To start off this review, the cover is gorgeous.
As a complete and utter book nerd, I think that covers are important. You shouldn't choose a book by the cover, of course not. However, it's always nice when you know a book will look good on your shelf. So, yes. It's a gorgeous hard cover and the slip is lovely and I love it.
The Plot
"A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, 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 façade 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?* "
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, 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 façade 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?* "
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this book, I did. I think it was really well written and quite entertaining. This book was really nice to read because, since I'm a student, I don't have time to sit down every single night to read for hours on end, so being able to pick up a book and know exactly where you left off is something I'm fond of.
The book is separated into parts, containing seven parts total. I enjoyed parts 1-3, 4-5 and part of 6 were really, really boring, and part 7 was a great way to wrap up the book. The book was nice overall, but there were certain parts that I merely skimmed instead of delved into, you know?
So, would I recommend it?
No, I wouldn't. I can honestly say that the only reason I bought the book was because Jk Rowling wrote it and if you know me at all you'd know that Harry Potter takes up at least 50% of my life. However, this book really wasn't up to Jk Rowlings standards. The plot was nice, but got boring after a while. There weren't enough exciting things happening in the book to keep me 100% entertained 100% of the time.
This book also has a gloomy vibe to it, which I personally like, but most people won't.
If you're a Jk Rowling fan, like myself, and you want to support her, or you're merely curious about the book, I'd pick it up.
However, if you're just looking for a simple, entertaining read, I'd hold out on this one.
It's hard for me to say I don't like a Jk Rowling book, but this one was just a no-no.
Have you read the Casual Vacancy? What did you think?
Until next time,
Ashley
*Summary from Goodreads
