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Hannah's Reviews > The Casual Vacancy
The Casual Vacancy
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I didn't have any giddy expectations for Rowling's first foray into the world of adult fiction, but will admit to being curious as to how she would approach it. Now with 64 pages under my belt, my personal verdict is in: Did not Finish.
It's not a badly written book, but what little I read I found dull and pedestrian, which surprised me more then anything given Rowling's richly imaginative mind. In addition, the crude language seemed more forced then natural, almost as if Rowling needed to drive home the point that she was writing an A.D.U.L.T piece of fiction rather then have the words make sense within the context of her characters and story (if that makes any sense). And on a purely personal note, I think the inclusion of the c-word in any work of literature not exclusively hard-core erotica is a lame excuse to look edgy. Must be the new buzz word in the literary world, although to me it always denotes a lack of taste and style. My opinion only. You are welcome to disagree, as I'm obviously not the target reading audience for this genre (whatever genre this is).
So take these scribblings more as observations then a proper review, and note that I am assigning no rating to it. My overall take on what little I read is that it's probably a so-so book to the right audience when all's said and done, but would never receive the hype it's gotten had John Smith written this and not J.K. Rowling.
My only recommendation to anyone (fan or not) interested in this book would be to test drive it at the library before forking over your hard earned dough for it, and read some of the reviews coming in from readers who actually finished the book. Afterwards, you may find you can't live without it permanently displayed on your bookshelves or e-reader. If so, good on you. Or you may find yourself bemused by the hype but glad you saved yourself a few dollars.
It's not a badly written book, but what little I read I found dull and pedestrian, which surprised me more then anything given Rowling's richly imaginative mind. In addition, the crude language seemed more forced then natural, almost as if Rowling needed to drive home the point that she was writing an A.D.U.L.T piece of fiction rather then have the words make sense within the context of her characters and story (if that makes any sense). And on a purely personal note, I think the inclusion of the c-word in any work of literature not exclusively hard-core erotica is a lame excuse to look edgy. Must be the new buzz word in the literary world, although to me it always denotes a lack of taste and style. My opinion only. You are welcome to disagree, as I'm obviously not the target reading audience for this genre (whatever genre this is).
So take these scribblings more as observations then a proper review, and note that I am assigning no rating to it. My overall take on what little I read is that it's probably a so-so book to the right audience when all's said and done, but would never receive the hype it's gotten had John Smith written this and not J.K. Rowling.
My only recommendation to anyone (fan or not) interested in this book would be to test drive it at the library before forking over your hard earned dough for it, and read some of the reviews coming in from readers who actually finished the book. Afterwards, you may find you can't live without it permanently displayed on your bookshelves or e-reader. If so, good on you. Or you may find yourself bemused by the hype but glad you saved yourself a few dollars.
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October 4, 2012
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Jackleen
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Oct 04, 2012 05:36AM
My first instinct was to grab this off the shelf but having read an early review concerning the subject matter of the book, I thought perhaps not my cup of tea, wait and see. Thank you Hannah because I may have done an impulse grab and buy and there is nothing worse than reading a not great book from a previous favourite writer. Library sounds like the way to go.
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I almost preordered this but somehow waited until after the book came out. I am SO thankful that I waited!!! From the little pre-publication blurb I was thinking more along the lines of an Agatha Christie or Dorothy L Sayers type provincial mystery--albeit 21st century. Sigh, how I wish it was! All the adult content, dark, depressing stuff just sounds awful to me. I decided that if JK hadn't written it, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Since she did, I think I'd rather keep my HP memories untainted, and pretend that somehow her author's mind got oblivated when she wrote this one :-(
Jackleen wrote: "My first instinct was to grab this off the shelf but having read an early review concerning the subject matter of the book, I thought perhaps not my cup of tea, wait and see. Thank you Hannah beca..."Thanks Jackleen.
Yes, library is definitely the way to go for this. Trying to read it and having a DNF didn't disillusion me to Rowling, but did make me see that this particular work of hers isn't the kind of book I'd normally read or enjoy (hence I didn't rate it, only gave some of my personal impressions of it). I'm sure alot of hard core fans did buy it immediately and many are probably regretting their decision. Some might truely like it (or are trying to justify it because they can't admit Rowling let them down). Perhaps the truest reviews will be from those readers who haven't read any of the HP series or seen the movies. Those are the reviews I'd trust the most.
The crude language seemed more forced then natural, almost as if Rowling needed to drive home the point that she was writing an A.D.U.L.T piece of fiction I completely agree. I managed to finish and still I was unimpressed. This book is definitely different than the HP series, I grant it. 'Different' not always means 'better' though.
