J.K. Rowling’s new novel, “The Casual Vacancy,” is a far cry from the halls of Hogwarts.
Set in the imaginary English town of Pagford, “The Casual Vacancy” tells the tale of corruption in local government after the death of council member Barry (not Harry) Fairbrother. Rowling’s story focuses on a wide cast of miserable characters and deals with topics ranging from heroin abuse to sexual exploration to less-than-perfect marriages.
Gone is Rowling’s magical writing of the “Harry Potter” series, and perhaps it is for the better, especially in her first post-Potter work. Flourish and Blotts has been replaced with f-bombs, and her writing has a very straightforward and relatable style. It fits with the characters she invents, proving Rowling is not just a children’s book author, but also an author of substance and wonderful writing skill.
While her manner of writing is very direct, Rowling weaves beautiful gems of allegories and metaphors throughout. It is an easy and engulfing read, too – I finished the 503-page novel in three days. One noticeable trait of her newest work is the Englishness of the wording; if you aren’t familiar with British slang, you’d better brush up on it before picking up this book.
Although, I will admit “Harry Potter” is an incredible task to live up to, Rowling does herself justice. “The Casual Vacancy” will never have the hype “Harry Potter” did, but it’s definitely worth giving Rowling a chance. She is a great storyteller, and the way she builds her characters is admirable.
“The Casual Vacancy” has roughly 35 main characters, and the story of Pagford’s demise into political backstabbing is told through the eyes of each of them. By doing this, Rowling is able to effectively get the reader to experience each side of the Parish’s argument and to experience the life of those citizens on “the other side of the tracks.” Admittedly, the large cast of characters was difficult to figure out in the first few pages, but this should not deter anyone from this read.
Rowling’s novel is also very fast-paced so readers are sure not to get bored. Although there are no Quidditch matches or battles with dragons and wayward Dark Arts teachers, Rowling’s gossipy and vengeful Pagford cast is quite intriguing. I often found myself thinking, “What are these crazy people going to do next?”
Without spoiling the ending, I must say that the last 50 or so pages are what make this book a must-read. Rowling’s ability to capture the human response and spirit through tragedy is impeccable, and her ability to keep up with so many events and characters is, to me anyway, very impressive.
A word of caution for anyone anxious to read Rowling’s book: It is not happy. You are not going to walk away from this feeling like sunshine and roses. There is no line at the end that says, “And they lived happily ever after…” This book deals with dark, real-life issues. It deals with the rich trampling over the poor in the slums. It deals with rape and death and sexual perversion.
If I have not scared anyone away yet, I give Rowling’s book a solid and highly recommended rating. Truthfully, I’d wait until “The Casual Vacancy” came out in paperback (the hardback is $35), but the second it is re-released, I would go and snatch up my copy.
Rowling is a brilliant author, and this book clearly showcases her extreme talent. After tearing through “The Casual Vacancy,” I absolutely cannot wait for her next book.
