Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I pre-ordered the book, even though the description didn't exactly tantalise, because it was written by an author who could make a grocery list interesting. I should have waited for the reviews and saved myself $17. The real JK Rowling is an author with wit and a love for wordplay. Even her minor characters are so well-drawn, they could carry a book on their own. This is not JK Rowling. The book is just dull. The writing is flat, the characters uninspired cardboard, and the plot - well, maybe the release of the book is just bad timing for the US audience. 'The Casual Vacancy' gets better reviews from more liberal publications, such as The Guardian. One conservative paper labelled the book a 'relentless socialist manifesto'. Personally, I lean toward the liberal side, but that did not make the book more enjoyable. I get the feeling that the more liberal reviewers wanted to like it for political reasons, but for the most part, even those reviewers had to admit the truth: it's boring.