Dave Hogan/Getty ImagesAdiós, Harry Potter and hello...Barry Fairbrother?!
That's the name of the character at the center of author J.K. Rowling's first venture in the world of adult literature following the über-successful wizarding franchise. And today she debuted the cover to The Casual Vacancy, her highly anticipated return to bookshelves.
So is there any magic to be found on the new book's cover?
Not quite.
The novel, which is set to hit stores Sept. 27, tells the story of the town of Pagford in the wake of Barry Fairbrother's death.
The author who is no stranger to killing off beloved characters (RIP Dumbledore! RIP Snape! And sorry for the spoilers to anyone who's still five years behind in their reading!) is kicking this book off with a bang.
The story then follows the "seemingly idyll" town of Pagford, England, which is, as the press release states "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," the synopsis reads. "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?"
Sounds like it's sure to be packed with drama, something the Harry Potter series was never short on.
The book clocks in at 512 pages, trumping the likes of The Prisoner of Azkaban but falling (far) short of The Order of the Phoenix.
Now you tell us, literary lovers, are you ready for a new set of characters from J.K. or are you still craving more Hogwarts action?