J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

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Mira
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Re: J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

Post by Mira » July 30th, 2012, 1:09 pm

If you're interested, here's an interesting article about recent book covers. They talk about why the choice was made for the Casual Vacancy, and seem to think it's a good thing:

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainmen ... e/259884/#

MHPHILLIPS
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Re: J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

Post by MHPHILLIPS » October 14th, 2012, 10:35 am

My feelings are that this type of art is much easier and less expensive to create than cover art for sci-fi, action-adventure et al. But I do agree that this book was to be "not Harry Potter" and for good reasons. Just my two cents (inflation my take even that away) but I feel that Rowling would be at a loss whether this book looked and read like HP or was another HP tale. She needed a story which could be sacrificed as "not like" or "not as good" or name your "not" category. Now, she can publish what she wants and TPTB will compare against the "okay" book she released after HP and not HP. The author of the article is correct in their belief that the publisher wanted this new cover to be completely different than HP. Just my guess and I am no one important, but Rowling will one day resume HP or tales from that world she created that speak to either older folks following HP as he grows or revisit the original time period with a different lost story.

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Shipple
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Re: J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

Post by Shipple » October 15th, 2012, 10:51 am

It is fun to read through all of the conspiracy theories, although I did start reading through this thread really hoping that someone had actually read The Casual Vacancy & could tell me what they thought of it (guess I'll have to go to Goodreads for that). I too refuse to pay so much for a book, but one of these days I may pick it up (from a library or friend or, depending on how long I wait, thrift store) out of curiosity.

So as for my opinion about the pricing and cover: I read the article Mira posted, so at least someone thinks it's a good idea, and when it's all explained it does make sense, and it does announced "This is NOT a kids' book". As for pricing, I know Rowling sort of lucked into owning the HP e-rights b/c e-readers weren't really a thing back when the first HP came out. I would think she might have the pull to own the e-rights to this book, but on the other hand it was SO unusual for her to own HP (and so much an element of luck/chance) that I'd be surprised if the publisher was willing to pay what they no doubt had to pay in advance and also relinquish the e-rights.

Also, this is purely my opinion, but I doubt she loves this book quite the way she loves HP. I know she cared a LOT about how the movies were put together and using only British actors and she spend years developing Harry's world, and I did hear an interview, and I do think she cares about this book, but somehow I doubt it holds the place in her hear that HP does, so she may just have taken a more hands off approach to the end pricing/look of this book.

And that's my two cents.
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Re: J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

Post by Sommer Leigh » October 15th, 2012, 11:43 am

I was spoiled to the book the week it came out and normally that would drive me nuts, but in this case I'm grateful and my friend knew she needed to warn me before I broke down and bought it. It is very, very, very dark. I like dark stories, don't get me wrong. I especially like dark endings. What I do not like is when there aren't any characters for me to champion, when they are all unlikeable and irredeemable and nothing good comes out of the story and they all kind of deserve what happens to them. I need a sense of satisfaction, one way or the other. My friend told me, point blank, "You're going to finish the book and you're going to be very upset by the way it ends."

After reading about the story, I am more positive than ever that this was supposed to be a very decisive break for her from Harry Potter so that this point forward we do not misunderstand that she isn't writing Harry Potter anymore.

I've had to warn off several of my coworkers who intended to buy the book for their Harry Potter loving kids. This is NOT appropriate for anyone under 18 years of age and even then, if your 18 year old isn't mature yet, this isn’t' for them either. It's on the other side of the specturm entirely. Imagine what would happen if Brett Easton Ellis decided to write a children's fantasy novel, it's that sort of opposite.

My friend told me that if you like the darker, horrible, graphic side of the Game of Thrones series, you'd like The Casual Vacancy because it leaves you with the same sort of emotions.
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Re: J.K. Rowling's new book - The Casual Vacancy

Post by Beethovenfan » October 15th, 2012, 12:28 pm

Sommer Leigh wrote:I was spoiled to the book the week it came out and normally that would drive me nuts, but in this case I'm grateful and my friend knew she needed to warn me before I broke down and bought it. It is very, very, very dark. I like dark stories, don't get me wrong. I especially like dark endings. What I do not like is when there aren't any characters for me to champion, when they are all unlikeable and irredeemable and nothing good comes out of the story and they all kind of deserve what happens to them. I need a sense of satisfaction, one way or the other. My friend told me, point blank, "You're going to finish the book and you're going to be very upset by the way it ends."

After reading about the story, I am more positive than ever that this was supposed to be a very decisive break for her from Harry Potter so that this point forward we do not misunderstand that she isn't writing Harry Potter anymore.

I've had to warn off several of my coworkers who intended to buy the book for their Harry Potter loving kids. This is NOT appropriate for anyone under 18 years of age and even then, if your 18 year old isn't mature yet, this isn’t' for them either. It's on the other side of the specturm entirely. Imagine what would happen if Brett Easton Ellis decided to write a children's fantasy novel, it's that sort of opposite.

My friend told me that if you like the darker, horrible, graphic side of the Game of Thrones series, you'd like The Casual Vacancy because it leaves you with the same sort of emotions.

Wow Sommer. Thanks for that little mini review. I've been wondering about the book since it came out. Perhaps instead of buying this one, I'll borrow it from the library.
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