The Casual Vacancy in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Oct 06, 2012 Robyn rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction-general, audience-adult

Rowling’s first novel for adults is a far cry from Harry and his pals, so do not go into this book expecting magic and friendship to conquer all. Rowling depicts the brutality that comes with power and prejudice, and the characters and drama she portrays are simply too real for comfort. The vicious and thoughtless acts committed by the all-too-human characters of “The Casual Vacancy” cannot be excused or blamed on magic. There is no magic here and these acts are made all the more disturbing by t ...more

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Aug 12, 2019 Joanna rated it liked it

Shelves: 2019-read, rws-2019-summer

This book had a tinge of Stephen King to it...truly, more than anything, this book reminded me of Needful Things. There's no magic in Rowling's small town--just hard up people living bleak little gossipy lives. She manages to capture petty politics and small lives realistically, but without a lot of optimism. These aren't your quirky characters that you grow to love--these are your real annoying city council members who want to close down the addiction clinic because really, those people don't d ...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Debbie rated it it was ok

I read this on my Kindle, and if I'd read it in book form, it probably would have been a solid three. As it is, it's a 2.5.

First, as a warning, this is not at all written for the same audience as the HP books are. If you picked it up thinking that, go find something else. In my experience, this reminded me more of the Katie Fforde and Maeve Binchy books I've read: small town, big cast, and a regular everyday event that affects everyone.

At the beginning of the book, I had a hard time keeping any ...more

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