I was intrigued by this 500+ page book before I ever laid hands on it because of all the negative reviews it received. It is the first book for adults by one of the best story-tellers of our time. So naturally I had to read it!
The first thing I am going to say about this book is that it is not an easy read. Rowling uses multiple points of view - someone counted as many as 18 - and for the first 200 pages or so I really had trouble keeping all the characters straight. Sometimes a chapter would start with one POV and then shift to another one and even a third. This structure definitely makes the book challenging for readers but it also offers a unique glimpse into the thoughts of multiple characters.
The story is set in a picturesque village (Pagford) in the British countryside. The community is shocked by the sudden death of one of local Parish councilors Barry Fairbrother. The council itself is divided on the issue of a seedy neighborhood adjacent to the village. The neighborhood - the Fields - is plagued by crime, drug-use and high unemployment, and a lot of the villagers would love to see the boundary line redrawn and the Fields transferred to another jurisdiction. With Fairbrother gone, his seat becomes highly contested by candidates from the opposing camps.
However, this is just the backdrop for the story. Rowling examines the petty lies, hatred, and pain that various villagers are dealing with. Pagford is not the idyllic place it seems to be. There are skeletons hidden in many a closet, and a lot of secrets come to light during the time leading up to the Parish Council elections. Unsurprisingly, teenagers play a permanent role in Rowling's story. They are the ones that war with their parents, rebel against the rules and ultimately reveal the above-mentioned secrets on the Parish Council's website.
The book gradually drew me in and I could not give up reading it because I wanted to know how it would end. The narrative really picks up the pace in the last 100 pages as events race to their conclusion. Rowling called this novel "a dark comedy" - I would probably call it more of a satire. Most of the characters are grotesque with one or more flaws blown out of proportion.
The book ends just as it starts - with death. However, whereas in the beginning the death of a local parish councilor divided the community and brought to light a lot of ugly secrets; the deaths of a little boy and his teenage sister at the end of the book unite the community and bring the more grotesque characters to their senses - the local bully is humbled and shamed, a taunted and pained teenager becomes a hero and a lost middle-aged woman finds a new purpose in life and wants to serve the community.
So I would say if you are a thoughtful reader who can keep track of multiple characters, you will definitely enjoy this book. But do keep in mind that it is not light reading.
The first thing I am going to say about this book is that it is not an easy read. Rowling uses multiple points of view - someone counted as many as 18 - and for the first 200 pages or so I really had trouble keeping all the characters straight. Sometimes a chapter would start with one POV and then shift to another one and even a third. This structure definitely makes the book challenging for readers but it also offers a unique glimpse into the thoughts of multiple characters.
The story is set in a picturesque village (Pagford) in the British countryside. The community is shocked by the sudden death of one of local Parish councilors Barry Fairbrother. The council itself is divided on the issue of a seedy neighborhood adjacent to the village. The neighborhood - the Fields - is plagued by crime, drug-use and high unemployment, and a lot of the villagers would love to see the boundary line redrawn and the Fields transferred to another jurisdiction. With Fairbrother gone, his seat becomes highly contested by candidates from the opposing camps.
However, this is just the backdrop for the story. Rowling examines the petty lies, hatred, and pain that various villagers are dealing with. Pagford is not the idyllic place it seems to be. There are skeletons hidden in many a closet, and a lot of secrets come to light during the time leading up to the Parish Council elections. Unsurprisingly, teenagers play a permanent role in Rowling's story. They are the ones that war with their parents, rebel against the rules and ultimately reveal the above-mentioned secrets on the Parish Council's website.
The book gradually drew me in and I could not give up reading it because I wanted to know how it would end. The narrative really picks up the pace in the last 100 pages as events race to their conclusion. Rowling called this novel "a dark comedy" - I would probably call it more of a satire. Most of the characters are grotesque with one or more flaws blown out of proportion.
The book ends just as it starts - with death. However, whereas in the beginning the death of a local parish councilor divided the community and brought to light a lot of ugly secrets; the deaths of a little boy and his teenage sister at the end of the book unite the community and bring the more grotesque characters to their senses - the local bully is humbled and shamed, a taunted and pained teenager becomes a hero and a lost middle-aged woman finds a new purpose in life and wants to serve the community.
So I would say if you are a thoughtful reader who can keep track of multiple characters, you will definitely enjoy this book. But do keep in mind that it is not light reading.
