I Capture the Castle

I have just finished a book that I've wanted to finish for months. For almost a year now every time I walked into a Barnes and Noble a book covered with a soft green pattern of flowers and umbrellas has caught my eye. I read the back of the book each time and forgot what it said each time, remembering only that it had captured me in an odd way. Last week I had a mind to buy it but as I had never paid attention to the author and didn't even know the title I quickly gave up the search, settling instead for the Screwtape Letters, (C.S. Lewis is something of a hero of mine). As I was walking to pay that soft green caught the corner of my eye and it's just as captivating as I had hoped it would be. 

I wound myself into Cassandra and Rose, Simon and Neil, and beautiful Stephen as well until I felt like our fates were aligned, like I knew them and was living life with them. I felt their successes, their failures, and their confusions, especially their confusions. Last night I got to the point where I had 50 pages left so I knew today was the day to end it all. But for every book I finish, it must be done in solitude and on a full stomach, especially if it is filled with some sort of chocolate or ice cream treat. So this evening I searched for a place to finish. Settling on my bed I made myself some peppermint ice cream, grabbed my book, and curled into my favorite blanket. But it didn't last. My family chose that moment to congregate in the kitchen which is located at the bottom of the stairs, my room is located at the top and the stairwell seems to act as a funnel and a magnifier all at once. My book, I'm sorry to say, was not finished in peace. Although my stomach was pleasingly full the book ended in a flurry of reread paragraphs and skimming. And to top it off the ending was inconclusive. My dear Cassandra's problems were not solved and she was set to face an English winter without the man she loved and without a clear plan. But then I thought about it. Cassandra was hardly 18 and even though 18 was much older in the 30s than it is now, I still think it would be an awful shame if all ones problems were solved by 18. I have to say the best portions of my life so far happened after 18 and although it it troublesome to not know how life will turn out I also think it would be quite boring if one did know. Either way, now I feel the book ended in the only way that wouldn't have severely disappointed me. It is a lovely book and I highly recommend it. Oh and to top it off, the author, Dodie Smith, also wrote 101 Dalmatians!