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The cover of J.K. Rowling's upcoming 512-page novel, "The Casual Vacancy," was revealed Tuesday by publisher Little, Brown and Company.
The design of the prolific author's first adult book venture favors swirly script and bold colors over the splashy, action-packed cover art of the Harry Potter series.
A simple box marked with an X hints at the novel's spotlight on small-town politics, but not very much else.
At least Harry Potter fans lamenting the loss of their favorite wizard might find some solace in the new book cover's red and yellow theme — a subtle nod to the colors of Gryffindor, perhaps?
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Along with the cover art, Little, Brown and Company also posted an updated synopsis of the forthcoming novel:
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?
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"The Casual Vacancy" will be released on September 27.
Tell us in the comments: Are you planning on reading the book?
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