I Capture the Castle is a poignant and humorous coming-of-age story by Dodie Smith. Set during six tumultuous years in 1934, the narrative follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain as she chronicles her life through three notebooks. Her entries are filled with wit and insight, offering a vivid glimpse into the everyday struggles and profound emotions experienced within the walls of their crumbling Suffolk castle. The Mortmain family is a quirky and financially strained bunch, yet Cassandra’s observations and feelings towards them provide a heartwarming and often hilarious perspective. As the story unfolds, significant changes befall the household, with the most notable being Cassandra’s deep, hopeless love that emerges by the end of her journal entries. Illustrated.