The Quick

I was completely unspoiled by reviews, so I went into this book knowing next to nothing. The story starts out small; a boy, his sister, and the crumbling estate on which they live. Then we follow the boy, now a young man, to London as he struggles with his identity and his place in the world. And then, a totally different type of story takes over.
It was so well written, and the characters were well fleshed out, so I carried on. In the end, I was mostly satisfied, but still a little sad to lose the story in the first part.

Based on other reviews I've read, this seems to be a “love-it-or-hate-it” book. I happened to have loved it. The author, Lauren Owen, is a scholar of Victorian literature, and it shows in this, her debut novel. “The Quick” is a brilliant homage to the authors and literature of the era, as well as a lovely example of Gothic literature. The Dickens meets Austen meets Wilde meets Stoker meets Shelley meets Conan-Doyle style makes for a cracking good read for fans of the genre. The first quarter of the book reads like a classic Dickens or Austen story of familial angst and coming of age. Then a transition begins...and this is where, I suspect, the story took a turn that caused the “hate-it” crowd to jump ship. New characters, introduced via diary entries and letters...a common weapon in the writing arsenal of the time...may have thrown some off, but those who allow themselves to be steered along are rewarded with a second half that is a roller coaster ride of intrigue, suspense and mystery that culminates in an action-packed climax. The denouement returns, in tone, to that found at the beginning of the book, and ends, as was common in such literature, on a bit of a question mark. That might suggest to some a sequel is in order (who knows?) but, to fans of the genre, that question mark actually serves as more of an exclamation point.

Yep, I liked it, flaws and all. I got the paperback copy, which announces for all the world to see that there are vampires in this book; I was not surprised. And I love horror, gothic novels, vampires all. So I was pumped.

When I finally settled in to read this recently after having it for a third of a year, I read it fairly quickly. I discovered a new literary crush (albeit a short-lived one, because the character dies), which hasn't happened in a while. And the first part of the book filled me with tragedy. Victorian homosexual tragedy. I love James and Christopher.

Yes, yes, this book has flaws. Characters come into play abruptly and go out of play just as abruptly. Action is not Ms Owens forte. The middle part isn't quite as interesting as the beginning. BUT it is still immensely enjoyable, and I look forward to the sequel. And I want to give James a big hug. I also quite liked the epilogue, which ends on a downbeat note. Ending on a downbeat note is, to my mind, almost always a good thing. Almost.

So, yes, if you want a fun book that isn't schlock and will give you a few moments of vampiric emo-ness, give it a read. I was certainly glad that I did.