I liked it--good believable characters, good story, pleasant read.

Life with an autistic son and a typically developing son with a crime thrown in. Very readable.

but some good moments. One character with a stupid nickname and three of the kids had ridiculous names. Trite.

Jews in England before and immediately after WWI from a young boy's perspective. Very moving and interesting.

Not my usual type book to pick. Very different.

Too P.C. for words--none of it believable. Save your time and money.

On my blog a few years ago this was my "Must Read Book of the Year."

It's an odd book with an odd premise, but one that makes you stop and think.

Not your typical Bible-based story at all. Very mdoern themes, but very good.

Drama, Romance, even [for it's day] a little racy boy-girl stuff! Inspiring to see what one person can do--even if it is fiction.

Not much of a story. I don't understand the hype for this book.

A unique style of writing brings this book much of it's attention. Sadly, that style gets annoying pretty fast. The story itself is well worth it. This will likely come up in Women's Studies classes in a few years.

This one is not to be missed. All that you thought you knew about terrible parenting and its effects on children will be challenged. And, the oft-told tales about strangers are both confirmed and blown away in this story.

From the reviews at Amazon I expected to throw this back. We all know J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) can tell a great story, but the average for this one was only 3 stars. I think that is an injustice!! Once again, though, it maybe a case of the book being better on audio. Tom Hollander is a great voice for this story. Rowling\\\\\\\'s story begins when Parish [Town] Councilor Barry Fairbrother dies in the Country Club parking lot of natural causes in his wife\\\\\\\'s arms. This then creates a casual vacancy on the Council. What happens next is WHY the Bible tells us God keeps vengeance strictly for himself!!

An ensemble cast of characters who are vividly drawn and well-developed tell the rest of the story, though it is not told in first person. Each person has an inner ax to grind or an unrequited passion to live out. The teenagers, the law partners, the Deli Owner and his wife, the addict Mom in the projects (Council Housing in the UK) and her very vulnerable little boy as well as the dissatisfied wife of one of the attorneys, the spurned girlfriend who has ruined her life moving to the village--it\\\\\\\'s quite a cast. The story shows how gossip, ridicule and hatred build and ruin lives. It is an excellent moral tale without being a moral tale. I highly recommend it. This is not a Miss Read story though. It is very, very gritty. Personally, I hope there is a sequel!! The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.