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For those who haven’t heard, J.K. Rowling announced her newest book last week.

The Casual Vacancy (ISBN 9780316228534. $21) is due out in October from Little, Brown.

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

While it looks like Rowling is steering away for fantasy, it looks like she’s still going with a quirky world (at least quirky names). And I have to admit, I’m really kind of excited just to see what else she’ll come up with.

Ms. Rowling also announced that she will be writing a Harry Potter Encyclopedia.

So what do you think? Are you planning on reading her new book?

Published by Chersti Nieveen

20 thoughts on “J.K. Rowling’s new book announced”

    1. I have to agree that she is a genius when it comes to writing. Simply brilliant. I just look at her lyrical style, which is just so readable (like someone is telling the story out loud), and the funny things she puts in EVERYWHERE and just sigh with jealousy. Maybe someday I can write half as good. 😀

  3. I am definitely interested as her style of writing has always been very compelling.
    I think the encyclopedia is silly. Having read the novels and watched the movies, I’m not interested in more “info dumping” about it all. But that’s just my opinion 🙂

    1. Lol – that is so funny. I’m actually excited about it, but then I was excited about all the other books she put out in the world. I am such a collector of facts, but mostly I think her world-building is astounding. Seriously, I just look at that stuff and try to take notes on how well she did it. But I can totally see your point here.

  6. Britney: Then we can stay up all night talking about it, yes??

    Jenilyn Tolley: I’m actually excited about it being so different, because then I won’t be comparing it to Harry Potter the whole time.

    1. I kind of assumed it is present, or near-past, but nothing has been released to confirm exactly when. It might be aiming more towards the timeless, like Harry Potter was, with it being a small town and such. So no real mentions of computers or cellphones.

  8. I’m really excited to see how this works! Even though it’s so vastly different, she’s got such great writing skills, I’m intrigued to see what she does with it.

  9. That’s probably one of the best copies I’ve ever read! I have to admit I kept expecting it to reveal some sort of speculative content, but I guess it sounds like it’s general fiction? Sounds super interesting either way!

  10. I’m not sure if I’ll read it or not (mystery’s not my typical thing), but it didn’t surprise me she wrote a mystery — I thought the Harry Potter books all followed a mystery plot-line pretty well.

  11. Wow! Exciting! I wonder if JK Rowling feels any pressure. I’m sure readers have really high expectations!

  12. Ali Cross: I am hoping there is some “extra” element in her book somewhere. But even if it is just straight fiction, I’ll be happy!

    Megan Hutchins: Wow, I didn’t even think of it like that. But she does have very strong mystery threads throughout the Harry potter series, and she does an excellent job.

    Amyhackworth: I know if I were in her place, I would feel SO MUCH PRESSURE.

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