CASUAL VACANCY by J.K. Rowling

CASUAL VACANCY

by

J.K. Rowling

            Barry Fairbrother – a 40 something member of the Pagford parish council – is dead. Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults, is a character study of at least nine families, using reactions to Barry Fairbrother’s death as its genesis.

            J.K. Rowling is a master at character development. I always admired the development of her characters in Harry Potter, and I have fallen in love with Cormoran Strike, the hero of the mystery series that she writes as Robert Galbraith. As I was experiencing Cormoran Strike withdraw, after finishing the last book published in that series, I decided to try Casual Vacancy, even though my recollection was that it had received a tepid reception when it was published.

            Although Rowling’s trademark character development runs through Casual Vacancy, it differs from her other novels in that there is no mystery or adventure directing the plot. Perhaps because of this, at first I found Casual Vacancy to be slow – so slow, in fact, that it seemed exaggerated. But, it was not long before these characters hooked me and dragged me into their world.

            Casual Vacancy is so dark – at first I wondered if Rowling exaggerated the darkness, intending it as a metaphor. But, I think instead that she has captured the true, dark side of humanity. In this book, we are confronted with Rowling’s insight into the side of people at which most of us do not want to look.

Casual Vacancy is a very interesting book involving small town living with big time issues. I came to admire these people. I loved the growth some characters showed and was saddened by the tragic events that unfolded. This is not an escapist book – but, it is a well written, fascinating character study.

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