zondag 18 augustus 2013

50 Books Challenge 2013 - # 30: Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Title: Casual Vacancy
Author: J.K. Rowling
Story: When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, 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 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 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?
Start: august 8th 2013
End: august 18th 2013
Comment: I have to be honest that I bought the book because of its author. I love J.K. Rowling's writing in the Harry Potter books and I was curious about this and her take on a book for adults. The synopsis sounded interesting as well. Well, never buy a book for just that reason. I really wanted to like the book, but I didn't. The two stars are for the excellent writing, but not the story. The characters weren't unique or fascinating and none of them were actually memorable. They are mostly noticeable for their being annoying and narcissistic. There is a great attention to detail though. I found the plot never very interesting and sometimes just plain dull. I think this book wouldn't have sold many copies if it wasn't written by Rowling. It's better she sticks to imaginative children's stories, because that's what she does best.
Rating: 2/ 5

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