A big novel about a small town…
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 façade 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 … 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.
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J.K. Rowling has captured with amazing clarity and precision all they typical “types” that one would find in a small town. You’ll find the town big shot who thinks he runs the town, the bored, bitter wife, the insecure husband, the abusive father, the insecure teenager – they are all there! Interesting and thought provoking.
Much more mature writing than in the Potter books, and a far more enjoyable read.
Loved this story, characters were well fleshed out but I could have done without the @$*&#% bombs and swearing
Having served in local government myself (although on the opposite side of the Atlantic), I found some of the relationships and maneuvers in this story familiar. The characters are well-developed, and the story is well-plotted and not predictable.
I wasn’t sure how I’d take to a book by J.K. without a protagonist named Harry – but I was very pleasantly surprised. At first, it does seem like a lot of characters & different families to keep straight but as each character is developed, the reader’s efforts are rewarded with a rich, multifaceted drama. Highly recommended.
It took me a while to get into the world of this book, but once I had, I didn’t want to leave. The characters and the village of Pagford come brilliantly to life, and not always in a good way. I felt positively murderous towards Si-Pie, wanted to slap Fats and would happily rip part of Obbo’s anatomy off. At the same time, I willed Krystal to find …
Honestly, unless you’re a robot, this book will make you sick to your stomach at some point and crying like a baby at another. Not for the faint at heart.
Depressing. I never got hooked and didn’t feel like slogging all the way through.
JK Rowling is truly a master of words and character building. This book revolves around a plot that in the hands of any other author would be utterly dull. The strength of this novel is in its web of flawed characters, and Rowling is able to bounce between different perspectives with such ease that you hardly notice it’s happening. It is the type …
The Casual Vacancy is proof that J.K. Rowling is more than just Harry Potter. I loved this book from beginning to end. If you find humor in the petty squabbles of small town politics, then this is the novel for you!
Wow! A totally different world to Harry Potter, yet just as enthralling. This made me cry at numerous parts and is a real-life kind of book. Absolutely incredible read and I recommend that everybody reads this at least once!
The story is set in the fictitious town of Pagford where there is an active town council on which there is a casual vacancy. That vacancy being created by the sudden and untimely death of Barry Fairbrother within the first two pages. But as soon as the news of the vacancy is out, there is speculation about who will fill the post and the knives …
This book is different. Much more adult and dark that some would expect if they read those other 7 books. The characters are strong and real, but the overall story is less than the parts for me. I still enjoyed it, but I expect a lot from Rowling! The writing is excellent as always.
A CASUAL VACANCY by J. K. Rowling is the story of a bitter class struggle between the smug, wealthy inhabitants of Pagford, and their much poorer neighbors who inhabit the council flats called “The Fields”.
When kindly counsel member Barry Fairbrother dies suddenly, someone has to be found to fill that vacant seat. The good people of pretty …
Meh
Eh… the writing is great but the story is depressing and SLOW.
It was too confusing for me. loved Harry Potter series though.
In this book Rowling creates a world of real and terribly depressing, against all odds, I enjoyed reading about it!
I didn’t like this book. After reading all the Harry Potter books, I expected better from Rowling. It was fairly depressing.
A good character study of small town English life. Makes you want to know how the story ends, but if you don’t read it you’re not missing much.
Definitely not Harry Potter – esque.