Nope---been busy.

Reviews smack of green eyes to me. Need to read it to check though.

How stupid of some reviewers to say she has written it for the money---she has more than enough of that!

rune

The reviews are generally not bad either....she's getting fairly mediocre reviews but not many have said its terrible. The problem is that she's being judged far harsher than many other authors, and has set a huge precedent that is almost impossible to live up too.

I'm reading it, have read the first two chapters or so, do really too early to comment. Readable enough so far though...

I finished it this w/e/ Took a while to get into but my fault for not having a good long go at it---I use the garden a lot for reading and it has been rotten weather.

Tried to read it in a jumble sale queue and had no chance as everyone wanted to know what it was like!

I think its OK---also had the effect of staying with me afterwards, it is still at the forefront really.

I didn't think her families were stereotyped (I have met similar to all of them when I think about it).

It doesn't really 'fit' anywhere --not chick lit etc.

Anyone else?

rune

I'm 3/4's of the way through it, I haven't finished it yet. It's taken me longer than usual to get through it, but I have been very busy do I don't think that's a reflection on the book. However while I did have an urge to keep reading to see that happened next, I didn't even contemplate reading it cover to cover in one sitting like I did with Potter. But it was never meant to be the same reading experience as Potter, she was very clear on that.

I think it's been a perfectly good read. Literary masterpiece? No. Phenomenon? No. But she was never aiming for that. I think she has achieved what she set out to do - to write a thought provoking read for adults that addresses social issues. Job done. People will always compare it to Potter but it cannot be done, they are two totally different books.

I do agree with one thing that a review said "JK Rowling has forgotten one thing in her characters. Likeability. None of her characters are likeable, except Barry, and he died in the first chapter!". I have to say that I agree. I always loved the strength of characters in Potter, ones you love, ones you hate, ones that you just don't know if they are truly good or bad. In the Casual Vacancy they generally seem like a bunch of miserable, selfish people and few of them are likeable. It makes it difficult to care about the characters when you harbour no strong feeling (positive or negative) against any of them. It is a book starring the Dursleys and Dudley's gang I mean who would root for them?!

I am enjoying it though. It kept me up reading well into the early hours of the morning a few nights back. I agree with rune, it stays with you. It is haunting at times, and fairly bleak and depressing. Do not read for a pick me up!

All in all, it is what I expected it to be. I am not awed but I am not disappointed. It is a respectable book in its own right.