The damning review given by the Holy See’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, to British author J.K Rowling’s latest publication - “The Vacancy Casual”- did not go down well in English speaking countries.
The Telegraph wrote that after praising the new James Bond film, Skyfall (described as “one of the best of the 23 Bond films that have been made since the franchise began 50 years ago”), L’Osservatore Romano “also congratulated Rowling for donating a large sum of her earnings to charity in 2011 "thanks to the power and fantasy produced by her pen" but said her latest book was unconvincing and Rowling's perspective "disappoints".
"Fifty-six years after Peyton Place, an up to date – and British – version of that masterpiece of a social chronicle might make sense. Rowling probably has all the qualifications to be the worthy successor of Grace Metaloius. But there's something missing,” the review went on to say.
“The Vacancy Casual” is the first book by the English author addressed to an adult readership but according to the Brits, something in it has clearly not sat well with the Vatican.
L’Osservatore Romano’s comment that Rowling may have been able to bewitch the world with seven books on a brilliant young spectacled magician but that her new novel “needed a sprinkle of magic,” was not easy to digest.
The Holy See’s newspaper said it opened the British author’s first book for adults but found it unconvincing. She is 47 years old, she has a long road ahead of her; she will grow, it wrote.
“The newspaper's review gave only a sparse outline of the book's storyline and revealed little about the casual sex, drugs and self-harm contained in the book,” The Telegraph commented.
“However in the past L'Osservatore Romano enthusiastically embraced the Harry Potter series and debated many of the issues raised by the children's series. In January 2008 the paper dedicated a full page to a philosophical debate about whether Harry Potter was an appropriate hero or not. In July 2009 the paper praised the moral stance of the film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and two years later praised Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for championing friendship and sacrifice.”
And yet it praised the latest James Bond film Skyfall for its marvellous cast and said its director gave 007 fans a film that was worthy of the Bond legend.
So what is wrong with Joanne Rowling?
This is the question bouncing around the internet at the moment.
Some say the Vatican’s critique has nothing to do with her latest book but with the Harry Potter saga which the Catholic world has often raised an eyebrow at, claiming the books in the series promote magic and spiritualism.