Light Reading: The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

Being a major Potterhead I recently reread the entire series and then experienced the usual withdrawal symptoms one does after finishing the books. I wanted to dive into another story and since J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy was already on my list I decided to go ahead and read it. 

Warm blankets + a good book = perfect winter evening

The story follows the interwoven lives of families living in the idyllic village of Pagford and its impoverished suburbs, the Fields. The author gets down to the gritty details on social divide between the privileged and unprivileged. The high and mighty people of Pagford are tired of shouldering the financial burden of the Fields and want nothing to do with the depraved souls who live there hence, a political battle for power ensues. 

Not only does the novel portray the silent war between the rich and poor but it also shows the disconnect between parents and their children because of the latter's resentment and former's refusal to listen. 

The author takes a grim tone throughout the book as there is no battle between good and evil, there is only evil. Rowling does a good job at uncovering the ugly side of human nature and showing what happens behind closed doors. The ending will leave you shocked and empty. I kept wondering about the events that lead up to it and how they all contributed towards what conspired.

It is hard to categorize the book under one genre since some moments read like a YA novel where a teenage boy is pining after the beautiful girl in his class while at times it takes on the tone of a crime/mystery novel keeping the readers turning pages in search for answers.

Vacancy

When they first met, there was static in the air. She tucked her a loose strand behind her ear and her hair stood up on top of her head. He laughed.

They both attended the same parties but she steered clear of him. She hadn't gotten over their embarrassing first meeting.

Their friends would tell them how perfect they are for each other but she wasn't looking for a relationship and made sure he knew it.

Every time she glanced his way, he died a little inside. He couldn’t take it anymore.

He sold his heart online so he would never have to feel this way again.

Let go.

Sweat was slithering down my back. 

My heart was pounding fast, like the beat of a snare drum.

That familiar laugh kept ringing in my ears.

I heard the lock turn and the door creaked open. The masked captor was back. With a kitchen knife. Imagination running wild with possible torture techniques he would subject me to, my mind wandered to a long forgotten movie about the mafia which I never finished because it was too gory. 

"Eat it" he said pushing a plate of rotten sliced apples towards him. 

My hand struggled to hold a piece of apple because I had been handcuffed to the bed frame. Using my thumb and fore finger I ate it in one bite.

"Please!" I whispered. "Let me go."

Within seconds the knife was at my throat and his breath on my neck. 

"Just like you let me go?

LET ME GO IN THE WOODS ALONE!"

***

"Truth or Dare?"

I didn't know how we ended up playing this moronic game with the neighbourhood kids. It probably had something to do with the long summer day which kept dragging on and on.

I was 11. My brother was 12. 

After a monotonous round of "Who do you like?" questions (none of which were answered truthfully) the bottle landed on my brother. 

Trying to impress everyone he boldly picked Dare. 

"I dare you to go into the woods and bring back a few wild berries to prove it." said one kid.

"But my parents say there are dangerous animals out there" a meek protest offered by the youngest in the group.

"He shouldn't have picked Dare then if he didn't have the guts." 

Someone started clucking like a chicken and everyone sniggered. 

Willing to prove he was brave enough my brother got up and headed towards the woods. Kids cheered him on and I was amongst them, proud of my big brother. He disappeared into the cluster of trees and we waited. We waited and waited. After fifteen minutes fear began to gnaw at my insides. I didn't believe the campfire stories to be true. We went there to pick berries all the time. No one volunteered to go look for him with me. Scared, all of them went home. I had no choice but to call my parents.

A missing person's report was filed. A community search was arranged. Dogs sniffed through every inch of the area. But we never saw him again. Not until my kidnapper took off his mask and slit his little sister's throat.