A very good listen. Well done J K

Would you listen to The Casual Vacancy again? Why?

I wouldn't but that's not to say its a bad story, the end of this book will stay with me forever.

What other book might you compare The Casual Vacancy to, and why?

The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Writing style and content are completely different but they're both stories about something that really shouldn't be found interesting and yet you find yourself sucked in to the story.

Which character – as performed by Tom Hollander – was your favourite?

I found all of the characters interesting in some way TomHollander portrays each one very well.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found myself defending, hating, empathising and judging each character in turn and I had strong reactions to each characters story and its conclusion.

Any additional comments?

Jk got a tough deal from critics and her fans alike when this was first released. The outcome of Robert Galbraith and the Cuckoos Calling proves this. Both the Cuckoos Calling and The Casual Vacancy have bad language, unpleasant and frank descriptions of coarse topics, however an "unknown" male author received honest and positive reviews. Jk never stood a chance with people expecting another Harry Potter. The Casual Vacancy is a character study and one with a moral at it's end. We all judge even though we're no better than those we judge and we're all so selfish it makes us blind to those in need and we all take pleasure in others misfortune. In the end its the innocent who suffer most. A very good book and I'm glad I gave it a chance for the story told, not the one who told it.

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so very wordy

J.K.Rowling is a good story teller but this exploration of small town life, social issues, cultural divides and human shortcomings was far too wordy. I wish she had managed to whittle the story down. It would have improved the overall result.

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Highly recommended!

What did you like best about this story?

I'd highly recommend The Casual Vacancy - though it's not a fun read. Many of the characters are unlikeable and many scenes harrowing - but the book is gripping and moving. The story starts with the death of a small town local councillor - which sounds potentially dull. However, everything that happens is beautifully observed and the writing is skilful. I'm surprised by some of the negative or mediocre reviews I've seen. I can't wait to access more of JK Rowling's writing for adults.

Any additional comments?

The book is beautifully read by Tom Hollander. I've returned some audiobooks by favourite authors in the past when the reader has been slow, pompous or irritating. None of that here! I was totally immersed.

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Quite brilliant

I absolutely loved this book. The storyline was fresh and spellbinding, and the narration was sublime.
I don't think I have ever enjoyed a story more than this one.

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A good listen

Gets a bit disjointed at times. lots of sub plots and twists...so much so that I found myself forgetting what the main plot was.

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So emotionally moving

Our book group chose this story. I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole book - couldn’t put it down. Very thought provoking with strong characters and different family backgrounds. I loved the connections and interwoven bits of information which were brought to light. I have been so engrossed in this book.

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Saved by Tom Hollander

The narration by Tom Hollander is excellent from start to finish but the story is humdrum to say the least. It's ok if you fall asleep during the book as nothing really happens until the final couple of chapters. Non of the characters are likeable and it's not possible to empathise with any of them, worst of all, in my opinion, there's no levity in the whole book.
Obviously the descriptions etc. are flawless as you'd expect from such a distinguished author but a couple of hours would do the story more justice than 17.

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wasnt expecting this from jk rowling

I knew this would be well written given the fact its JK Rowling
I found myself drawn in very quickly to the characters and although I initially felt daunted by 80 plus chapters this passes surprisingly quickly as you find yourself getting interested in the story and the lives of the characters it weaves
she captures perfectly modern society with all its nuances of snobbery, racism and judgemental attitudes and one up manship
the characters are beautifully interwoven right up to the tragic ending of some of them which always seemed inevitable
it manages to be a read that is both sobering and uplifting at the same time
Tom HOllander is a delight to listen to and manages the accents perfectly
I didn't want the book to end !
oh be warned the language can be pretty graphic in places and there are plenty of sexual references too

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a fantastic listen

Tom Hollanders performance was sublime and the characters spot on
A very thought provoking book - highy recommend

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The Casual Vacancy

Having read the Harry Potters and the Cormorant Strikes i had high hopes for this book too. However, i was somewhat disappointed both by the narrator and the story. For me the narration was slow and boring , I wanted at some points to prick Tom Hollander with a pin to speed him up a bit.
The story was overly wordy which added nothing. Sadly for me on this occasion I have to say it isn’t a book i will be returning to as it missed the mark by a long chalk.

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