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Book of the month

Find reading inspiration on our Book of the Month forum.

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Original poster

And our January Book of the Month is...I CAPTURE THE CASTLE by Dodie Smith (discussion Tuesday 27 January)

93 replies

TillyBookClub · 17/12/2008 07:06

We'll be chatting about our Book of the Month, Dodie Smith's much-loved classic I CAPTURE THE CASTLE, on Tuesday 27 January from 8-10pm.

Don't forget you can order your copy here

Keen to know how the votes turned out? Have a snoop at the results here

And, for anyone who missed them first time round, here were January's book choices

OP posts:
reindeersnake · 17/12/2008 22:50

I love this book. I shall be watching!

weblette · 18/12/2008 16:21

Marvellous book - excellent choice!

AliBean · 18/12/2008 17:30

Oooh this is one of my favourites. What a great excuse to re-read (for the 100th time!)
Thank you!

moondog · 18/12/2008 18:23

God.it's complete shite.

ravenAK · 18/12/2008 19:04

Excellent, I'm in.

kaz33 · 18/12/2008 19:37

I loved in when I was 9

elsiepiddock · 18/12/2008 21:39

I too loved it at age 9. Would any adults read it??

christmasteafortwo · 18/12/2008 22:22

ooooh - Interesting - I didn't read it when I was 9. Kaz33 and elsiepiddock - I am impressed by your childhood reading ability! However, I did read it when I was young. Is "I capture the castle" one of those books that if you read it as a teenage girl you keep it in your heart for life, but, if you read it with the experience and knowledge of a woman or man - you find it rather lacking(The Wuthering Heights factor)?

LightShinesInTheDarkness · 18/12/2008 23:31

Hated this book the first time, but keen to try again. As I am always telling the kids, your tastebuds change!

itcameuponamidnightexpress · 19/12/2008 13:38

ah christmasteafortwo, so true of Wuthering Heights. Loved it at 17, loathed it by 25. Haven't read this one, so will be interesting to find out.

GrimmaTheNome · 19/12/2008 16:49

I've not read it, but have been meaning to get it since reading 101 Dalmatians .

Sounds like I should; DD is 9 and still likes me to read to her (just finished Little Women and straight into Good Wives on her request!) so it sounds like it might suit us both. Or is it something a girl should read and sigh over in private rather than with mum?

AdventCandleQueen · 19/12/2008 17:02

Love it!
Film's not bad for those too lazy to read it!!

christmasteafortwo · 19/12/2008 18:23

No no no no no no!!!!

Adventcandlequeen - I respect your christmas name and jolly mn style but - NO!!!!!

PLEASE - No-one watch the film. Ever, ever, ever!

BECAUSE.........

It broke my heart!!! (sob!!!)

This is because it is set in a sort of American's vision of what En-gerrlaaand is instead of actually being set, where it should be, in Suffolk!

This is just awful if you are living abroad and watch it because you are feeling a little homesick for Suffolk and want to curl up and pretend you are there!!!!!! (Like Dodie Smith who was curling up and pretending she was there when she wrote it from abroad.)

AdventCandleQueen · 19/12/2008 21:31

I only said it's "not bad". I'll admit it's not terrible good, and the book is far superior, but is not as bad as some book adaptations.
Tara WhatsHerFace is completely wrong for the role...

christmasteafortwo · 19/12/2008 21:36

Still can't find my book - considers getting film out instead!!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

Adventcandlequeen - we are chatting about Rebecca on another thread - do you like Rebecca????

I will find the link for you so you can - come and join us if you want to!!!!

christmasteafortwo · 19/12/2008 21:37

Taaarrrdaaaahhh!!!!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/adult_fiction/667158-Rebecca

reindeersnake · 19/12/2008 21:41

Please find the link - I'd like to come too!

christmasteafortwo · 20/12/2008 23:10

I thought you lovely ladies might like this secret cave I found....

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/adult_fiction/670150-The-secret-meeting-cave?msgid=13628947

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 21/12/2008 10:22

I read it aged 20ish, I think, and loved it. Will be interesting to read it again and see how it compares.

Film was DREADFUL. Even Bill Nighy couldn't rescue it, and he can usually charm me into anything. Please don't watch it - it'll ruin the story for you forever.

OP posts:
littlerach · 27/12/2008 14:55

Ooh, I ma reading this at the moment.
Is the film really that rubbish?

Anna8888 · 27/12/2008 20:52

Agree the film was appalling and Bill Nighy was very badly cast indeed - the father was far more intellectual-bohemian than Nighy could ever play...

blackrock · 16/01/2009 19:37

Really liked this story as a coming of age type novel. I usually hate films of books, but I think the film was a good interpretation.

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 20/01/2009 10:24

Its an ace story for credit crunch times - one bath a week, taking hot bricks to bed, home-dying ones clothes green.

Looking forward to next Tuesday, hope everyone can make it.

And if you haven't voted for February's book, today's your last chance - poll closes at midnight tonight. The Enchanted April is in the lead so far...

OP posts:
Original poster
TillyBookClub · 26/01/2009 12:52

Looking forward to tomorrow, hope everyone can make it. See you at 8pm...

OP posts:
tunacan · 27/01/2009 11:54

I read it for the first time aged 43 and couldn't put it down! The perfect gift for my 13 year-old niece.

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