Review: The Casual Vacancy

Reasons why I won't be comparing this to the Harry Potter series:

1. It's a muggle story.  It's not about witchcraft or wizardry.
2. No Hogwarts, Hogwarts. Hoggy, Warty, Hogwarts.
3. The distinct lack of one beautiful Potion's Master.
4. Its target audience isn't young wand wielding, Quidditch practising muggles. 

Reasons why you shouldn't to read this book.

1. If  you're expecting a murder mystery, it isn't one.
2. If you think it might secretly be about Gryffindor house. it's not. Don't let the colours of the dust jacket fool you. 
3. If you're easily offended, disturbed or expect that Jo won't kill your heart with words of sadness and mercilessly throw you in a dark, bleak hole of blackness.

I unashamedly admit that ever since I heard this book was being published I've been a simmering pot of excitement. The Harry Potter series has been a predominant force in my life since the age of 8 and Rowling? Well, I've pretty much looked up to her as a hardworking role model for more than half of my life. With that in mind, I pushed down any expectations I had of The Casual Vacancy, while I have a blind faith in Rowling's writing skills this is about as far as way you can get from the Castle walls. True to form, she certainly doesn't hold back on the depressing factor, the novel has sadness, frustration and a whole lot of angst woven within the pages. I managed to read this fairly quickly and with ease regardless of its grim nature; I would definitely pick it up again.

Barry Fairbrother quite suddenly dies on the evening of his anniversary and the small town of Pagford finds its Parish council with a 'casual vacancy'. The death shakes the community down to its very foundations and behind the scenes, we find a town that is indeed 'at war with itself'. They are desperate to fill the the empty seat and will stop at nothing in order for that to happen in their favour. That's pretty much the plot line here, nothing more.

As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a plethora of unlikable characters as they all scheme, back-stab, bully, intimidate and double cross one another into gaining an upper hand. I've not read a book all year where I've wholeheartedly hated every single character.

I couldn't hand out the award for most hated character in a book this time, as there were simply too many to choose from. Do I go for the crack whore? The cheater? The rapist or the abuser?
Of course, there is also the selfish widow, the gossip queen, the overbearing mother and the rebel without a cause to choose from. (I finally decide to award it to everyone. You're welcome, Pagford.)

The only saving grace seems to be the late Barry Fairbrother himself, although I'm fairly certain if he wasn't surrounded by the halo effect and I did manage to get inside his head, I would hate him just as much as the rest.

This novel is not without faults, the character-jumping chapters got very confusing at times and at the beginning of the book I was simply overwhelmed with the sheer number of names that were thrown at me. I quite unashamedly admit that I had to map down the family trees in order to keep on top of it. It didn't really help, I struggled throughout. At times, I did feel there were profanities that were slipped in for no other reason than 'just because'. 

Tiny chapters of 3 or 4 pages send me round the twist, I have no sense of understanding for them and they serve no purpose for me. There was an abundance of them in this book and sometimes it was a little more than small irritant, I was longing for fleshed out chapters after a while. 

It's quite a shame really that modern culture was used so freely, while I respect the right of authors who wish to do this, I was expecting more from Rowling. It gives the book an instant shelf life and in 10 or 15 years the references will mean little, if anything at all. She's managed to keep her books timeless up until now, I just wish she'd carried on doing so. 

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and as a first adult novel I think it was pretty great. I really do believe she successfully pulled of the transition from writing for children to writing for adults. There were times and passages that quite simply took my breath away. The writing style is magnificent and while unlikable, the characters at times, were wonderfully insightful. 

Obviously, a novel by Rowling isn't a novel by Rowling unless she successfully tears your heart out and feeds it to a meat grinder in the process. That was something  I welcomed with open arms, it truly felt like coming home and being hugged by your slightly sinister mother.

So, should you read this attempt at literature for adults? Absolutely. If you've enjoyed Rowling's writing style in the past, then it's a given you should pick this up immediately, she's only improved with time. If you're not familiar with her work, I'd still pick it up, it is a page turner if anything. Mainly though, I believe it deserves a fair chance, without Harry Potter looming over it like a great smoky Dark Mark in the sky. (Finite Incantatem your Morsmordre, you guys.) 

Rating: ★★★★☆