The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling demonstrates her freedom from genre constraints. In this novel, she has taken a small town, specifically Pagford (a fictional town located in England), dissected it precisely, and exposed multiple issues that are lying just under the manicured hedges and friendly smiles of the people about town. The catalyst for this novel (the vacancy created by Barry Fairbrother’s tragic death) is also the centre of gravity for the book’s plot – all of the characters that will be affected by this vacancy will have their perspective exposed regarding the issues of class distinction, duty, and hypocritical behaviour.
Some of Rowling’s most effective writing comes from her use of a sharp, occasionally acidic style and her ability to be insightful. Instead of using conventional heroism, she uses multiple narrators to give the reader the perspectives of self-righteous housewives, ambitious politicians, stressed-out social workers, and wounded children. The setting of Pagford serves as a microcosm for the larger societal issues facing our nation, and the public conversations about who gets help and what constitutes “deserving” all play out during council meetings and bake sales in a town where everyone knows each other.
Rowling’s novel resembles a civic study disguised as narrative fiction. The book’s unique and uncomfortable quality stems from its examination of the conduct of public business and the handling of private matters.
The real substance of the story is contained within an example of Krystal Weedon – a product of poverty who feels an extreme amount of anger towards others and strives very hard to make ends meet; even though Krystal is ultimately portrayed as an antagonist, through the author’s development of the character we can clearly understand that Krystal is a complicated, complex human being. The author builds up to Robbie Weedon’s death through much of the narrative; however, since the author purposely left out a lot of the emotional part of this scene, we cannot relive this moment.
The tragic event is both heart wrenching and politically motivated, because it demonstrates that sometimes, the consequences of our actions can bring about positive change. The scene where the parish council meets is one of the most memorable sequences within the book—it is a perfect example of the author’s ability to create humour through her satirical observations. Parminder Jawanda is a character who serves as a moral centre, surrounding herself with morally weak characters; her presence allows them to turn towards the example of a principled individual, rather than finding their own moral centres. Not just revealing the wealth of individual characters, but the scenes will provide a living representation of how society and the institutions can help or hinder the progress of those attempting to reach their goals.
Those who expect an additional fantasy adventure from Rowling will be shocked to discover her surprising lack of sentimentality and her appreciation for no mercy. There aren’t any neat endings for the novel, whose power lies in its lack of easy forgiveness. However, there is another form of mercy—it requires attention to detail, i.e., attention to the petty/insignificant acts of cruelty; attention to the bureaucratic blindness in which public bodies overlook issues; and attention to emotional vacancy being as much about emotional voids caused by a community’s “vacancy” as about the community’s capital.
Fans of novels with multi-faceted characters/concepts outside their comfort zones will find “The Casual Vacancy” very compelling and at times difficult to read. It can be assumed that the book offers solid content and is a challenging read (because of its subject matter). There are many things to digest throughout the book. Most characters ultimately choose paths that result in tragedy, yet there is solace in knowing there are many good people who exist in this world. The Casual Vacancy will reward close attention with uncomfortable truths about our society—and a small amount of hard-won compassion—for readers who are willing to set aside their nostalgic view of life and enter a more rapid, darker flow of thoughts.