I did not finish either...only made it thru page 50. Thought her crafting of characters was intricate...but I didn't care about any of them. And the language was a killer for me.
Anachronist wrote: "I completely agree. I managed to finish ..."Thanks Anachronist.
I kinda feel bad I didn't get farther in it, but it was so dull and boring. Tell me, did you find it difficult to keep all the characters straight in your head at the beginning? I felt like I needed a notebook to write all their names and relationships down!
Jill wrote: "Yours is the second review I've read and the second unimpressed with TCV. Glad mine is a library copy. Thanks Hannah, great review!"Thank you Jill.
Yep, library copy is the way to go with this one for sure.
I've not read the HP books yet, so I wasn't all that interested, but the hype has been a bit much. Glad to see some reviews coming in from friends. Last time I dared to look at the book page here, it was heavily inundated with non-reviews filled with flashy GIFs. My poor eyes can't take it.
Kathryn wrote: "I almost preordered this but somehow waited until after the book came out. I am SO thankful that I waited!!! From the little pre-publication blurb I was thinking more along the lines of an Agatha ..."Same here Kathryn. I initially thought it was going to be a mystery as well, and was excited about that. I think she would have pulled off a whodunnit quite well.
From what I know about you and your reading tastes, this would NOT be your kind of thing at all, so you're right to keep it off your TBR pile. As it is, I'm not depressed with Rowling's effort, just bemused and disappointed in how lackluster it was.
Melissa wrote: "I did not finish either...only made it thru page 50. Thought her crafting of characters was intricate...but I didn't care about any of them. And the language was a killer for me."haha - too intricate for me! I needed a chart to keep up with all of them, Melissa!
And yes, the language was a bit over the top for me. I can take some bad language when it makes sense or has context to a story, but here it just felt forced - like she had to point out that this isn't Harry Potter, folks .
Misfit wrote: "I've not read the HP books yet, so I wasn't all that interested, but the hype has been a bit much. Glad to see some reviews coming in from friends. Last time I dared to look at the book page here, ..."OMG, the GIF-laden pre-reviews of this, while somewhat funny, have been hard on the eyes - you're spot on! I hope some of them will be replaced by actual reviews.
I think I'll go round the GIF reviews when I've read the book. Yes, even though I wasn't going to, I am intrigued enough by all the conflicting views that I have now put it on hold at the library. By the number of holds I should get it around Christmas; whether I try to read it just before Christmas or just after will have a huge effect on my level of patience.
Jeannette wrote: "There were a lot of amazon pre-reviews (all 1 star) complaining about $18 for a kindle version. Of course, they all spawned counter 5-star reviews, just as a matter of principle! *cheez*"An interesting observation. Do you think that some JKR fans are so, um, enthusiastic that they'd have given her 5 stars for anything? Conversely, are there readers who will go in determined to 1-star the thing just because it's Rowling? I have to admit it'll be hard to enter the lists with complete detachment.
Jane wrote: "I think I'll go round the GIF reviews when I've read the book. Yes, even though I wasn't going to, I am intrigued enough by all the conflicting views that I have now put it on hold at the library. ..."If your library system is like mine, you'll probably be surprised how quick you get your copy Jane. I was initially 35 on the waitlist, and got a pick-up notice on 8-29 (which was 2 days after the release date, I believe). The libraries must have ordered a multitude of copies in my area.
Hannah wrote: "If your library system is like mine, you'll probably be surprised how quick you get your copy Jane."There are 109 holds on 19 copies, which is why I'm saying Christmas - 5-6 people per copy, max 3 weeks per book but some may finish sooner. I really hope I get it in early January, which is the absolute best time for reading for me.
Jane wrote: "Do you think that some JKR fans are so, um, enthusiastic that they'd have given her 5 stars for anything? Conversely, are there readers who will go in determined to 1-star the thing just because it's Rowling?..."It's got the same hard core fan appeal as the Twilight series, so I personally think your observation is spot on. My advice to anyone who likes this kind of thing is to pop some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the fireworks :)
Jane wrote: "There are 109 holds on 19 copies, which is why I'm saying Christmas - 5-6 people..."Ah, got it. Good luck!
Jeannette wrote: "My daughter and I were waiting to see how many "So Disappoint" GIF rev..."Yep, there will be some, no doubt.
Nice review, Hannah. I adored the Harry Potter series, but have been wary about even adding this new book to my TBR for ages - not for the subject matter or whatever, just because it was always going to be so different.Is there loads of hype for it in the US then? I've seen nothing over here; if it wasn't for GR, I wouldn't even know it was out now.
