Scan barcode
A review by dc7
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
3.0
The Casual Vacancy was J.K. Rowling's first novel after Harry Potter and it's completely different from the latter. Therefore I wouldn't recommend reading The Casual Vacancy just because it's by J.K. Rowling or because you liked Harry Potter.
The story is told by an omniscient narrator which, as so often, makes it very difficult for the reader to connect with the characters, especially during the first half of the book. And there are so many characters. J.K. Rowling introduces around 20 "main characters" and maybe another 20 supporting characters. It's truly a huge cast and it makes the beginning of the book a very slow read as you get to know all of those different people.
Towards the second half of the book the pacing picks up. It gets more interesting as the story starts to move forward. The characters are being fleshed out very well, it's one of J.K. Rowling's greatest strengths. Unlike many other authors she shows the reader the good, the bad and the ugly of all her characters - and there is a lot of ugly.
The thing that I maybe enjoyed the most about the brilliant Harry Potter books where those ingenious plot twists. Those are missing from The Casual Vacancy. There are some surprising moments but none of them come even close to the delicious shocks J.K. Rowling delivered in Harry Potter.
The story is told by an omniscient narrator which, as so often, makes it very difficult for the reader to connect with the characters, especially during the first half of the book. And there are so many characters. J.K. Rowling introduces around 20 "main characters" and maybe another 20 supporting characters. It's truly a huge cast and it makes the beginning of the book a very slow read as you get to know all of those different people.
Towards the second half of the book the pacing picks up. It gets more interesting as the story starts to move forward. The characters are being fleshed out very well, it's one of J.K. Rowling's greatest strengths. Unlike many other authors she shows the reader the good, the bad and the ugly of all her characters - and there is a lot of ugly.
The thing that I maybe enjoyed the most about the brilliant Harry Potter books where those ingenious plot twists. Those are missing from The Casual Vacancy. There are some surprising moments but none of them come even close to the delicious shocks J.K. Rowling delivered in Harry Potter.