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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?

OP posts:
BonjourCrisette · 18/10/2023 18:13

The Cazalet Chronicles (Elizabeth Jane Howard).

Original poster
Iknownothing · 18/10/2023 18:04

How could I have forgotten cold comfort farm!
Thanks for all the suggestions!

OP posts:
Meniscus · 18/10/2023 17:58

NoraLuka · 18/10/2023 17:43

Placemarking because DD2 has similar tastes.

She liked Anne of Green Gables and wants the other series (Emily) by LM Montgomery but they’re supposed to be a bit darker, not got hold of them yet.

I was going to recommend LM Montgomery’s Emily books.

ditalini · 18/10/2023 17:52

Yes, Nancy Mitford - Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate.

An Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamund Lehmann and seconding Dusty Answer.

CheersToMe · 18/10/2023 17:49

Enchanted April
Daphne du Maurier

Morred · 18/10/2023 17:45

She might like Diary of a Provincial Lady.

NoraLuka · 18/10/2023 17:43

Placemarking because DD2 has similar tastes.

She liked Anne of Green Gables and wants the other series (Emily) by LM Montgomery but they’re supposed to be a bit darker, not got hold of them yet.

MissPettigrewIsWFH · 18/10/2023 17:43

Second Cold Comfort Farm (my daughter was v nearly called Flora...), Persephone books and the Mitfords. Has she tried A Passage to India?

jumperoozles · 18/10/2023 17:38

If she hasn’t read them:
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Anne of Green Gables
The Railway Children
Goodnight Mr Tom
are lovely coming of age children’s novels

Then maybe:
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
To Kill a Mockingbird
for a more adult novel

Not really a coming of age book but I also loved Watership Down about that age.

Orangewall · 18/10/2023 17:29

The Morning Gift - Eva Ibbotson. I loved I Capture the Castle when I was your DD’s age (still do) and I read this at a similar time!

Doobydoo · 18/10/2023 17:16

Clouds Among the stars by Victoria Clayton is just lovely/ quirky

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!

BlueDa1sy · 18/10/2023 17:05

I loved Rosalind Lehman’s Dusty Answer and Rummer Godden’s Greengage Summer at that age.

AppropriateAdult · 18/10/2023 16:50

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

AudiobookListener · 18/10/2023 16:49

Michelle Magorian A little love song
The Go-between LP Hartley

tsmainsqueeze · 18/10/2023 16:48

Cold comfort farm.
The Darling buds of May.
The railway children.
I love ' i capture the castle' , i think i know the style of writing you mean , i love the 3 i have listed there is a similarity in the writing style without them being 'slushy' which i cannot stand.