A vote in support of A Casual Vacancy

[matt819]

2. Clarification

I didn't intend as criticism the fact that the book "has already been done." My preferred reading genre is police procedurals/crime. Let's face it, they're all pretty much identical. Some authors do it better than others, but there's no question that it's "already been done." The pleasure is in finding writers who do it better, whose facility with the language is such that you look forward to every page, who have the ability to create memorable characters (whether or not they're likable).

The fact that it's "not Harry Potter" is sort of irrelevant to me since I haven't read any of them. I don't know how it's been received critically, but I'm enjoying it. Rowling is an artist with the language and is brilliant at crafting her characters, from toddler to senior.