The Quick

A Novel

De: Lauren Owen

Narrado por: Simon Slater

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SLATE

For fans of Anne Rice, The Historian, and The Night Circus, an astonishing debut, a novel of epic scope and suspense that conjures up all the magic and menace of Victorian London

1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Alarmed, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine London that greets her, she uncovers a hidden, supernatural city populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of the exclusive, secretive Aegolius Club, whose predatory members include the most ambitious, and most bloodthirsty, men in England.

In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fiction’s most dazzling talents.

Praise for The Quick

“A suspenseful, gloriously atmospheric first novel, and a feast of gothic storytelling that is impossible to resist.”—Kate Atkinson

“A cracking good read . . . Owen takes the gothic conventions of the vampire novel in a refreshing new direction.”—Deborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches and The Book of Life

“A good old-fashioned vampire novel . . . What fun.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice)

“The Quick is that rare book that reviewers and readers live for: both plot- and character-driven, a stay-up-all-night reading romp. . . . This is elegant, witty, force-of-nature writing.”—The Dallas Morning News

“The book’s energy, its wide reach and rich detail make it a confident example of the ‘unputdownable’ novel.”—The Economist

“A seamless blend of Victorian London and rich imagination.”—Tana French, author of In the Woods

“A thrilling tale . . . This book will give you chills even on a hot day.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Stylishly sinister . . . will have you sleeping with the lights on.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

“A sly and glittering addition to the literature of the macabre.”—Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

“A big, sly bucketful of the most tremendous fun . . . [Owen] weaves what’s here with what’s beyond as easily as J. K. Rowling does.”—Slate

“[An author of] prodigious gifts . . . Owen captures Dickens’s London with glee and produces a number of characters Dickens would be happy to call his own.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Not bad but not for me.

It was well written and the narrator was amazing. However, it was a bit confusing when it switched between different characters' angles. It was not bad but did not appeal to me personally.

28 chapters before this book sings

Really painful for over half just to get into the story . Once your there with Liza it's so engaging you can't stop . The entire sister part is puzzling & I thought confusing & unresolved . The end made made me feel like this was just a huge set up for the next book . I'm still thinking about returning it a full day later .

not my favorite

this book started out really slow. At times it was kind of hard to follow and pretty boring. In the end it was kind of pointless.

Disappointing

Characters are well developed but the story is a little dark and ends up going nowhere
A lot of potential but fizzles out halfway through.

It failed to entertain me and felt scattered

Would you try another book from Lauren Owen and/or Simon Slater?

I enjoyed Simon Slater's narration and would enjoy listening to more from him. I will also give other works by Lauren Owen a listen, but this story felt like the author had great plans and then didn't know what to do with it when they got it there.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting aspect was that of the "monster hunters" and "Dr Knife". The least interesting were the failed/ruined relationships throughout the book.

Have you listened to any of Simon Slater’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to Simon Slater prior to this, but his vocal style is enjoyable.

Was The Quick worth the listening time?

In my opinion it was not. It tried to be many different things when it should have just picked a core personality and grew it into something. At many times it felt like it was structured similar to be Bram Stokers Dracula with its many stories/letters/journals from different characters perspectives helping to tell the narrative, but I wasn't made to feel for any of these characters. What could have been unique and interesting characters and story arcs are just abandoned to wrap up the novel with a relationship of circumstance which withers and dies much like the story.