THE QUICK by Lauren Owen

THE QUICK

by

Lauren Owen

            The Quick by Lauren Owen is a sort of literary-paranormal/fantasy/supernatural fiction genres crossover. In other words, it’s literary fiction, and there are monsters.

            Charlotte and her younger brother, James, grew up in the country, in 19^th century Yorkshire. After completing his education at Oxford, James decides to move to London to write poetry. Here, he meets affluent aristocrats. He also encounters members of the Aegolius Club, an old, mysterious, and secretive Club of London. Not much is known about the Club or its select members – although ‘Aegolius’ is a genus of owls.

            As we journey through The Quick, we meet other interesting characters. Some of these include others who are like the Club members, but without the affluence, called the Alia. There is also a young woman who was a rope walker, an American who gets tangled up with the Club members, and a doctor whose reputation earns him the appellation ‘Dr. Knife’.

The beginning of The Quick was slow, and I had a difficult time getting into the book at first. The pace picked up, but the book seemed to jump around. Suddenly there would appear some writing by (or about) someone never referenced before in the book. This made the book feel a little choppy. But, the pieces eventually all fell together neatly. However, throughout the book, I was never quite sure about (or, could not keep track of) the date.

            Owen’s book is interesting, and her character development is beautiful. But I was dissatisfied at its end. Even now, I do not know whether or not I liked this book. So, it is receiving my first mixed recommendation.

NOT RECOMMENDED/RECOMMENDED