A Casual Vacancy

True to life in some ways, but all the unpleasant features of many aspects of life brought together and concentrated into one melting pot!

To think she based it on the area where she grew up.
We're just not like that at all!!

I agree with* Nelliemoser,* it was realistic and true to life, these sorts of lives are being lived all over the world, perhaps we just don't want to accept the fact and have it thrust into our faces or in our living rooms on a Sunday evening. There are still class differences, and I think that's what JK Rowling was trying to say, and she said it extremely well. I loved the book and the tv version, superb acting all round and all the emotions played out, sadness, anger, sorrow, hopelessness, empathy, humour, I could go on. I think you can tell I enjoyed it immensely.

Oh I loved this series. I read the book when it first came out and unusually I thought Julia Mckenzie played the part exactly as I imagined her to be. Snobby, nasty, viscous tongued, poisoned old woman.

I think JK Rowling's writing proved (as others have said) the huge divide that still exists between the haves and the have nots in this country. Here we had a pretty village, full of chocolate box houses owned by affluent (mainly) professionals who's personalities were rather questionable. Compared with a nasty (not my words) council estate on the outskirts, who's residents (unfortunately) had to dirty the streets of the village centre occasionally. I particularly liked the character of Krystal (poor girl) who was trying her best for her little brother Robbie despite her awful life with her drug addict mother. Typical of social services to remove the original social worker just when she was beginning to get herself put right and finally trust someone.

There were a few differences between the original book and the TV adaptation and believe it or not the book is even sadder than the TV drama but won't spoil it for those who are yet to read it or watch the drama on catchup.

I was away when the final episode was shown, so caught up on Saturday evening. I accept the points about stereotypes but I didn't find the characters one dimensional or hard to believe in. As Nelliemoser said earlier, any one who has worked as a health visitor, social worker, teacher, police officer etc will have come across characters like the one's portrayed in Casual Vacancy.

Krystal and her mother were so well written and portrayed by the actors. I confess to weeping at Krystal's fate. It reminded me of a number of girls like her I worked with. Feisty, stroppy, argumentative but with a longing for some kind of 'normality'.

I was thinking about it again at the weekend - in particular about the review I read that said Samantha's threat to her teenage daughters 'I am the mother from hell etc' was 'chilling'.

I thought the reviewer missed entirely the irony of the situation.
Two indulged teenage girls who appear to have everything being told off by an exasperated mother because she does not want to indulge their latest desire to holiday abroad (fuelled by manipulative granny) is described as 'chilling'.
Half a mile away there is the truly chilling situation that Krystal endures with her drug addict mother and mother's friends.
There are many Krystals out there.
I would have liked to have seen a different ending.

I often think that the secret of my success as a mother is my occasional popping up their facebook feeds with such things as 'Hello my precious - it's your favourite Evil Mother here. Don't forget it's my birthday next week - remember, I am the one who has all those photos of you secreted away in a locked safe'.

I am not one for sobbing away in a corner because my ungrateful offspring have taken me for granted, but they don't seem to mind!

The Krystals when they grow up are fascinating. I sometimes meet someone and think - you had it tough. Amazing women, but quick to take offence usually.