Libba Smith
A&E Editor
Before they even crack open the book, readers of J.K. Rowling’s latest release, “The Casual Vacancy,” will be clued in to the fact that this is not another “Harry Potter.” In contrast to the elaborate jewel-toned book jackets accompanying each of Rowling’s Potter novels, the cover of “Vacancy” is a bright, arresting red, edged in yellow, with a big black “X” in the middle. Rowling is making a move into a new literary foray: adult literature.
The hype surrounding “The Casual Vacancy” has been building since it was announced, and Rowling has been clear to note that it is for adults. The novel contains sex, drugs and violence, and characters are constantly dropping the f-bomb, a startling departure from Hermione’s exclamations of “for goodness sakes.” Everything from rape to suicide is described in graphic detail. Stores in the United Kingdom opened hours early for the release, but so far sales have been underwhelming.
“The Casual Vacancy” is set in the fictional English village of Pagford, which is thrown into turmoil with the death of a member of the parish council. The novel deals with characters much like the Dursleys of the “Harry Potter” series, narrow-minded gossips with their noses in the business of every other villager. Their complex storylines intertwine, but ultimately the reader gets lost in each detailed account of small village life.
There are flashes of humor, but ultimately “The Casual Vacancy” feels as though Rowling threw every taboo she could imagine into a setting as different as possible from “Harry Potter.” The storylines are disturbing but cliché for readers with access to a 24-hour news cycle and countless detective shows like “CSI.” Rowling offers no real social commentary — her characters are one-dimensional and end as vapid and selfish as they began — and she especially offers no hope. The novel is utterly lacking in emotion, and the endless misery becomes monotonous; it focuses so closely on the intricacies of ordinary life that it fails to address any larger themes.
Rowling has such an incredible gift for writing with charm, humor and relentless joy that her decision to write such a bleak novel seems like a crime. I don’t want to compare “The Casual Vacancy” to any of the Harry Potter books, but Rowling decided to publish under her own name. While it is unfair to contrast the vastly different storylines and styles, I feel that it is fair to compare the caliber of writing. Rowling has a vivid imagination, as evidenced by the richly detailed world she created for “Harry Potter,” and she has the ability to write effortless prose that is simply a pleasure to read. In contrast, “The Casual Vacancy” is a disappointment.
I believe that if Rowling had published under a pen name, the novel would have done reasonably well and would have been received in a completely different way. But Rowling does not use her talent, which is a shame. The world is reading “The Casual Vacancy” because of its author, and I believe that she has the obligation to deliver; unfortunately, Rowling has not lived up to her own hype.