The Casual Vacancy

The characters are insightfully drawn and the narrative observations are compelling–but this is not a “feel good” book. Where the Harry Potter series might be ultimately hopeful, this story is ultimately . . . Well, not entirely pessimistic, but pretty close.

I personally didn't find any of the characters to be lovable or even very relatable, but they were very full–to the point where sometimes I couldn't follow all the intricate politics of who was on whose side, etc. At some point I resigned myself to following along just to see how the plot would resolve itself. There were some big twists at the end, and it was not what I expected or hoped for–but it was satisfying in its own way.

Overall I have respect for the work and found it thought-provoking. It was a tough read, but worth it, I think!