Hannah wrote: "From what I know about you and your reading tastes, this would NOT be your kind of thing at all, so you're right to keep it off your TBR pile. As it is, I'm not depressed with Rowling's effort, just bemused and disappointed in how lackluster it was."Thanks, Hannah. Glad to know I made the right decision! And, I'm also glad it wasn't a dreadful book literature-wise, though I will definitely wait for reviews on her future books and wait to see what they are about before I buy any. I heard the next one is supposed to be another fantasy for children, geared a bit younger than HP, so I imagine I will really enjoy that, though.
Anna wrote: "Is there loads of hype for it in the US then? I've seen nothing over here; if it wasn't for GR, I wouldn't even know it was out now."Oh, gosh, yes!!! I am surprised there is so little in the UK. I mean, I have to say most of the hype was *before* the book came out but, yes, lots of anticipation. I mean, much of it was fan-generated but also the online bookstores and articles and such, interviews with JK, etc. Not as big as the HP fanfare, I don't think, but still pretty darn expansive.
Anna wrote: "Is there loads of hype for it in the US then? I've seen nothing over here; if it wasn't for GR, I wouldn't even know it was out now..."Thank you Anna.
Apart from GR, I haven't seen any hype here either, apart from some signage at bookstores and such. There may have been some coverage on some of the entertainment shows, but I don't normally watch them, so missed it if it was featured.
Maybe our book shops in town have got it plastered all over their windows (I'll have to ask hubby, he works in town), but there's been nothing on telly here as far as I'm aware, no TV adverts or interviews, nor any interviews, reviews or ads in my newspaper.
Kathryn wrote: "I'm also glad it wasn't a dreadful book literature-wise, though I will definitely wait for reviews on her future books and wait to see what they are about before I buy any. I heard the next one is supposed to be another fantasy for children, geared a bit younger than HP, so I imagine I will really enjoy that, though..."No, not dreadful. Rowling is a better then average writer IMO, but this type of book just didn't suit my personal taste.
I'm glad to hear she's going to be writing another kid's book. Although my ultimate wish is for her to do a Potter compendium with every arcane and teeny-tiny scrap of info. she compiled to create the series. THAT would be epic :D
I've just come back from the UK and I can report that there was considerable newspaper coverage of the book. I remember reading about it being a political manifesto à la Dickens, and about how mixed critical reviews have been. I would say that JKR has seriously tried to be serious, if you know what I mean. Given that she could have written a fantasy and made fans happy that way, it's laudable that she went for a novel addressing issues that obviously bother her and risked the bashing that she's getting.Although after the OMG-SATANISM attacks that the HP series got from some quarters, I would imagine her skin's pretty tough. It's a pity publishers don't publicize sales figures - I'd love to see the numbers on this one.
Jane wrote: "Given that she could have written a fantasy and made fans happy that way, it's laudable that she went for a novel addressing issues that obviously bother her and risked the bashing that she's getting."Good point. She did take a big chance on this one, and financially I expect it will a success. Time will tell whether it's a critical success.
Jane, you must have read the high-brow papers; the one we get would never make a Dickens reference ;-p Interesting to hear there has been coverage though, I haven't seen a thing!
Anna wrote: "Jane, you must have read the high-brow papers; the one we get would never make a Dickens reference ;-p Interesting to hear there has been coverage though, I haven't seen a thing!"
I was at my sister's - they get The Times, The Telegraph, that sort of paper. Hence Dickens.
Thought as much; we get The Sun ;-pThat said, it was all over HP, so I'd have expected it to have at least mentioned this new one.
Jane wrote: "I've just come back from the UK and I can report that there was considerable newspaper coverage of the book. I remember reading about it being a political manifesto à la Dickens, and about how mixe..."The articles and a interview that I have read have compared her to Dickens as well. And, yes good for her for sticking her neck out to write about social issues, (poverty, drug addiction and the children that are raised in these situations) that she feels strongly need attention. Problem is for me personally as a nurse I deal with some these issues in real life but as a reader I want an escape. I do read thrillers but I do not like graphic violence. While some of the material in HP was dark, parents murdered some crazy guy trying to kill a young boy, there was hope and fun, this new novel is someone's very dark reality and I can not see enjoying reading about such difficult lives.
To be honest I, like Kathryn, thought this book was going to be a murder mystery with a few quirky characters, something along the lines of Phil Rickman's Merrily series.
