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The Quick by Lauren Owen

The Quick

by Lauren Owen

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Published:
  • Jun 2014, 544 pages
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  • Sylvia J. (Los Angeles, CA)
    Quickly engrossing tale within a tale!
    The Quick is a layered journey through Victorian London's high and low society. I truly enjoyed the book within a book within a book idea where we learned first about the main characters' early lives, then as they went on their separate ways. Along the way we witnessed the true love story turned undead nightmare with the Aegolius Club and the Mould vampire chronicles. This book hit every check mark to make it one of my favorite books- historical relevance, a great love story and fantastical/mystical/unforgettable characters. I won't soon forget The Quick and I hope there is a sequel to resolve those last questions that remain with the undead and those who fight to protect the living from them.
  • Lianne D. (Redmond, WA)
    A Great Read!
    I was pleasantly surprised by The Quick. I thought this book would be about a young man's coming-of-age in Victorian London, but it's so much more than that. There is a supernatural element that completely changes the path of the story. Lauren Owen knows how to evoke a setting, her characters are memorable, and her writing is so smooth that the pages just fly by. I had a hard time putting it down, glad that it was a long book because it just kept unfolding into unexpected plot twists, some of them completely terrifying to imagine. Lauren Owen has taken a much-written-about genre and made it new. She has also left the door open for a sequel! I highly recommend The Quick.
  • Judy M. (East Haven, CT)
    The Quick
    When I first started reading The Quick, I fell in love with Lauren Owen's writing. The ease in which she brought me in to the time & place in England was so natural.

    I did not remember upon receiving this book what it was about, and had not read the back cover for some odd reason before I began. So imagine my most welcome surprise to learn that this novel had to do with a version of the undead, truly one of my favorite subjects!

    What I continued to love was not only her style and descriptions, but her slightly different approach to the topic at hand. Without giving up to much of the story, I can only say that I savored every page of this novel, and read it with a an appetite equal to some of it's characters.

    I loved the relationships built between brother & sister, James & Christopher, and all the other people whose lives intertwine with the factions of the undead.

    I am hopeful that the author will continue writing, and thrill me with her next novel. Accolades to Lauren!!
  • Michele C. (Harvard, MA)
    The Quick
    I will start by saying that I probably would not have chosen this to read if I saw it in the bookstore, but I am so glad that I was given a copy to read! I stared to read it and I was unable to put it down. The whole book kept me on edge the entire time, never once disappointing.

    I will keep the secrets under lock and key, because that way others may be able to enjoy this book as much as I did. I will say that it takes place in Victorian England and is a tale you may think you are familiar with, but it is told in an entirely fresh way. The characters were compelling, the story was suspenseful and there were surprises throughout.

    A book which holds several love stories and a scary secret. I loved it!
  • Barbara M. (grants, NM)
    The Quick
    The Quick was not like anything I expected. Right from the start I was drawn into a world that kept me intrigued. I was able to connect with the characters and felt part of their lives immediately.. The character development along with the world building and a plot with lots of twists and turns kept me coming back for more. About the time I thought I had the whole thing figured out there would be a new twist that would totally throw me for a loop and hook me all over again.

    This book has it all, mystery, intrigue, romance and even the undead! This book should appeal to a wide audience and I will definitely be looking for more from this author. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy this fabulous read.
  • Laura M. (Roswell, NM)
    The Quick
    This was a very interesting read. It was well-written and kept me guessing about what was going to happen next.
  • Mary G. (Purcellville, VA)
    Victorian vampire story
    I wasn't sure I would even finish this book. I found the beginning slow and frustratingly disjointed. I persevered, however, and the story did pick up. Did I like this book? I am still not entirely sure.

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