The Casual Vacancy

By: J.K. Rowling

Narrated by: Tom Hollander

Length: 17 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Shortlisted for: UK Author of the year – Specsavers National Book Awards 2012

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early 40s, the 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 facade 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 first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish 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?

A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.

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

No person can be pigeon holed

Where does The Casual Vacancy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

A compelling story with a masterful voice giving life to the characters and painting a vivid picture of a parochial existence.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Perhaps in the early part of the story the characters may have been a litlle less archtypical but each principal developed with the develpment of the plot and interaction with more characters.

What about Tom Hollander’s performance did you like?

I wasnt familiar with the reader Tom Hollander until I heard this book. I really enjoyed his characterisations and and the distinct personalities he brought to each. I may shop on the basis of his reading in future.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, I expected a catastrophe to bring a climax to the story but the ultimate climax was quite a bit more and I really enjoyed that it so effectively revealed the reality of individuals, their flaws, their heroism and foibles. Life in a small town

Rowling's first novel for adults.

J K Rowling's first novel for adults is a brilliant story that provides readers with a realistic glimpse of the British class system and the huge differences between the classes. The upper class in the small town of Pagford have their secrets revealed by the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother, in the wake of his death. Barry was a town councillor, and upon his death mysterious notices begin appearing on the council website, revealing family secrets that the town would prefer to not have revealed. The Casual Vacancy is an emotional thrill ride and if you live in a small town, you may just wonder what secrets your neighbours would prefer stay buried. A great listen.

surprisingly good

What made the experience of listening to The Casual Vacancy the most enjoyable?

I didn't know what to expect by this book, as I associate J.K.Rowling with Harry Potter, butI thoroughly enjoyed... The only "negative" about it, is that there are so many charaters in the story that at the beginning it takes few chapters to recall who is who and who is related to whom, but as soon as the characters are in place the story falls into place.Tom Hollander brought each person in this book alive just as I would imagine them to be.

JK Rowling is a masterful story teller.

This book was raw and compelling. I wanted to keep listening, but didn't want it to be over too soon. None of the characters are not particularly likable, but as the story progresses, you learn reasons to feel empathy for most of them. The narration is excellent. I will listen to this again in the near future.

Powerful but so sad

Where does The Casual Vacancy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's such a step away from other books I've listened to a much heavier plot and not an inkling of humour.

If you’ve listened to books by J. K. Rowling before, how does this one compare?

This is a totally different style from HP but I was very curious to see what a novel aimed at an adult audience would be like. JKR once again develops her characters with exceptional dexterity just a shame they are horrible and too fallible. It felt like an exorcism of the happy ending or child audience that she has been catering for over many years. Dark but I was compelled to see it to the end. I am interested in seeing what she comes up with next hopefully she will find her humour again, karaoke with Maureen was not getting a giggle going.

Have you listened to any of Tom Hollander’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time I have heard him but I think he gave life to all of the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No needed to break it up.

Not the usual Rowling

Would you consider the audio edition of The Casual Vacancy to be better than the print version?

Yes

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The first part was too slow to begin but Rowling took her time to fill in the background

What does Tom Hollander bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great reader perhaps the only reason I sat through the whole performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Nobody is left out. Every family has their secrets

Would you listen to The Casual Vacancy again? Why?

I never listen to books a second time but i would go back to parts of this book as new circumstances need review.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Casual Vacancy?

Confronting domestic violence and self abuse and trying to think like the victim Andrew Secvindar

What about Tom Hollander’s performance did you like?

Tim was very well rounded. Each character was believable

Who was the most memorable character of The Casual Vacancy and why?

Secvindar as her dyslexia and lack of self belief stemmed from parents too proud to recognise their daughter needed support not threats.

Any additional comments?

From fantasy (Hogworts / Lower Whinging) to reality, (Packford / Yarville) with the same naturally magical, literary skills.

A phenomenal look into the extraordinary within the ordinary

JK Rowling does it again, immersing one in a written world with such prowess, that it feels as if you are a part of the story.

Reality - and exceptional insight

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

Yes. I can't wait for more people to read this. It's a very true portrayal of marginalization and the light and shadow of intimate relationships.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Both Crystal and Andrew haunt me. Their circumstances, vulnerability and strength evoke empathy and hope for their happiness. Rowling understands duality in humans where the good and the bad sit alongside each other. She shows the irrefutable reasoning behind life choices we otherwise criticize.

What does Tom Hollander bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great reader! He easily moves between the accents to embody the characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I can't forget the final scene.

Any additional comments?

I wonder if the reason for negative reader reviews is due to their expectation of fantasy based literature. The very realist style of this book is its strength.

A Very English Story

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

I would - I think it is an interesting contrast to Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series. It's style is very similar, although the content is definitely adult.

Would you recommend The Casual Vacancy to your friends? Why or why not?

See above comment

Have you listened to any of Tom Hollander’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard anything else by him

If you could take any character from The Casual Vacancy out to dinner, who would it be and why?

It is interesting that although I have only just finished listening to the book, I do not remember any character as standing out more than any other. I do not recall being drawn to any one character either, each one had his or her good and bad points, but not so that I want to meet any of them

Any additional comments?

This book is, I think essentially English in its concept. I did not think that it could be generalised into all cultures for all people. It did not seem to hold any universal truths. Having said this, I liked being immersed in its Englishness and to have the sense of living in a country village.