I’ll cut straight to the chase..
yes, yes.. many of us were waiting in eager anticipation..for the next book by
J. K Rowling ( despite the fact, or because it was a departure from her Harry
Potter universe).. While it stung us somewhere that we couldn’t hope to savor
any more of that delicious Chicken Soup for the Soul anytime soon… we were (or
at least I was) anticipating something equally beautiful and rapturous- with
all kinds of emotions and elements magically woven into a single fabric- tears,
humor, friendship, love, wisdom, hatred, strength, weakness-everything. I, for
one, have never seen the HP series as “Children’s Books” (and am often
surprised to find those lined up at the kids’ section in all major bookstores)
..so the whole idea of her coming out with a book for adults did not matter so
much (even though she seemed to
emphasize it). We all make mistakes…
So.. I had pre-ordered my book
and then almost forgotten about it .. when one day at work, my teammate
mentioned JKR and I mentioned the new book and how I may get to read it anytime
soon.. imagine my ecstasy, when Flipkart delivered it the same day (I had
received no SMS notification) .. I floated on cloud nine holding my prize like
a lucky charm. It was a thick, red book. I was delighted!
I came home and devoured page one..
wishing for the familiar warmth and awesomeness of the characters/description
to engulf me- the reader in absolute surrender. One chapter past, however..
(which is the threshold you always give to yourself as a reader.. “it’ll get
better, the best of them always are non-awesome in the first few pages..” Some
20 pages later … (yes, I kept deluding myself) I had to honestly confess to
myself- this book- well written, characters very well etched, emotions and
feelings masterfully and unabashedly described, a story being coherently told- was
strongly reminiscent of that feeling of dread, unease, disgust and fear gnawing
into your intestines when you watch movies like The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
and Dev D – that depict one dimensional reality
of human depravity painfully realistically. Stupid as it was, on my part, I
couldn’t help observing that 50 pages later- I had not come across a single
moment which would have caused a hint of a smile/glow in me as a reader- let
alone the absolute LOL/HAHA moments that were frequently, expertly interspersed
in the natural storytelling of the HP series – I would call that the lifeline
of the series, which set it apart from many other books of its genre.
Much as it has killed me..right
from the time I was on page 20.. that I couldn’t discuss the contents I had
just consumed, with someone with exactly the same degree of consumption of T.C.V
.. I kept restraining myself from visiting online forums .. and now that I am
done with the book, I have yet not read annyyyy review/discussion online- not
even any interview with JKR .. giving more context to the storyline and her
intent, and purpose of writing it.. (much as I can’t wait to do it) … I decided
that my first review to myself should be completely my own- not colored by
anyone else’s thoughts. I did (unwittingly) read this flash of news on my
google apps email :-( :: The Casual
Vacancy released to mixed reviews from critics.
So…a few people have asked me ..most,
just out of casual curiosity – about what the book is like: Until today, I kept
telling them that I did not wish to pre-review it (somewhere, I kept hoping I
would get “there” somewhere along the plotline..which, well..it did not
happen!)
My feedback:
That JKR is a skilled writer, a
master storyteller and an honest, intellectual one at that- acutely perceptive
of how human emotions, human behavior etc etc work.. I had always known.
Nothing was going to change that. In this book, she has demonstrated, far
greater than in the HP series perhaps (wherein a casual reader may miss the
brilliance which is eclipsed by all the elements of “magic” and “children” ).
Her descriptions are vivid, real and authentic. The characters are all – well,
in a way, you can understand all of them.. I think she has delved deep, deep
into the recesses of the darker elements of her past life ( we all know about
the depression and suicide attempts) .. and while initially it seemed that she
was making a deliberate attempt to show that she could bloody well write a book
for adults if she wanted to.. as good as any other (or better) ..and that
had almost annoyed me a bit.. she seemed to be doing a good job of it..but
why?! Anybody could do that.. but nobody can do what she does… what she has
done previously.. !
