The castle is a stronghold of ancient magic.
— Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter about Hogwarts
Castles have been romanticised since time immemorial and have made the perfect theme and setting for many amazing works of fiction. Here are some books that have castles as an integral part of their plot. Open the page and let the magic take over.
Wouldn’t you like to spend seven years in a school that’s a seven-storied castle tucked away in a picturesque valley and brimming with magic? Little wonder that neither Harry nor Voldemort wanted to stay in school even during their holidays! In The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling, the books describe the Hogwarts castle with its tall ceilings, numerous dungeons and passages, mysterious towers, moving staircases, friendly ghosts, the Great Hall with a ceiling that looks like the sky, and more. New aspects of the castle are discovered from time-to-time. For instance, in his fourth year, Harry learns of a magical room which provides anything that anyone has a real need for — books for reference, food, drinks, and even a place for miscreants to hide.
Surprises galore
The magic continues with Edith Nesbit who tells the story of three children — Gerald, Cathy, Jimmy — who can’t go home for the holidays because their cousin is down with the dreaded measles. Unwillingly, they spend the summer at Cathy’s school. Gloomy and disappointed, they are sure that their holidays will be an utter waste. But things take an exciting turn when the trio stumble upon the entrance to a secret tunnel at the end of which they find themselves in a beautiful garden with a castle. The Enchanted Castle is full of surprises — a ring that will make you invisible, statues that come alive and an invitation for a banquet with Greek gods!
Speaking of holidays, a holiday replete with mountains, a beautiful countryside and an old castle awaits Philip, Dinah, Lucy and Jack — an ideal Scottish getaway. Enid Blyton’s Castle of Adventure has Jack and his friends determined to explore the castle. Along with Tassie, a girl they meet near their cottage, the four are inexorably drawn into an adventure. A spine-chilling tale which involves capture, people hiding in suits of armour to escape danger, secret passages, revolvers and spies, Blyton’s Castle of Adventure makes for an exciting read.
Then there’s Elizabeth Winthrop’s Castle in the Attic which is the story of a little boy William who finds that the knight from his toy castle comes to life. Together, they are off on fantastical quest to an alien land where William finds himself face-to-face with a fierce dragon and an evil wizard whom he must combat. Whether or not he will be able to overpower the magic and sorcery and emerge victorious forms the rest of this fascinating fable.
Keep counting
If you are done with William and his knight, despair not, you have more books to keep you entertained. Get started on the Narnia series by C.S Lewis and you will come across a number of castles here as well. The castle of Cair Paravel, the capital of the Kingdom of Narnia is a spectacular citadel which was home to kings and queens. Sand, rocks, little pools of salt water and the smell of the sea and seaweed paints a quaint picture of the castle’s beauty.
On the other hand the castle of the White Witch was like her — shrouded in an aura of evil. It was built in the early days of the Age of Winter, and was constructed by Queen Jadis who used a deadly combination of black magic and ice!
When you talk of witches, giants cannot be far behind. Harfang was the castle of the Gentle Giants and stood on a steep rugged rock. It housed giants and hunting dogs and was ruled by a giant king and queen. Finally, there is the Castle of Caspian which was home to many Telemarine kings.
Now imagine if you were a princess and your castle adds features to itself regularly! That’s why, Princess Celie waits for Tuesday because that is when her castle changes. It adds on… a new room, a new tower, or sometimes, a brand new wing! The castle is unpredictable and few can fathom what it will do next. Then, one day, disaster strikes and the king and queen are waylaid by bandits. It is now up to Celie to save the kingdom. Read Tuesday at the Castle by Jessica Day George. Other books in the series include Wednesdays in the Tower and Thursdays with the Crown.
Word List
Romanticised: To think about or describe something as being better or more attractive than it really is
Integral: Essential
Fantastical: Based on fantasy — not real
Citadel: Fortress
Quaint: Old fashioned
