Rowling's new book is vacant of cheer

When J.K. Rowling was a single mum on welfare, she created a world of literal and figurative magic filled with high-spirited adventure, humor and hope. Now that she is richer than the queen of England (really!), internationally famous and admired for her talent, and married to a doctor with whom she's had two more children, she has written the most horribly depressing novel populated with the most miserable characters ranging from feeble to evil.

There's drug addiction, rape of a minor, emotionally and physically abusive parents and spouses, self-mutilation, bullying, small-mindedness, small town pettiness, job loss, obesity, stroke, death. The only likable character dies in the first three pages of the 503-page novel in a very descriptive scene filled with all sorts of body fluids. He creates The Casual Vacancy on the town council that gives the book its title and its unending downward spiral into misery.

I know that happiness often ruins musicians causing them to lose their edginess (See: Billy Joel/"Uptown Girl"), but it doesn't make sense that happiness would make a writer of cheerful adventure turn into the Duchess of Depression. Harry Potter fans: Run! Run as fast as you can!