But, as I progressed.. slowly
sinking deeper and deeper into the plot: disgusted, uncomfortable and painfully
depressed (not as someone critiquing her favourite author..but as someone
involved closely with the hearts and minds of the shallow, distraught lives of
the key characters of the Pagford story) .. I realized that this was something –that
was as naturally a part of JKR as was HP. This was something integral to her
being..something she had to put out there.. not for a reader, but for herself. At
times, I have been appalled by the vivid descriptions of illicit/depraved
behavior – coming from JKR- as a first-person account .. and couldn’t help wondering how much of
her own life is retold through the various characters .. – for her own sake, I
wished it was her brilliance that captured second-hand experiences so deftly
onto the paper.. I surely do not wish for her to have had a life anything like
that, as a child! By the time the book ended, my heart went out for some of the
key characters … in a … God-should-not-do-this to-anyone kind of way. The
trouble is.. (which is my issue with some of the acclaimed movies/books based
on “real” life.. such as those by Anurag
Kashyap (I have only watched Dev D).. ) .. why did the story have to focus
one-dimensionally, only on the negatives of everyone..of all their lives..
Everyone- almost everyone – or at least some people in a group.. have a healthy
blend of dark and bright in their lives.. something clean, something dirty..
something to die for… something killing.. The worst kind of children we have known … due
to whatever circumstances.. do have some kind of innocence …some kind of
child-like quality/feelings/thoughts in their heads and hearts.. most mothers
.. (imagining the worst of the lot).. do have a heart that –in part, beats pure
love and sacrifice for the children) ..
Maybe it’s my issue .. but I
would like to hear a story (mostly) with an all round description – hate, envy,
politics, weaknesses, dark side..all are welcome.. but so are love, wisdom,
friendship or at least faith, honesty.. anything.. anyyything! Something should
strike a painful chord ..and something should relieve the pain.. tears of real sorrow
and joy.. like a real life… which most people we know.. rich or poor, fortunate
or unfortunate .. lead. Some people no doubt have sick, psychologically damaged
lives dumped in darkness of every possible human element. But 90-100% people in
a small town? I don’t think so! It seems that except one person – whom we get
to know mostly through memories and recollections of those who knew him, and
who was like a real person.. (in fact, much better than an average real
person)..everyone else have been so described .. that they need serious Psychological
intervention – which some of them, do seek in the book.
Anyway.. some of it could be
attributed to my own complete ignorance of a world degenerated to that extent..
in India or elsewhere (what school has ALL children spewing expletives in every
single sentence- well, all children,
except those of the singlemost “real-nice” man mentioned earlier) .. while all
of it-the characters’ emotions, situations etc etc ..seemed painfully real..
one couldn’t help feeling that there might have been more to them or to the
place.. that would have given us a more ‘complete’, human picture of them. And
it is strange to reconcile this world of absolute degeneration, with the world
of HP – wherein, while the darkest powers existed alongside the Good.. there
were most shades of the ‘human’ in both. In all characters, except Voldemort,
Bellatrix Lestrange and the werewolf Fenrir Greyback.. (who was not human
anyway) .. everyone had a certain dignity,
And to think that the two sets of
worlds came out of the pen of the same person. That’s brilliance. I think.
Would I want to re-read The
Casual Vacancy? I think not. Never.
Did I love the book? Not at all.
Is it well written- yes, I think
expertly.
In some ways, coz it’s so unreal.
And in some ways, coz it’s so real too. It’s a lot of pain and depression. I
don’t want it. Had it been JKR’s first book, I would have not thought about
even finishing it, I think.
More Spoilers:
My favourite characters in the book
(though- no, I don’t feel/ want to feel anything for anyone of them.. ) –
Krystal Weedon (the most reviled teenager in the whole world of despicable kids-
ironically, also the one with the most human element- of love and integrity and
responsibility)… and Mr. Barry Fairbrother.. Who, by all memories- and internal
thought process as described in the first few pages, was a nice, old man.
Most memorable moments? In the
most painful kind of way.. Krystal’s rape. And Robbie’s death and funeral.
In the sole moments of humour,
cautiously thrown in by the author: Krystal’s wisecracks in all the rowing
scenes (all memories) with Mr. Barry Fairbrother- hardly 2-3 such scenes in the
500+ page long book.
Phew. Feel much lighter. MUST
read others fans’/critics thoughts and most importantly, JKR’s thoughts on the
book.
:-)
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