books for me.

I tried Dusty Answer but wasn’t that impressed and both me and SIL who loves I Capture The Castle couldn’t get on with Cold Comfort Farm at all and SIL likes to finish books!

DaisyWaldron · 19/10/2023 15:56

I was going to come on here to suggest Persephone Books in general, and also Eva Ibbotson (The Secret Countess/A Countess Below Stairs is my favourite) but I see that my people are already posting on this thread.

Also good are Frost in May, The Girls of Slender Means, The Blue Castle, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and The Death of the Heart.

BigDahliaFan · 19/10/2023 15:46

@bookworm14 I listened to an adaptation a wee while ago...and I think it probably does stand up. Though they may have taken out any particularly jarring bits!

bookworm14 · 19/10/2023 15:43

BigDahliaFan I adored Brideshead in my teens. Haven’t read it again since and I’m not sure how well it will have held up!

BigDahliaFan · 19/10/2023 15:40

I'd forgotten about Frost in May, I loved it.

Also...not entirely on theme but I loved it at her age...Brideshead Revisited.

JohnThorntonsOverbearingMother · 19/10/2023 13:18

Also, a couple more recent titles she might enjoy are from Sally Nicholls

Yours From the Tower and The Silent Stars Go By

JohnThorntonsOverbearingMother · 19/10/2023 13:13

bookworm14 · 19/10/2023 12:44

She would enjoy Laura Wood’s historical YA novels, which definitely have an I Capture the Castle vibe. https://www.lauraclarewood.com/ya

Another recent YA novel that fits the bill is A Calamity of Mannerings by Joanna Nadin.

A very recent book I read that reminded me of ICTC is Absolutely And Forever by Rose Tremain.

I think other people have already suggested everything else I thought of!

I was going to suggest A Calamity of Mannerings too. Lots of I Capture the Castle vibes I thought.

ProvisionsOnTheDock · 19/10/2023 13:07

I came to say the Laura Wood books but several people beat me to it! So another vote for them, great stories!

Portish · 19/10/2023 13:07

Try Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier or Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher. Both great books

ElizabethVonArnim · 19/10/2023 13:07

Eva Ibbotson is perfectly in this zone - A Song for Summer
The Morning Gift

LeafHunter · 19/10/2023 13:05

Also came to say Rebecca and the The Cazalet Chronicles

wherethewaterisdarker · 19/10/2023 12:58

Maybe some Mary Renault.. I loved the chamomile lawn when I was late teens..

bookworm14 · 19/10/2023 12:44

She would enjoy Laura Wood’s historical YA novels, which definitely have an I Capture the Castle vibe. https://www.lauraclarewood.com/ya

Another recent YA novel that fits the bill is A Calamity of Mannerings by Joanna Nadin.

A very recent book I read that reminded me of ICTC is Absolutely And Forever by Rose Tremain.

I think other people have already suggested everything else I thought of!

YA | Laura Wood

Laura Wood, author of A Sky Painted Gold.

https://www.lauraclarewood.com/ya

spitefulandbadgrammar · 19/10/2023 10:10

A Little Love Song
Cold Comfort Farm
The Whalebone Theatre
The Square Root of Summer
A Moment in Time (HE Bates, it’s out of print but well worth finding second hand on Abe Books)
The Greengage Summer (I actually prefer this to Castle, sacrilege I know)
Summer of Salt
We Are Okay

She might also enjoy Barbara Trapido for that chaotic bohemian family feel.

Can’t remember the name of Laura Wood’s YA novels but they’re very Castle influenced. Also Eva Ibbotson!

AppleTree16 · 19/10/2023 10:03

Persephone books, Penelope Lively, Dorothy Whipple.

Lamelie · 19/10/2023 09:58

Bilgewater Jane Gardam
Brother of the more famous Jack Barbara Trapido

CatOnTheCarpet · 19/10/2023 09:08

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn. I loved it and it has exactly this sort of bohemian between the wars vibe (although then moves into WW2). Might read it again actually, I loved it.

CosyCoffee · 19/10/2023 09:04

Definitely The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets. I loved Diary of a Provincial Lady too but I don't know if a young person would appreciate it really, there's a lot about house management and child rearing (hilarious to those who have experienced it).

I really love Elizabeth Taylor, maybe your DD would like Angel? It's about a girl who becomes a famous author.

southbailey · 18/10/2023 20:08

AppropriateAdult · 18/10/2023 16:50

'The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets' by Eva Rice. Very similar vibe.

Totally this!

BonjourCrisette · 18/10/2023 19:06

Frost in May is wonderful!

JulesJules · 18/10/2023 18:28

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Passerillage · 18/10/2023 18:24

Sorry - that was to reply to the Diary of a Provincial Lady suggestion above!

Passerillage · 18/10/2023 18:24

I love this. Provincial Daughter was disappointing though.

nettie434 · 18/10/2023 18:14

Passerillage · 18/10/2023 17:10

The Pursuit of Love
Love In A Cold Climate
Cheerful Weather For The Wedding (gloomy, not cosy, but same sort of era)

Have a look at Persephone books - what you’re looking for is middle brow interwar women’s fiction and they do that (and beyond) to perfection.

big second for Eva Rice above!

The Pursuit of Love was my immediate suggestion if she likes I Capture The Castle too.

I'd also suggest Frost in May by Antnia White (and the remainder of the quartet - The Sugar House, The Lost Traveller and Beyond the Glass). They are darker than I Capture The Castle and the religious theme is harder to relate to for many people today but Clara is a portrait of a young woman struggling and ultimately succeeding to find herself which gives the books a timeless quality.