This month’s FYA Book Club selection is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Check out the discussion questions below! (Slight spoilers ahead.)
EXCERPT: Check out the discussion questions for Dodie Smith’s novel!
P.S. If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments!
Icebreaker
Cassandra’s family is obviously eccentric, and there are several moments in the novel when one of them does something tremendously embarrassing and/or weird. Tell us about a time when someone in your family embarrassed you during the holidays. (Or any time, really.)
Questions
1. Do, Die, Marry: Simon, Neil and Stephen. (In case you’re unfamiliar with this game, you have to choose one boy to die, one boy to have sex with, and one boy to marry.)
2. Why in the hell did Cassandra not fall in love with wonderful, smokin’ hot Stephen? CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN THIS?
3. Did you suspect something happening between Rose and Neil?
4. What’s your opinion of Cassandra’s father? Genius or terrible dad?
5. Do you think Cassandra is really in love with Simon, or is it, as Rose put it, calf love?
6. Cassandra’s father wrote one amazing book and struggled to match his success for the rest of his life. Would you rather write one thing of genius or ten things that people simply enjoy?
7. This book was written in the 1940s. So when Smith has characters refer to “making love,” do they really mean sex? Like, did Stephen REALLY have sex with Mrs. Fox-Cotton?!
8. How did you feel about the ending?
