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The Casual Vacancy

The Casual Vacancy 5

by J.K. Rowling
Hardback
Publication Date: 27/09/2012
4/5 Rating 5 Reviews

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When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.



Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war.



Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils... Pagford is not what it first seems.



And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations



A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.
ISBN:
9781408704202
9781408704202
Category:
Contemporary fiction
Format:
Hardback
Publication Date:
27-09-2012
Publisher:
Little, Brown Book Group
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Pages:
512
Dimensions (mm):
239x165x41mm
Weight:
0.79kg

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Reviews

4.33

Based on 5 reviews

5 Star
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5 Reviews

I literally could not put this book down, I was so hooked on the storyline. From the very first page, it had me asking questions. As I continued reading, I was taken on a tantalising and elicit journey that revealed bombshell after explosive bombshell right up to the story's emotional and rather poignant conclusion. I recommend it - five stars!

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The Casual Vacancy is the first adult novel by popular British author, J.K.Rowling. This contemporary fiction is set in the seemingly idyllic English village of Pagford, where the sudden death of Parish Councillor, Barry Fairbrother creates a casual vacancy on the parish council. As subsequent events are narrated from the points of view of various different characters, the picture emerges of a village whose inhabitants are not all satisfied with their lot in life, a village of simmering tensions waiting to boil over. Rowlings characters are easily recognisable as the denizens of the typical English village, but at the same time, show individual depth and appeal (or repugnance, as the case may be). And it seems quite a few of the characters have a secret (or two). The setting, characters and events will resonate with readers, and these same happenings drive the characters to desperate actions that ultimately result in tragedy for some. Rowling manages to pack quite a lot into this novel: she has an obese megalomaniac, drug addicts, computer-savvy teens, a fawning wife, a violent husband and father, an anxious teacher, and a caring social worker, to name just a few. There is domestic violence, rape, racism, corruption, self-mutilation, bullying, gossip, teen pregnancy, child abuse and SQL injection. But if this sounds depressing, it is relieved by the underlying black humour that fills the novel. This all comes together to make a brilliant read.

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Pagford, pretty village, close knit community, happy families.



Umm...no.



It seems that behind every "perfect" facade people are living lives of misery and discontent.



The town is divided about the parish council's desire to put out the "trash" that they feel is polluting their township and a whole lot of politics and powertripping is happening around filling a vacant seat on the council.



In the midst of it all there is the Ghost_Of_Barry creating havoc and exposing the dirty laundry people would really rather stayed hidden. Then there is Krystal.



An insightful look at class structure in a supposedly class free society and the growing pains of a small town being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.

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This book is certainly a must read. If you are the type of person who only reads one book a year - let it be this one.



I could not put this book down, I was so enthralled by the storyline. With every plot development, every new, unexpected twist, I became more and more hooked.



I concede, I was a little unsure what to expect when I first purchased this book - having grown up with Harry Potter, I was curious to discover what Rowling could offer the world of adult fiction.



Well, I certainly wasn't disappointed!



Rowling's rich writing style; her honest portrayal of a diverse range of characters, and the intricate relationships they share with one another; the way she depicts such varying attitudes, lifestyles and experiences of this small, seemingly picturesque and yet deeply divided town - it all makes for an addictive, emotionally engaging and rewarding read.



I highly recommend it!

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Its pretty much impossible for me to not compare The Casual Vacancy to Harry Potter. When you love a series as much as I loved Harry Potter, there is a lot riding on the authors first outing after its done (KA Applegate, author of the YA series Animorphs, didnt fare so well with Remnants). And you have to institute quite a severe media blackout, too, because the rest of the world is just itching to jump on it - either to lavish undeserved, loyal praise, or to gleefully behead the Tall Poppy.



So, here it is. Its no Harry Potter. I doubt itll earn anywhere near the reputation those books did. But it was pretty damn good all the same.



Rowling does seem to understand the worlds of these people very well - one of the characters, Fats, is forever chasing authenticity in his actions, and this rings true of Rowling as well. She has, as shes pointed out in interviews, known people like these characters, and it shows.



I grew up in a small, country town, and I can tell you from observing the parents in their various roles as basketball attachs and general school busybodies, that Rowling has nailed them in The Casual Vacancy - reading along, I was powerfully reminded of several people from my hometown. This notion for some of the characters that the small town of Pagford is the epicentre of the universe is something that strikes me as very authentic - I couldnt tell you how much eye-rolling is done at some of the people who act as though their small-town squabbles, their petty victories and shames, register on a cosmic level.



Rowling also has an oddly keen insight into the mind of the teenage boy. The thought processes around adolescent crushes are well-rendered, though I suppose relatively well-trodden in pop culture, but what struck me was the conflict between the teenagers and their parents - especially the boys and their fathers. That struck very close to home - Ive been in those trenches and Rowling brought those days back to life much more vividly than Ive seen anyone else do.



It is, of course, quite a melodramatic novel. There isnt the subtlety youd hope for, from a writer of her experience - but I dont think this really detracted too much. Its intended to engage you emotionally, and it does just that.



This isnt to say the book was perfect. I know Rowling wanted complete control over this - even the ability to fail, if that were to happen - but I cant help but feel that a little more editorial control mightnt have gone astray. There were several sentences so awkward they made me cringe - mostly simple pronoun confusion that was resolved with things like said to her, Cath, that instead of simply recasting. She has also developed an annoying habit of putting large sections of text - many paragraphs long, in some cases - in brackets. This was simply unnecessary, since giving some backstory for a few paragraphs in the middle of a scene can be done seamlessly without them, and the inclusion of the brackets really drew me out of the action.



But, in the end, I very much enjoyed the book. Theres a real feeling of worry that youll be let down when one of your favourite authors brings out a new novel - but I was very pleased, and look forward to whatever Rowling does next.

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