The Casual Vacancy
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Unfair reviews?What do you think about this book?
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I wasn't expecting Harry Potter, but I wasn't expecting to dislike so many of the characters either.
So a book is good as long as the characters are likeable?
I myself didn't care for the book. When I was half way through reading it I was ready to close the book for good. I wasn't expecting a HP book but I was expecting a better written book.
Emma I think it all comes down to how vivid an imagination a reader has.
Emma I think it all comes down to how vivid an imagination a reader has.
George wrote: "Some who didn’t like this novel have complained that the characters were unlikable, that they had no redeeming qualities. I would ask these critics about the innermost thoughts of their own friends and neighbors, and even themselves. If we knew what everyone was really thinking, would we find them likable? Would we want others to know our own innermost thoughts?"This. This is why I've been so surprised by the "unlikability" backlash--it seems to be founded on the assumption that readers can only connect with/relate to/sympathize with characters based on their virtues, not their weaknesses. And on the idea that the people criticizing the book are somehow morally better than everyone in it. Don't we all have some mean-spirited and politically-incorrect thoughts, if we're really honest with ourselves? Can't we all be petty?
This isn't to say there aren't plenty of real people who are kinder and more functional than almost all the main characters, but I'm a little suspicious when people go around insisting that they're better people than everyone in the book.
Yeah,.me too. I heard she's going to publish something for younger audiences next but I hope she'll return to writing adult novels in the future.
Stepheny wrote: "IKrystal's story was the only part in the book that I found real and believable and the tragic ending made sense to me."Funny because the first character that seemed really real to me was Fats. I knew guys like that in college. Parminder the tiger mother was pretty real, too.
Well said, Keshena! But I still prefer the heroism of the Harry Potter characters.
Forget professional reviewers! I am a skeptic. Think they have an agenda. That goes for movies, too. Did not read Harry Potter books. Fantasy is not in my reading genre. BUT, I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. Each page revealed more and more about the characters (the plot was monofocal) and their ploys to succeed in the local election. Or, in some cases, in their attempts to foil the election.
The book was a fast read, a simple plot with salty ingredients and delightful. Easy to see how JK ensnared a generation of youth.
Narmin wrote: "So a book is good as long as the characters are likeable?"No. But a book were you don't really want to read about the characters, because you don't like them, is rarely going to be good.
Amy wrote: "I really couldn't get into this book at all and gave it up. It just wasn't for me at that time. Maybe I'll pick it up again some other day, I don't know. I knew not to expect Harry Potter, but I wa..."I agree with you...i was really looking forward to this book and expected a story that would draw me in. Too many new characters introduced one after the other had me confused as to who belonged to who. Had me fiddling around rereading bits...I found it depressing as well, waiting for it to lighten up a bit...and it didn't...very dissapointing...can't see myself revisiting this book. Like you i guess it was not for me!! :)
Well, i don't know, a lot of characters actually did stir something inside me. i felt for Krystal and her family, i really liked Barry Fairbrother and his goals. Sukhvinder, Andrew, Kay, Samantha, Vikram, Colin and Tessa Wall seemed quite sympathizable characters to me.
This is definitely the worst book I have read for a decade. It is nothing to do with wanting it to be like Harry potter. It is poor because it is based totally on stereotype, has no characters with any real belief, no redeeming characters and a terrible endig. JKR lives totally off the hype of her earlier reputation. If this had been her first ever novel we would never have heard of her again. It has now been voted book of the year, totally shocking and shows how this site is juts becoming populist
Micki wrote: "Nigel wrote: "This is definitely the worst book I have read for a decade. It is nothing to do with wanting it to be like Harry potter. It is poor because it is based totally on stereotype, has no c..."i agree they were totally differnet and this is good but i ask you if HP had not existed would this book have been number 1 !! definitely not, it was full of stereotype characters. I carried on to the end because it was our book group book and this is what we do, good or bad we finish it. In this case under protest !
read all sorts, prefer to have some credibility of characters, emotions played with be it humour, sadness, etc. but above all a good story. I don't like books full of characters with no redeeming qualities at all, this book reminded me of 'the slap' in that way. I admit I gave it one star to go to the other extreme. had i read it as her first novel would probably have given it 3 stars.
can;t answer that i'm afraid. I find that each book is different. I rarely find one author where I like all their work but will often base new choices on if i liked them before.. I have never been disappointed by Mitch albom so intend to read his new one next. I recently read 'sense of an ending' by julian barnes having disliked his other works and absolutely loved it !!
I actually think Casual Vacancy would get a lot more positive reviews than it does today if it hadn't been written by J.K.Rowling or if J.K. hadn't been so popular as she is. this is a really good book and 90% of negative reviews I've read were complaining about how it's nothing like Harry Potter which, in my view, is not a valid criticism.
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i also want to add that i am a proud owner of The Casual Vacancy and i don't regret spending SGD34.90 on it, one bit.(okay it was a birthday present..but still)