This is a mixed review to the end that emerges from my reading. I would not take in any case the defense of the stupid journalists who constantly compare A Place to take and Harry Potter, because these books have nothing to do. JK Rowling warned his audience that his new novel was very different from what it had been written before, so that side of no surprise to me. I was greatly surprised by against the contents of the book itself, which is very dark and hard.
From the first pages following the death of Barry, a paroissal advisor, we go into the daily lives of Pagford, a small town as there are thousands in England. The death of the councilor leaves a vacancy on the Board, who is torn between the defenders of the tranquility of the parish on one side, and activists for the city Champs, social area habitats with multiple disorders, the other. The death of Barry, ferving defender Champs, could permanently tip the balance in one camp or another, and the battle is tough to hold that much desired seat.
But beyond the political games, it is mainly the different inhabitants of Pagford and Champs that we follow throughout the novel. The characters are very many, a good fifteen in total, and although initially it is not easy to navigate among all these names, you soon realize that they are all linked. We then cotoie teenagers despising their parents and adults all meaner than each other, who do not hesitate to stab each other in the back to serve their interests. Frankly, other teenagers who bring a bit of candor to the story, there is no one to catch the other. They are awful realism, their selfishness, their way to rejoice at the destruction of their neighbors and their desire to look good while they all hide terrible secrets.
Because he does not hide it, this novel is very hard. After the closed door of their respective house, we discover the worst of the character of the inhabitants of Pagford, and then s'abtenir sensitive souls. There is talk in the pages of all attrocités which the human race is capable, I think. JK Rowling spares us nothing, even if sometimes I thought she was going a little too far in the forfeiture of his characters, I could not stop reading. This book is like a car accident, we can not help you to check it look when you know that you could see the morbid things. It's exactly the same with A Place to take, and I felt several times feeling unwell during my reading, so that certain characters live is cruel and unfair. No character is all white or all black, they are above all human, and I can tell you that this book does not bring out the best of what men are capable, far from it.
So do not expect a trhiller at the incredible action or plot. It is primarily a book about fairly mundane daily (at least at first) of a small country town, but it's so well written that I did not bored for a second. Admittedly, I had a little trouble finding the style of JK Rowling in this cold, dark tone, but she still has the gift to arrive to make us understand a character in some significant details, and make more than realistic. This is a book about our behavior in society, that each family has to hide, our reaction to the spreading of our secrets out into the open. It is sometimes cruel, sometimes funny, but mostly real thing. And for that, it is a very good psychological book and a very good critique of our society. I would have liked a little more good feelings perhaps because they are starved face all this human ugliness. The end also is a bit hasty, too bad.
So this is a book that will not please everyone, the subject itself is quite special, but it is worth to be read, at least to your own opinion. For my part, I come out of admiration JK Rowling could write something so different from HP. This is not my usual kind of reading, I was shocked at times by coming to some characters, but I do not regret having read it.
