The Quick

If Anne Rice had gone back in time to collaborate on a novel with William Thackeray, author of Vanity Fair, I think the result might have turned out something like this. The lush writing and creepy turns of the novel fascinated me from the beginning, and Owen's nuance with characterization, setting, and hints that offered just enough foreshadowing without going too far...all of it came together for me beautifully. It wasn't quite the book I expected (somehow), but it was kind of a wonderful journey. I will say that the pacing occasionally threw me off, but all told, I rather adored this strange historical horror novel, and I look forward to more of Owen's work.

If you look at the reviews for this book, everyone talks about the 'surprise' and how they can't say anything without spoiling the story. Well, I'm definitely not going to be the one to break the silence pact, but what I can say about this book is that not only does it have some surprising plot twists, but the real reason to love this story is the way it develops an eerie and Gothic atmosphere. You totally become immersed in Victorian London with its fog-shrouded streets and evil lurking on the corners. I loved the wide variety of characters, from the upper crust of London society to the street urchins in the gutters. Definitely spooky and suspenseful. If you like books like The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, or Diane Setterfield's show more The Thirteenth Tale, then pick up this book. It's a page turner! show less

I loathe vampire novels. I love well-written literary fiction that doesn't scream and shout and say look at how smart and clever my author is being. And so by all rights, I should have detested this novel, which is a very cleverly-crafted literary novel -- an homage of sorts to high Gothic yarns of yore -- featuring vampires. That's hardly a spoiler, given the reviews that have been written, and the fact that the big reveal comes in the first 100 pages.

So, what's happening here?

What I dislike is the new breed of fiction feature Abraham Lincoln and Jane Eyre as either vampires or vampire-hunters or other mythical critters; equally, the romanticized "Twilight" love at first bite stuff. I'm not a big reader of horror fiction, generally, show more and tend to recoil from the macabre. Happily, that's not what is happening here.

Rather, what won me over and won this novel one of a tiny handful of five star labels I'll dole out this year is the fact that Lauren Owen demonstrated the ability to keep my attention with superb plotting and excellent writing -- along with an ability to keep me teetering on the edge of my chair, suspense-wise. All of that kept me reading a novel that is 80% devoted to vampires in Victorian London. And that will tell you just how good I thought this novel was.

Is it for everyone? Probably not. Those who adore conventional gothic tales may not like Owen's approach, which includes a cross-dressing one-time tightrope-walking star turned vampire hunter, and the journals of "Dr. Knife", former tutor to one of the members of the Aegolius Club, composed of men with unusual tastes in claret and who keep their window shades firmly drawn. And those in quest of a rollicking modern tale, or a "Twilight" style romance, will be dismayed to find a serious work of fiction, bearing a blurb by no less a figure than Hilary Mantel. (Mantel isn't an indiscriminate blurber, and this one, I think was deserved.) (And it's worth heeding the blurbers on this: if you've not read their work and aren't familiar with it or don't like it, you may want to think twice.)

Owen excels at atmosphere, from that of the manor house -- damp and crumbling around the edges -- in Yorkshire where Charlotte and James Norbury grow up -- to the foggy streets of London where James briefly finds happiness before misfortune strikes -- and where Charlotte struggles to win some part of him back with the help of some unconventional allies. Perhaps she throws in too many different voices -- the reader lurches from reading about James's London adventures to the journal of "Dr. Knife" and on to the various experiences of Adeline Swift (vampire hunter extraordinaire), Liza (kid vampire) and then, more extensively, Charlotte. But each felt distinctive to me, and significant in providing a well-rounded view of Owen's carefully conceived and delicately presented alternative universe.

I'm frankly amazed that an author this young has such a strong voice and a commanding sense of narrative structure and pacing. Macabre? Absolutely. And Owen hasn't won me over when it comes to reading vampire novels. But she has made it a sure thing that I'll be reading whatever she chooses to write next. An impressive debut, falling right in the sweet spot: popular fiction that offers writing, character development and plot development that is way, WAY above average for its genre. show less

So, what can I say about this book? Three things really, a) it is a debut novel for this Author b) I really didn’t see that coming and c) Noooooo!!!

I found this book by chance on a rummage through my local lending library the other day, and was intrigued both by the cover and the synopsis, so home with me it came and I’m glad I took a chance on something so unknown to me. If other readers have already heard of this novel they may think I live under some rock and rarely venture out; that is not the case, I never read reviews on books and choose them purely on their own merit when out and about and this was the case with this one.

