Books of the Month - the Vote - FICTION

[Maria]

The time has come to cast your vote, and because DM is being stupid I have to divide these posts into categories. This is the post for the FICTION votes.

 

You have until August 31st to do your voting, at which point I will do the final count and announce the list.

 

If you nominated a book it would be great if you could tell us a little about what the book is about, that way there is a bigger chance someone will actually want to read it.

 

Now go vote!

[Niamh Sedai]

"I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith is one of my favourite novels. I am sure some of you will recognise Dodie Smith as the author of 101 Dalmatians but this book, I believe is her best. In Diary from, it tells the story of the Mortmain family.

 

James Mortmain, the Father, is an author of a famous novel who has lost his muse and spends his days reading detective novels and doing crosswords, Topaz, the Stepmother, an ex-artists model who loves to play the lute and commune with nature in nothing but a pair of wellington boots. There is Rose, the eldest daughter, whose "desire for Tea dreses almost surpasses her physical hunger", Thomas the younger brother, who spends his time locked in his room and Stephen, the Handyman who copies other people's poetry in order to express his love.And this is expressed to Cassandra, the main character and the narrator. Aged 17, Cassandra wants to be a novelist and this book is her "practice".

 

The book is set in East Anglia, in a ruined Castle where the family live. They are very poor but all this changes when one evening two American Men happen upon their house. From this point the story is taken, as the Mortmain family's fortunes developed and change.

 

It is set in the 1930's, but what I love is it's timelessness. However old you are, whenever you read it, you can read and apppreciate this book. It's funny, romantic, entertaining, suprising and a good read. I recommend this as our fiction novel.

 

(And I haven't read it 10 or 12 times oh no, not at all *cough*)

[ConningOfficer]

I'll plug my selection - this one has it all! Nazis! War! Seasickness! Sex! Icebergs!

 

And of course, it prominently features the Coast Guard. :)