"The Casual Vacancy" by J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is back. For the last several months the literary world seldom talked about anything else, maybe except for Mo Yan's Nobel Prize, but even then - Yan was in the spotlight rather briefly. The legendary author of the best selling bestseller in the history of printed books (or, in the Top 3) - the Harry Potter saga, has ended her period of silence and finally wrote something for adults. And, it is a successful transformation.
"The Casual Vacancy" is a tragicomedy, but for me it's actually more of a drama of youngsters in Britain. Many times I've visited the British Isles, no matter if it was London or Liverpool, Manchester or Dublin, Edinburgh or Cardiff, teenagers smoking and drinking on the streets wearing weird clothes or no clothes at all, was an everyday view. Meanhwile, the parents and guardians were so much into helping the others and gossiping about the new drama in David and Victoria Beckham's life. Britain, this specific country of brilliant minds and wasted youth. Posh corners and drug abuse. High street fashion, food to go, school uniforms and violence everywhere. The new book by Rowling touches upon all this. There are lots of swears and curses that couldn't have possibly be used by Ron, Hermione or Harry, but here were exactly right. Rowling has a gift for observation and good writing style. Nobody can say she is not talented. And with this piece, her way to adult literature is open and waiting for more.

 Waterstone's - one of the biggest chain bookstores, in London.

The German language version of the book.