Valentine One: Jk Rowling New Book

Jk Rowling New Book

When news hit that J.K. Rowling was writing a new novel, her fan base anticipated literary magic. But Rowling, eager to explore her capacities beyond children’s fiction, set out to distance herself from Harry Potter; she insisted that her new book was written for an adult audience, not Potterheads. In that respect, she succeeded. “The Casual Vacancy” is not Harry Potter. It is raw, gritty and grounded firmly in realism. It is also pretty darn depressing.

Once parish councilor Barry Fairbrother suddenly dies of an aneurysm, the suburban town of Pragford is turned upside-down. The novel follows the subsequent aftermath of Fairbrother’s death, which causes a volatile election within the town’s local government and a slow breakdown of the tenuous relationships among the townspeople. The narrative flips between the perspectives of countless major characters: Howard, a morbidly obese deli owner; Gavin, Fairbrother’s miserable best friend; Kay, an oblivious social worker; Krystal, who would be described as “ratchet” by American teens; Fats, a self-interested adolescent; Andrew, an abused teenager and a smattering of gossiping wives.