The novel is definitely very different in genre from what we have seen Rowling previously publish yet there are qualities that are distinctly hers that remain. Just as the world of Harry Potter was crafted with careful attention to detail, yet slightly fogged by the whole truth never being revealed, Rowling’s Pagford is crafted in a very similar way. Reaching for an adult audience, the characters are much more three dimensional and are not clearly good or bad, as most of her Potter characters were. Rowling shows a world of subjectivity that has no absolute truth or definite good/bad; instead it is up to the reader to figure out their own position. With shifting points of view, unreliable narrators, a large cast, and a variety of settings, coupled with the previously mentioned changes, Rowling has successfully transitioned into the world of adult fiction, in my opinion. I feel those that grew up with Harry Potter from the start will really appreciate the more mature tone as they have reached adulthood.
January 14th, 2013 at 10:44pm