Rowling has created incredibly realistic characters. The quiet domestic desperation felt by these people reminds you so much of your friends and neighbors. One teen is a cutter, one father is abusive, one mother fantasizes about a boy band member to compensate for her unsatisfying marriage, and more than one adult acknowledges how few friends they really have.
Because the characters were so close to life so was their drama which was equal parts compelling and depressing. You wanted to know their stories but those stories also broke your heart. It’s good when fiction reflects life but by Cthulhu’s madness could it be dismal.
The only time I couldn’t relate was with the small town politics and some of the character’s idea of their place in the world. Pagford is made out to be such a huge deal but I grew up between DC and Baltimore. I don’t think I’ll ever understand the small-town-big-deal mentality
I think Rowling is a great writer but I think some of her editors were afraid to tell her what to cut. This book needed to be tightened up and parsed down. I think her next work will be excellent so long as someone makes sure Rowling edits it down.
A – American Virgin by Steven Seagle
B – The Bible Repairman by Tim Powers
C – The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling
D – Divergent by Veronica Roth
E – Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
F – Fifty Shades of Gray by E. L. James
G – The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham
H – How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown
I – I Do But I Don’t by Kamy Wicoff
J – Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress
K – Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
L – A Little Night Magic by Lucy March
M – Mennonite in a Little Black Dress
N – Naked City edited by Ellen Datlow
O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde
P – Partials by Dan Wells
Q – Q & A by Vikas Swarup
R – Reality Bites Back by Jennifer L. Pozner
S – Songs of Love and Death edited by George R. R. Martin
T – The Tao of Dating by Ali Binazir
U – Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman
V – Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies by Bruce Waldman et al
W – White Girl Problems by Babe Walker
X – XVI by Julia Karr
Y – Yoga Bitch by Suzanne Morrison
Z – Zoo Story by Thomas French
Current Music: Cold as Stone by Lady Antebellum
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