by Marie Moeller ’15

With the red and gold colors of Gryffindor and the name J.K. Rowling embellished on the cover of her new book “The Casual Vacancy,” I could not help but to cherish the fond memories of the “Harry Potter” books. With Rowling’s new novel, I hoped to embark another breathtaking journey.

As a “Harry Potter” fan, I almost impulsively bought the “The Casual Vacancy.” I, however, had to keep an open mind upon reading this innovated piece of work; this novel was definitely not “Harry Potter.” Alas, after nearly engulfing the book whole, I’m not sure if I can even fathom the right words to describe it. It was honestly a roller coaster of emotions that surged through me as I consumed the words on every page.

The plot of this story is rather basic, focusing mainly on the aftermath of the death of Barry Fairbrother. A councilor and a well-known citizen of the quaint English town of Pagford, Fairbrother’s death marks a casual vacancy (when a seat is vacated while an assembly is in session due to an unexpected situation), leading to turmoil as the town votes to elect a new councilor.

What immediately struck me upon reading the first couple pages, consisting of the tale of Fairbrother’s death, was the vast improvement of Rowling’s writing style. Maybe it was the flexibility of a different genre which allowed for more extensive description or perhaps her new audience calling for a more mature voice in her writing; either way the surprise was warmly welcomed.

However, I the opening proved to be the dullest part of the book as Rowling prolonged her introduction of her numerous characters and the complex detail of the town history. While the information was useful, the book lacked the engagement that it could have delivered to grab hold of me as a reader.

Fittingly made for adults, the book is relatively easy to comprehend and understand but proves to be a harder struggle to relate to a majority of characters. In spite of the lack of connection that I possessed with the adult characters of the book, all of Rowling’s characters are extremely developed and, for the most part, very dynamic.

For me, the characters really sank their roots in, taking more prominence over the basic story plot, something that seemed unheard of when reading the “Harry Potter” series. Every twist and turn in the novel added more so to the complex and intriguing lives of the characters than to the actual storyline. With a unique perspective, like an invisible camera that constantly switches between each character, it was a thrill to watch the characters develop and grow as some of their deepest secrets are revealed.

Arguably, the most riveting part of the entire novel was the constant dystopian theme and, as a result, the emergence of the harsh realities of life. All I can say is in a cute little town like Pagford, there is more than what meets eye.