From a character point of view they are plentiful in this novel, and they are morose, they are arrogant; show more you may love them or you may hate them, but each of them will bring about a reaction in the reader of some description. In my opinion it was hard to pinpoint one main character in the whole of this novel, as so many come and take centre stage in a way that will impact all those around them; and once they step away from the limelight they do not fade out of the plotline entirely as many Authors have their lesser characters doing. Despite the time period in which this novel was set, there was one particular character I really connected with and I was rooting for her every time she appeared in the story; there were also others that no matter how hard I tried I could not find anything redeeming in their character and found myself chuckling when rough things happened to them.

Because of the way in which this book is written it is hard to write an in-depth review without giving away the plot. It is written from a multi-perspective point of view , as each character comes to the front and also includes journal entries; all the good stuff that combine together to make an exceptional Victorian gothic novel. It is very apparent from the way in which the Author addresses class issues and gender expectations that they have done an extensive amount of research into this period of history; the shock one woman expresses at seeing another wearing trousers is a good example. The location descriptions are the best I have read in a long time, and in this area put me in mind of Dickens and Conan-Doyle in the way the Author uses the surroundings to propel the storyline along. The grandeur of some buildings is, in the next paragraph startling contrasted against the poorer areas of London; along with smells and attire I could almost feel I was back in this time with the characters.

This is a moody, dark and gritty novel which really doesn’t show London at its best, but this is what adds to the novel. There is no sugar coating of the privations some suffered and the excesses others enjoyed. Because of its abrupt ending however, I am hoping that this may be the start of a series, one that I will definitely be following. If not, and the Author decided to leave the reader with a cliff-hanger, I don’t really mind as I will definitely be reading this Author again.

I would highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, and those who enjoy a good gothic novel. Also those who enjoy Victorian crime fiction may find this to their liking.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/07/16/review-the-quick-lauren-owen/




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. show less

The best horror stories are those with elements of truth about them. In The Quick, Lauren Owen uses the very real exclusivity and mystery of popular gentlemen’s clubs from turn-of-the-century England within which she bases her horrors. The secrecy of such clubs exudes danger and suspicion, so the two are a natural fit. In combining these two elements, Ms. Owen also manages to mock such clubs and their self-importance, their stringent adherence to rules, and how quickly their structure dissipates without those rules. It is a brilliant combination of horror and satire, and it is completely unexpected.

Ms. Owen sets up her story to follow James Norbury as he tests his wings in London after University and a life of privilege in northern show more England. From the moment of his introduction, it is apparent that James is a fragile character. As a child, he is highly dependent on his sister for love and friendship. As he ages, this dependency shows itself in a severe shyness and penchant for solitude that borders on isolation. He has few friends, and as he starts out in London, one cannot help but empathize with his loneliness. He is a genuinely good person, and one hopes that such people would have many friends for support and guidance. Eventually, he makes friends, and these friends provide the means by which he blossoms and grows into an admirable man. More importantly, he finds happiness and love. Then, it is all brutally ripped away from him.

The suddenness with which the story shifts and changes is extremely unsettling, and it will take readers several chapters after the shift to feel comfortable with the story’s direction. In fact, it very well may upset a reader so much that one is unwilling to continue to read it. It is that abrupt a change that it is difficult for the mind and heart to adjust to it. For those who push through their shock, the resulting story is rich in mythology and vibrant in its details. James’ story is the tip of the iceberg compared to what follows. The introduction of new characters flesh out James’ London, and his involvement in the mysterious Aegolius Club adds excitement and danger to what could have become a very pedantic story.

Ms. Owen provides the same amount of care with her other characters as she does with James. Each narrator gets the right balance of exposure, development, and even closure as they enter the stage, wreak havoc or make a difference, and then continue on with their lives in the story’s aftermath. Their narratives blend and combine in rather unexpected ways, and they just as seamlessly part. Each narrative ends appropriately without becoming unnecessarily drawn out or melodramatic. Just as she lulls a reader into a false sense of peace and happy endings, Ms. Owen provides a stark and thoroughly chilling reminder that The Quick is first and foremost a horror story, even if it did not seem that way during the first quarter of the novel.

