Let's be clear: The Casual Vacancy is not a children's book. People in this book are not happy. Adults are not kind to children, and the teens here possess no special powers and form no unbreakable friendships. For those Harry Potter fans who missed the press release, be warned: you will not find any magical creatures or castles in this long, sad story of unhappy lives. We are definitely not at Hogwarts anymore. 
 J. K. Rowling's first novel for adults has a huge cast of characters whose lives intersect amidst a tangled web of influences and chain reactions in a seemingly pleasant small English town. Politicians, social workers, drug addicts, delinquents, doctors, and more collide in a fateful series of events surrounding the local parish council election. Secrets are revealed, casual cruelties are inflicted, and indifference causes irreparable harm. 
 The Casual Vacancy is not a pleasant book, to be sure. J. K. Rowling demonstrates her masterful command of plotting and character development, but unfortunately, I found the end result to be somewhat unsatisfying. The point of view within the book shifts constantly and distractingly, to the point that I found it difficult to become invested in the individual characters. As a consequence, The Casual Vacancy didn't pack the emotional punch that its tragic events warrant. 
 It was both intriguing and startling to read what is clearly adult fiction by this highly accomplished author of children's literature, and while I wouldn't count this one as totally successful, I'll certainly look forward to whatever J. K. Rowling chooses to write next. 
 See my blog for a more in-depth review of The Casual Vacancy.