The Casual Vacancy

By: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Tom Hollander

Length: 17 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils.... Pagford is not what it at first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town's council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?

Blackly comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults.

©2012 J.K. Rowling (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Not bad but not enjoyable either

Wow, what a bummer of a book full of petty, unhappy characters. It's too bad, I really love the Cormoran Strike books.

WORTH IT!!

Wonderful book. There are so many underlying themes...it's a perfect choice for any book club. Rowling's capture of these characters resembles the complex stagnation of flawed perceptions that we all have within us.

Hard to get into and leaves you with questions.

This book starts out extremely slow and very hard to get into. It took me several chapters to really understand the book and get into it enough or I would stick with it. But once I did I couldn’t hardly put it down it rolled along quite well except Jim from character to character was hard to keep up with. Once it started flowing and you realize how the characters were all connected it just gets more thrilling as the suspense build.

Powerful

I had to keep reminding myself that this was from the same mind that created Harry Potter. This characters were so flawed to the point that they became so real, so human. I wept for the innocent who could only find peace in tragedy.

such a sad commentary on society

A really heartbreaking view of how we look away at things that make us uncomfortable, taking action only after it's too late.

An underrated slow-burn of a masterpiece!

Having grown up with the HP series, I eagerly read Casual Vacancy when first published, Much of what made Rowling's HP series so enjoyable - well-rounded characters, clever, coalescing plot lines, and a humanitarian view towards individuals- likewise imbues this book.

In re-visiting the audio edition, I was once again struck by her deft skill at character development. The characters, certainly flawed, are developed and complex. Tom Hollander's dynamic narration aids Rowling's knack for description and by the end of the book the reader not only knows each Pagford resident, but can picture their faces clear as day.

The seemingly innocuous one-liner of the plot (a man's death leaves open a seat on a small town's council) may potentially turn readers away. However, don't be fooled by the simplicity of this conflict. Berry's death propels us into a community stewing with crippling addictions, sexual deviancy, mental illness, spousal abuse, bullying, and self-harm. These secrets lie at the heart of one major theme of the book: empathy vs. indifference.

As was the case with her HP series, Rowling's compassion is inspiring. Though some complain they don't "like" the characters, I think it's to Rowling's credit that she creates and respects flawed individuals. For example, Crystal Weedon is a 16-year old character suffering from crippling poverty and a heroine-addicted mother. Perhaps it would have made her more "sympathetic" if she didn't punch girls in the face, scream rude homophobic slurs, and let boys take turns feeling her breast. However, by describing Crystal's flaws as well as her strengths, Rowling not only breaths life into this character, she gives this complicated girl agency, sympathy, and respect.

I hope Rowling writes another hyperlinked book like this. Truly, I think it's an underrated, complicated, clever, tragic masterpiece!

surprisingly good

although it was a slow start I'm glad that I continued and was then mesmerised and had to listen at every opportunity. Such a departure from her other books and definitely for adults, I was impressed by her handling of such difficult subject matter and the way she showed all sides of the situations thus bringing an understanding of each of the characters and making them seem so real.

cytotex

What did you love best about The Casual Vacancy?

Story and characters

Any additional comments?

Well built story with excellent characters in real-life circumstances. It has a bittersweet ending that is not foreseen, but is entirely balanced. This has become one of my favorite adult books. Not particularly appealing to teen or young adult audience, but consuming from the start for older readers.

Good but not great

Story takes a while to develop. Eventually a few of the many characters are developed enough to be engaging at the end.

Slow to Start but Brilliant In the End

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - this was a great story - very different - hard to find unique plots like this one.

What about Tom Hollander’s performance did you like?

Great narration.

Any additional comments?

This was easy to get into but then there was a slight dragging - but it is well worth it - be patient - if this was a movie, I would say the editing is brilliant as there are no wasted words - everything means something and it all comes together. This book made me cry - which was very unexpected. It is thought provoking - a good one for book club discussion.