Anna wrote: "Thought as much; we get The Sun ;-pThat said, it was all over HP, so I'd have expected it to have at least mentioned this new one."
I've been reading about it in the DM columns so you should've seen it too :-).
Really? I missed that. Ha, it seems that US and Aussie people know more about the UK media that I do! I honestly haven't seen a thing about it anywhere.
Anna wrote: "Really? I missed that. Ha, it seems that US and Aussie people know more about the UK media that I do! I honestly haven't seen a thing about it anywhere."
You probably know more about the US presidential race than I do, Anna! I just don't keep up anymore! :p
You probably know more about the US presidential race than I do, Anna! I just don't keep up anymore! :p
I had to Wiki which party Obama was, so no ;-p
hahaha! You're just out of ALL the loops, aren't you?
There was a bit of coverage here. For example, a talk show on the public radio broadcaster gave away a signed copy of the book as a tie-in with an interview on the book review program on the public television broadcaster (which I didn't watch). There were also reviews in the newspapers. And speaking of English press, I read something about it in The Guardian. It and The Independent are the only English newspapers I tend to look at online.
I could never get past the 1st HP book (meh...so much mehness), so I'm approaching this as a curiosity piece.
Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) wrote: "I could never get past the 1st HP book (meh...so much mehness), so I'm approaching this as a curiosity piece."It will be interesting to see what you make of it, Karla.
I certainly wasn't expecting a grown up Harry Potter book, but I think I was expecting the same quality or style of writing in terms of interesting plots and characters. Just didn't happen for me on this one.
I'm thinking of getting to it soon. However, from what I've seen in other reviews, it sounds like a shrill polemic in novel form, about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Needless to say, my hopes aren't all that high.
Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) wrote: "Needless to say, my hopes aren't..." A good mindset to have. Then, you can be pleasantly surprised if it's better then you expected.
In its first six days on sale, The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling has sold 375,000 copies in all formats and "is on track to become the year's bestselling novel in hardcover," Michael Pietsch, executive v-p and publisher of Little, Brown, said...Some reviews were really harsh, but word of mouth seems to be fairly good."That's 62,500 books a day at hardcover and pricey ebook rates. KA-CHINGGGGG!
KA-CHINGGGGG! is right. I'm curious to see how many weeks it will maintain this. I'm sure many people picked this up, damn the reviews....
Jane wrote: "Kirkus Reviews likes it not."
"ouch!"
"ouch!"
I adore the Harry Potter series, but when I saw this book, I wasn't that interested. The book sounds like Peyton Place to me. I figured if I'm going to read a book like Peyton Place, I probably should just read the original. That's probably unfair, I know.
If Rowling wrote a series about a Harry as an adult Auror detective though, I would be so on it. That would be my dream. LOL
Hannah wrote: "I'm glad to hear she's going to be writing another kid's book. Although my ultimate wish is for her to do a Potter compendium with every arcane and teeny-tiny scrap of info. she compiled to create the series. THAT would be epic :D "Oh, definitely! ;-) Sign me up!
Have you visited Pottermore? It's a great tide-me-over. Lots of great tidbits--you can skip through the more kid-oriented stuff and just read the "extras" from JK with extra background info on the characters and such. It's great!
Willowfaerie wrote: "If Rowling wrote a series about a Harry as an adult Auror detective though, I would be so on it. That would be my dream...."Cool idea! I like :)
Kathryn wrote: "Have you visited Pottermore? It's a great tide-me-over. Lots of great tidbits--you can skip through the more kid-oriented stuff and just read the "extras" from JK with extra background info on the characters and such. It's great!..."Daughter was into it briefly a few years back, but I didn't look into it. Maybe a re-visit is in order?
She was mad she took the sorting test and got sorted into Slytherin house - lol!
Hannah wrote: "Daughter was into it briefly a few years back, but I didn't look into it. Maybe a re-visit is in order?She was mad she took the sorting test and got sorted into Slytherin house - lol! "
LOL! I would have been to ;-) I got Hufflepuff, which is exactly where I thought/hoped I would be, so I was happy.
But, yes, it might be worth a look just for the JK tidbits. I'm not really into the collecting objects or making potions little side-games but the stuff about the books is great.
Kathryn wrote: " I got Hufflepuff, which is exactly where I thought/hoped I would be, so I was happy..."haha - that's perfect for you. You're such a nice person online, I can't think of a better house for you :)
Daughter and I think we need to be in a cross-breed house. She in Ravenpuff and me in Slytherpuff! Weird, yes, but it works for our personalities - trust me.
