The Casual Vacancy (No Spoilers)

It was months ago that I heard J.K. Rowling would be releasing an adult novel and only the title ,The Casual Vacancy, was told. When I discovered that it would be available in September, I pulled out my calendar and marked the date.  There are a few authors I do this for, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Jodi Picoult, and Karen McQuestion. I love when there's a book I am looking forward to reading.

I knew The Casual Vacancy was going to be nothing like Harry Potter.  I am actually very good at not expecting anything but the same quality of writing from an author. Crossing genres has never been an issue for me.  Karen McQuestion does it with amazing grace, not to mention the classic authors like Roald Dahl and Shakespeare. Even Stephen King crosses genres a bit with The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. 

When The Casual Vacancy was released yesterday, I grabbed it and started reading. Here's what I will say about this book.  I was disappointed.  I am not against profanity and use my fair share in talking and even writing, but I really felt like it was overdone in this book. The F-bomb was dropped at least ten times in the first twenty pages or so and the nasty C word once or twice. It was as though Rowling couldn't think of another word and shoved the profanity in.

Also, I love description that brings you into the book, but I don't need a page long description of how someone unbuttons their coat. I want more description at the meat of the story, not the petty insignificant actions of a character.

The storyline itself felt like no more than a political lecture.  I can't think of another way to put it. I'm seriously not all that interested in politics but if you are, you might like this book a bit more than I did.

When I start a book, I read it to the end, even if I hate it.  I can't go as far as saying that I hated The Casual Vacancy, but I will say I was looking forward to not having to read it anymore and I will never pick it up again.  It's doomed to be on my bookshelf forever until someone asks to borrow it and doesn't heed my snoozefest warning.

I'm giving The Casual Vacancy 2.5 stars because I am feeling a little generous.

Just one side note...I know you're not supposed to judge a book by the cover but the plain artwork here is a perfect preface to the boring contents it covers.