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The Casual Vacancy

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The Casual Vacancy

By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Tom Hollander
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About this listen

Shortlisted for: UK Author of the year – Specsavers National Book Awards 2012

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early 40s, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils....

Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?

A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.

©2012 J.K. Rowling (P)2012 Hachette Digital Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Small Town & Rural World Literature Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking
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I need a debrief after finishing it. What wonderfully powerful characters, I know them so well now and miss them already. Fabulous book. Thank you JKR

This book blew me away

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I had bought this book and returned it !
Then accidentally bought it again so listened to more and got sucked in !
Tom Hollanders story telling is FABULOUS and I’m sure that is what made this little story so engaging !

Fascinating

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Took about 3 chapters to get into it but found it hard to stop listening. Characters were so well written and the developing story hooked me in. Great listening to Tom Hollander narrate, he has a lovely voice.

Stick with it.

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loved how all the characters developed, and all the twists to the story line. Can't wait fir another book

Full of Surprises

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Horrible nasty characters. Parents who hate their children and visa versa. I would hate to live in this village. Stuck with the story because I thought it would improve. It didn’t.

Depressing

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absolutely adored this book! whether you liked or disliked them, each character - no matter how minute - felt so real. every single plot threads so well together & you find yourself nearly always delighted & frustrated simultaneously at every event as every event is going to positively or negatively effect each character in one way or another, even if it isn't apparent at first. Tom Hollander did an amazing job narrating. it felt like you were watching a play.

Astounding - Every Character Feels Real

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I've always loved the way Rowling weaved values and politics into the Harry Potter books. The writing in Casual Vacancy draws the reader into the characters and is a sensitive balanced story of class issues and local politics in the UK.

sobering but brilliant book

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I wasn't sure what to expect. Gritty and unsettling, very real and intriguing characters. Masterfully written.

Great listen.

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Was not an easy read story jumps around a lot makes it had to follow.
However I normally read Bio's so could be just not what I am use too .

strange

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I loved being outraged by the bad behaviour of these people- except Chrystal. So well written and performed

Such deliciously hateful characters

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