The Casual Vacancy Book Review - It is the first time for me reading Rowling's book, her first adult novel after the legend series Harry Potter, Casual Vacancy. Even though I really like it, I couldn't finish it fastly. The character's conflicts are more confusing than their life-reality. Started from the death of Barry - whom he was senator of Pagford - when he and her wife wanted to get dinner at Golf Club. The death that shocked almost of his friends and all people in Pagford. There were a few people who don't care about his death, a few others are happy because of the vacant condition and another were so sad with his leaving.
Rowling writes every single story from their circumtances during this Casual Vacancy from people on Pagford. Those who are happy for this situation tried to propose for new senator and those who were affected by his death. The story flowing from one characters to others, filled with their thoughts and plans for their lives. It started from Monday when almost of them heard the news, his death's story was grew more and more from one mouth to another with different point of view.
Some of them focued on his family - especially Marry his wife and his children - what would they do after his death, how sad are they when someone that special has gone. And another focused on his death in the young age, he is still in the early of forthy and the news came up with a disease that also killed his brother years ago. And then there were who focused on the style of Barry when he was death, his face was greased by his retch while his body upper body was lying on the land.
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Pagford has divided into two places, Pagford where all rich families are lived and Fields the living poor families. For almost rich family in Pagfor, Fields are the things that exist with shamefully things : drugs, free sex, robber are exist here. People who lived in Fields are disgraceful to be neighboor, that is why members of senator which don't agree Fields to be part of them. They wont people from Fields across their places, they wont children from Fields study at their school. What they asked is to separated Fields from their lives.
This sparring has continue even Barry has been death. However, the Casual Vacancy has been something that contested from one candidate to another. For Howard the death of Barry is something fortunate because it means Howard could submit his candidate to run his vision. Of course it is all about Fields. Because, when Barry was still alive, he was the senator that tried to gave a chance to people in Fields to be a part of them. Even Barry tried to cut the differences between children from Fields and Pagford at the school. This was his vision to thrown away the racicsme.
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For Andrew Price, his life is more than a horror movie. His dad is so cruel, he never thought that he could live with them anymore. With his best friend - Fats - he always spent his daily life in school and when free time with him. Sometimes, Fats is a fun when he always tried to make a fun of his dad. But, for Andrew when Fats bullied another students, it became a burdened for him, he find nothing than disgraceful behaviour from Fats. Especially when Fats bullied Sukhvinder and told her that she is a mustache girl.
Fats's life is not better than Andrew, he always being a nice boy since he was a kid. His Dad is a head master at school, his mother is a consulting students. He always goes to school with both his parents, other students always make a fun with his parents but ended with him stand up to fight them. But, when he is grow as a teenager, he wants to make some different with his life. And decided to sleep with Krystal - student from his school that lived in Fields - one day and skipping the school. Even after that, his Dad really angry with him and both are having fight at the car while go to their home.
Gavin is Barry's asistant, when he heard the death of his partner, he is the one whom really sad about it. He is the character of a man who always lead by his girlfriend. Almost of people in Pagford known that. But, when Barry's death, he is more careful with Marry as a wife of his best friend.
Three of them are lived in Pagford, each of characters have a story that connected into one big story that make this book existed. One thing that you should know that it has no magic as Harry Potter, instead of magic it has a lot of jerk people behind their mask. At the first chapter it was really hard to get into it, but when it reached almost the end of the book, I found it really interesting because it has a unique plot twist.
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Book Details
Title : The Casual Vacancy
Hardcover, 593 pages
Published November 2012 by Qanita (first published September 27th 2012)
Original Title : The Casual Vacancy
ISBN : 6029225685 (ISBN13: 9786029225686)
Edition Language : Indonesian
URL : http://casualvacancyindo.com/
Characters : Barry Fairbrother, Mary Fairbrother, Howard Mollison, Shirley Mollison, Samantha Mollison, Miles Mollison, Krystal Weedon, Terri Weedon, Colin "Cubby" Wall, Tessa Wall, Stuart "Fats" Wall, Andrew Price, Ruth Price, Simon Price, Gavin Hughes, Kay Bawden, Gaia Bawden, Parminder Jawanda, Sukhvinder Jawanda, Vikram Jawanda, Robbie Weedon, Barry Fairbrother, Mary Fairbrother, Howard Mollison, Shirley Mollison, Samantha Mollison
setting : Pagford (United Kingdom)
