Whenever the Six Degrees of Separation tag starts with a book I’ve read, I try to join in – and this month’s starts with a favourite, Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle. Find out more about the tag at Books Are My Favourite And Best – and let’s get on with the show!
Starting book: Which of us doesn’t love I Capture the Castle? I read it when I was about 17, and it wasn’t much later that the brilliant film came out. It tells of Cassandra and Rose – sisters living in a castle in the depths of Suffolk – and their eccentric family. A total delight, and Smith’s most assured success.
1st degree of separation: It has to be Diana Tutton’s Guard Your Daughters, doesn’t it? So close to I Capture the Castle in plot and theme that it nears plagiarism – but more sisters, and a darker undertone. I think it’s even better than Smith’s book – one of those reading experiences where I had to pause after a couple of pages because I couldn’t believe quite how brilliant the book was.
2nd degree of separation: “How I loathe that kind of novel which is about a lot of sisters” is how Rachel Ferguson’s The Brontes Went To Woolworths begins – she could have been talking about Guard Your Daughters (only it wouldn’t be published for a while) but it’s also exactly the sort of novel The Brontes Went To Woolworths is. An eccentric, close-knit family live halfway between reality and fantasy, never sure how much they’re making up and how much is real. I love it more every time I read it.
3rd degree of separation: Oh, how could I not put Miss Hargreaves in, if we’re talking about people making things up that become real? That is, of course, exactly how Norman Huntley accidentally conjures up the octogenarian wonder that is Miss Hargreaves in Frank Baker’s novel.
4th degree of separation: Where to go next? Well, since Margaret Rutherford played Miss Hargreaves on stage, let’s go for another Margaret Rutherford classic – her role as Madame Arcati the medium in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. This is, of course, a play – about a love triangle between a man, his wife and… his dead wife. A hilarious play which exactly matches Rutherford’s brand of comedy.
5th degree of separation: I’m quite pleased with this link. The title of Blithe Spirit is taken from Shelley’s ‘To a Skylark’ – and his sonnet ‘Lift not the painted veil which those who live / Call Life’ is the source of the title of W. Somerset Maugham’s The Painted Veil. If I’m honest, I don’t remember masses about this, except that I liked it and it was a bit bleak.
6th degree of separation: And finally, a book published the same year as The Painted Veil: 1925. I could have picked big hitters like Mrs Dalloway or The Great Gatsby, but I’m going with a neglected one – William by E.H. Young. Even fans of Young don’t seem to talk about this one as much as others, and I think it’s up there with her best. It focuses on the fall-out of a woman running off for a very inappropriate marriage, and how everyone in the family reacts – particularly her father, William. It was also one of the first ten orange Penguins. And we’ve come full circle to eccentric families!
That was fun. I’d love to know your six degrees?
Excellent links! The Painted is rather bleak but also a very good cynical depiction of British colonialists (or expats).
Oops, where did the Veil disappear?
Yes, now you say that some of it is coming back to me!
I Capture the Castle is one of my favorite books, and I haven’t read any of the others your mentioned. It will be fun to explore them. Thanks for a good stack of recommendations!
Thanks Emily! If you love ICTC, I definitely recommend seeking out Guard Your Daughters.
LOL You get the Award for the Best Title with The Brontes Went To Woolworths!
Isn’t it brilliant? And they do exactly that in the novel!
This is a brilliant chain, well done!
I love how the chain close neatly from one eccentric family to another.
And you made me want to read Miss Hargreaves!
My six degrees ended with an Agatha Christie (I seem to always include an Agatha Christie or two in my six degrees.. :D ) https://klasikfanda.blogspot.com/2023/10/six-degrees-of-separation-from-i.html
Thanks Fanda! I’m learning that eccentric families are among my favourite novelistic things.
Oh, I’m glad you went with William… I’m going to see if I can get a copy. It sounds wonderful! Thanks and lovely chain!
It is such a good book!
Excellent links and so many of my favourites in this chain: I capture the Castle, Guard your daughters, The Brontes went to Woolworths, Miss Hargreaves, and William. I love just reading about these books again.
BTW Are you and Rachel still doing teaorbooks? I’m afraid I might forget the books I read for last month!
This is such a great trail! Apart from I Capture the Castle and The Painted Veil they were titles I haven’t read but will do so, thank you!
Great chain – my first two links would have been exactly the same as yours!
I loved I Capture the Castle so will have to read Guard Your Daughters if you think it’s even better. I also enjoyed Miss Hargreaves, which I’m sure I bought after seeing it on your blog! Great chain.
Great chain, with books I need to read!
I usually play with key words:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/10/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-an-english-teen-to-a-renowned-japanese-author/
I have recently read The Painted Veil and found it a beautifully written book. Maybe too neat at the end but there were very moving passages . The realisation of her foolishness dawning on Kitty together with her better understanding of the world around her was exceptional. However I have never managed to read I Capture the Castle finding it profoundly silly ! I think I came upon it too late in life.
A lovely chain, full of classics I somehow haven’t got round to. I’m now inspired to do so!
I’d never come across Guard Your Daughters but it sounds very good. Nice to see Noel Coward in your chain–and a mention of Margaret Rutherford who I thought made a very fun Miss Marple even when the adaptations and indeed her character were so very different from what AC wrote.
Oh there’s a marvellous film of The Painted Veil. Really worth a watch. They fiddle with plot but it’s excellent.