English language
Published Dec. 3, 1998 by A Wyatt Book for St. Martin's Press.
Cassandra, the 17-year-old narrator, lives an eccentric existence in a crumbling castle in the English countryside in the 1930s. Her father is a former bestselling novelist now suffering from a chronic case of writer's block and her glamorous but bohemian stepmother Topaz is a sometime artist model. Money is in short supply but Cassandra and her discontented older sister Rose are forced to make the best of things - until some young, wealthy American neighbours arrive and Rose sees an opportunity for them all to escape their impoverished existence.
Even when she is encountering the difficulties of first love and first heartbreak, Cassandra remains a wonderfully likable heroine, with a strong narrative voice and a distinctive sense of humour. Whimsical, charming and beautifully written, this engaging classic novel will appeal equally to both adult and young adult readers.
Loved, loved, loved. But sooooo hated for it to end. And nary a cliché in sight.
Ich mochte die Erzählweise und dachte, es würde allenfalls ironisch um das Thema Wer-heiratet-wen gehen. Reader, it didn't.
A joy to read, thanks in no small part to the charming narrator who tells the tale. Smith's book is a response to the canon of female literature - the Brontë sisters and Jane Austin — and the old proposition that women of a certain class must marry to secure wealth for their families. I loved it.
3.8ish, if I have to assign a meaningless numerical rating!
This is super charming and very funny (and fun!) to read, however, I was a little disappointed with the last third of the book. While I certainly can't say anything against the authenticity of Cassandra's many conflicting and contradictory feelings for the dudes in her life, I often felt that her infatuation with Simon was tiresome. Basically, when she was being quite hilariously (again authentically) melodramatic about it, I found it just as delightful as the rest of the book, but it grated in the moments where I felt that maybe I was meant to be taking it seriously. As it stands, at the end of the book my primary reaction was, "Lol it is not that serious. You'll get over it, kid. And hopefully make out with Stephen a lot. Because that was hot."
Whiiich, I don't know if …
3.8ish, if I have to assign a meaningless numerical rating!
This is super charming and very funny (and fun!) to read, however, I was a little disappointed with the last third of the book. While I certainly can't say anything against the authenticity of Cassandra's many conflicting and contradictory feelings for the dudes in her life, I often felt that her infatuation with Simon was tiresome. Basically, when she was being quite hilariously (again authentically) melodramatic about it, I found it just as delightful as the rest of the book, but it grated in the moments where I felt that maybe I was meant to be taking it seriously. As it stands, at the end of the book my primary reaction was, "Lol it is not that serious. You'll get over it, kid. And hopefully make out with Stephen a lot. Because that was hot."
Whiiich, I don't know if that was what I was supposed to be feeling there. Enjoyable nonetheless!
Loved every minute of it.
This has been on my TBR list for ages and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I didn't much care for Rose but adored the other characters, especially Cassandra and Topaz. It's a cast of unique but lovable characters who live in a ruined castle that is the most memorable aspect of the book, but there is such loving detail to the English countryside I felt I was there. Wonderful and recommended.