The Quick is perfectly atmospheric for the time period and subject matter. Ms. Owen draws a reader into the story with her picturesque prose and keeps a reader’s interest with her brilliant sleight of hand and jaw-dropping twists. The story follows multiple narrators but at no point in time does it become difficult to keep their stories separate. As their stories begin to intertwine, the novel reaches a depth and scope reminiscent of Charles Dickens. The supernatural elements of the story are a complete surprise, incorporated well without being farcical. The Quick is an excellent modern-day example of an old-fashioned horror story where the setting and character development are just as important as the plot. show less

I knew the general gist of the big reveal going in, so that surprise wasn't the reason for my lukewarm feelings about this book. (However, I totally understand that those who thought they were sitting down to read a Dickensian family saga and were suddenly confronted with a novel of the supernatural might be annoyed and even a little hostile.) It's just that… I was into it, and then I wasn't. I can't quite put my finger on the problem, as, objectively, this was a very accomplished book.

I guess there were a few things that bothered me. For one, I very much enjoyed the character of James Norbury and thought that all that rich detail about his childhood and young manhood would have some bearing on the second half of the book, when he show more became "undid." Well, it didn't. For another, characters make unexplainable arcs and act from inscrutable motives. And somehow, despite quite a lot of action, I found the book slow moving. Still, it was an impressive take on an old classic theme.

Finally, a warning. This book is exceedingly gory. Like, Game of Thrones gory. Didn't bother me. Just sayin'. show less

I made a rookie’s mistake (and I’m no rookie!) and requested an ER book based on blurbs on its cover. I never looked any further to see what the book was about. The words of Hilary Mantel (”a sly and glittering addition to the literature of the macabre…It’s a skilled assured performance and it’s hard to believe it’s a first novel.)” and Kate Atkinson (A suspenseful, gloriously atmospheric first novel, and a feats of gothic storytelling that is impossible to resist.)” were enough for me. Throw in Tana French’s words (…a seamless blend of Victorian London and rich imagination”) and you have the trifecta of highly regarded British authors raving about The Quick. What me worry? So the book arrived and proved to be a show more door stopper at 523 pages but then I looked at a few of the reviews on the work page and discovered to my chagrin that the book was about, well, er, it contained, how do I say it…..vampires. Now you can count on one hand (actually one finger) the number of vampire novels I’ve read: Dracula. I was surprised a few years ago at how much I loved that novel but this book, The Quick, is written by a twenty-eight year old woman and the only thing that came to mind was the Twilight books. Noooooo. So the book sat. For so long that the publisher sent me a second copy. Is that a hint that they’re waiting for a review? I thought I would get to it in May, then June but I kept putting it off. Until Chatterbox and Smiler69 wrote fairly glowing reviews of it and I picked the book up and didn’t come up for air for days.

Apparently well-written, vampire books with intricate plotting and heart-pounding suspense are right up my alley. Who knew? Anyway, the narrative begins in a fairly innocuous way by telling the story of brother and sister James and Charlotte Norbury. James leaves his family’s crumbling country estate for Oxford and then the budding poet takes rooms in London with a new friend, Christopher Paige, an aristocratic young man who introduces him to the high society of the city and soon James finds love. Things seem to be going so well for him when he suddenly disappears. That’s all in the first hundred pages and not a mention of v______s.

James’ sister Charlotte is frantic with worry and leaves the country estate to look for her brother. This is when Owen pulls out all the stops and begins a heart-pounding narrative that continues for four hundred pages. The atmosphere she creates is just so suggestive of Victorian London that you can feel it. When Charlotte gets her glimpse of London, it was as if I was standing there with her.

”King’s Cross was an assault on the eyes and ears, a scurry and bustle which almost bewildered her. Alighting from the train, Charlotte was struck by the noise of the place---dozens of voices, and above those the screech and pant of the engines. She found herself engulfed by a crowd of fellow passengers, hemmed in on all sides and borne helplessly forwards. She could smell dirt, sweating human bodies and damp wool and wet dog fur, a thousand other ripe and rotting things all blended together. The station was cold, and she felt insignificant beneath the high ceiling, as if she had dissolved entirely into the crowd. The taste of smoke lingered at the back of her throat.” (Page 211)

As she searches for her brother she finds a fantastical world peopled by memorable characters, some of which help her in her hunt and lead her to the mysterious Aegolius Club. So ignore the negative reviews, many of which were written by readers who never got beyond the first hundred pages, and get ready for the ride of your life. This v______e book is highly recommended. show less