Comments on: It Ends with Revelations, Dodie Smith

By: simsol

simsol — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:38:34 +0000

This is a very late addition to the interesting stream of Dodie Smith discussion. I Capture… is one of the funniest books ever written and has a wonderful, fresh and authentic voice. I return to it time and again and never tire of it.
The other three of her adult novels are available on offer (3 for £5) from The Works right now (March/April 2012)… worth getting even if they are flawed. I’m reading The New Moon… at the moment and it IS a little far-fetched but there are some great ‘asides’ – conversational observations both sharp and bright – that are as good as anything in the best works of Smith’s contemporaries. Her style reminds me a little of Wilde’s Sphinx – the novelist, Ada Leverson – both in tone and ambition… and that’s no bad recommendation.

By: GeraniumCat

GeraniumCat — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:48:56 +0000

I missed all this when you posted it, which is amazing because I love Dodie Smith – I’m old enough for them to have been much less dated when I read them, which probably helps, but The Town in Bloom was perfect for someone who wanted to work in the theatre, as was The New Moon with the Old, which is one of my most regular re-reads. I liked this one too (wish I’d bought it when I read it, because I can’t really afford it now, 2ndhand copies are very expensive) but I guess nostalgia plays a huge part. I’m sad you didn’t like it much, all the same.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:27:49 +0000

In reply to laughingstars66. You absolutely do, if you haven't yet. It's wonderful.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:25:28 +0000

In reply to Andi. Honestly, it's just not that good. I hate to be mean, but this is one that's deservedly fallen into obscurity.

By: Andi

Andi — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:50:03 +0000

Sadly, additional proof that nothing ever lives up to a first book like I Capture the Castle is the fact that I’d never once heard of this book. For shame!

By: trapunto

trapunto — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:41:52 +0000

In reply to Jenny.

Yes, I read New Moon With the Old. I did have a feeling there might have been a boy or two but I found the girls so much more interesting. . . .

Insincere is a good word–like she didn’t really believe such story-worthy things could actually happen in real life when she wrote New Moon With the Old, but she still kind of did when she wrote I Capture the Castle.

I just made myself sad for Dodie Smith writing that.

Ha, I didn’t remember the cremation remark, but cremations that don’t come off nicely paints a *very* vivid picture!

By: laughingstars66

laughingstars66 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:16:53 +0000

I think I need to read Capture the Castle. 🙂

By: Vishy

Vishy — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:53:16 +0000

Sorry to know that you didn’t like this book of Dodie Smith’s. I haven’t read ‘I Capture the Castle’ yet but it somewhere near the top of my ‘TBR’ list. I hope to read it soon. It sometimes feel sad, when an author first book is so brilliant and her / his later books can never come near that. In some ways that is amazing, and in other ways it is sad.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:59:44 +0000

Ah. This makes me a little sad. I really loved I CAPTURE THE CASTLE. But it appears that I can skip this one at least. I still might read 101 DALMATIONS some day. Thanks for the heads on up on this one.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:58:57 +0000

In reply to Amanda. I hope you do. I Capture the Castle is a wonderful book, just completely charming from start to finish.