The Quick by Lauren Owen

I think I got about a quarter way into the book when the entire plot seemed to just go pop bang hiss. I actually went back and read the pages leading up to it again just to make sure I hadn’t mistakenly picked up the wrong book.

Up to that point it was a Gothic tale with mysterious grand buildings, tragic children and a sense of impending tragedy. A promising forbidden love story between the main character and his friend. A relationship shunned and scorned by society. A sub-plot which could have carried the entire book. Instead the story took a turn in a completely different direction.

It was  advancing at a slow pace and then hiss, chomp and ravage out popped the vampires. From that point on-wards everything becomes a little unclear and hazy. Reasons why were only sort of hinted at for maximum creepiness.

I think the book suffered from too much trying to be a work of literary Gothic art, however that didn’t gel very well with the vampire plot. Not because of the theme per se but rather because in an attempt to seem prolific the story lacks direction and clarity.

The cliffhanger ending implies a possible second book, in which I hope the author manages to capture the essence of the beginning of this book and display it throughout the next tale.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley