“Casual Vacancy ” : Review and Short Analysis

Author : J.K Rowling

By : *Carvia Sances , Michelle Aditya & Michael Ronaldo (1st year students)

Epic. Tragic. J.K. Rowling took a really far steer from her previous well-known series : Harry Potter. And I could say that this one is also a genius work. The Casual Vacancy is so captivating in every way possible. A non-based fantasy novel that lifted a heavy theme.

It started with a tragic death of the town?s beloved, Barry Fairbrother. The lost of the leader of the Parish Council of The Field had brought so much problematic issues in the quiet small community. Along with the empty position in the Council, election would be held. And later on, readers would soon figure out that in the little town, lied so many dark secrets, affairs, and conflicts that tie all the characters into one hell of a mess.

Casual vacancyThere are three candidates for replacing Mr. Fairbrother ; Simon Price, Collin Wall, and Parminder Jawanda. After the announcement about the date of the election, some teenagers decided to rebel against the candidates ; which are their own parents. Andrew Price made a secret account called ?The_Ghost_of_Barry_Fairbrother? to dish in council forum about his abusive father about selling stolen goods from community. Sukhvinder Jawanda post about his mother being in love with barry. And lastly Stuart ?Fats? Wall post about his father molesting a child. After this, one by one everyone start to finally discover another ?dirty laundry? of the residents, Howard Molison, also a leader of the Parish Council was having an affair with Maureen. His lesbian daughter Patricia and his son Miles hate him, although Miles end up winning the election later. Miles? wife Samantha doesn?t love him anymore instead kissing the sixteen-year-old Andrew Price but end up to reconcile. Andrew himself is the son of Simon and Ruth Price who is in love with Gaia Bawden, the daughter of a British social worker, Kay Bawden. Gaia befriend Sukhvinder and wants to move back with her father after knowing that her mother?s new boyfriend Gavin Hughes is in love with Fairbrother?s widow, Mary. Sukhvinder?s mother, Parminder and his husband Vikram is a docyor and a surgeon with unhealthy marriage.

And then we meet our main chacarter also the spotlight to end this drama in this town, which is Krystal Weedon. She is a teenage girl that is very close to Barry who teach rowing team. She was raised by her heroin addict and prostitute mother, Terry and has to take care of her little brother Robbie. She is having a relationship with Stuart ?Fats? Wall, the son of Collin and Tessa Wall. One day when they were sleeping together, Robbie falls to a river. Parminder risk her life to safe Robbie due to her burden for the chid?s grandmother in her hands, but Robbie still end up die. Not long after that, Krystal was also raped by her mother?s drug dealer. After the deppresion about the raping and blaming herself upon her brother?s death, she committed suicide by overdosing on her mother?s drugs. Following the sibling?s funeral, Fats confesses and take all the responsibility of the post they made as ?The_Ghost_of_Barry_Fairbrother?

Sad and touched are an understatement of how I feel after reading this work of Rowling. It really opens my mind of how much can a bunch of teenagers could do to stands for justice. What makes it stands out and different with the Harry Potter series is that it really captures every dilemma we can see in our society. Rowling has massed up drugs usage, free sex, affair, political issues, all in such a brilliant and outstanding way.

* members of : http://bookclubbinus.tumblr.com/

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