A sudden death in a small English town opens a seat on the parish council and reveals its secrets
What it is about
In the quiet town of Pagford, councillor Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly, leaving an empty seat on the parish council. The race to replace him exposes old rivalries between neighbors, parents and teenagers. Behind a pleasant surface the town is divided over a nearby housing estate.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who like social comedies of small-town life.
What you will get
A very different book from Harry Potter. It deals with drugs, abuse and class prejudice.
The Casual Vacancy Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Literary Fiction · Small town · Class · Politics
Length
503 pages · ≈ 14 h
More about this book
Characters
The families and teenagers of Pagford.
Setting
The fictional English town of Pagford and a nearby housing estate.
What makes it different
J. K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.
Feel
Sharp, bleak and observant.
Perfume
The Goldfinch
How Late It Was, How Late
All the King's Men
The White Tiger
Alice Adams
The Keepers of the House
Chronicle of a Death Foretold