As for The Quick, it's an adult fantasy book. It is about people who are, one way or another, dealing with vampires. "Quick" is a term used by vampires of this book, set in the victorian era England, for mortal humans. A fitting title if you consider the story. It really is about the mortals, and not necessarily about the vampires themselves. They simply shape the story of these "Quicks" that surround them; more accessories and less the subjects. I thought that was so smart! In many ways this book made me think of Interview with the Vampire, albeit the difference in subject matter (IwtV really was about the vampires themselves).
In essence, The Quick is set in two parts, the first third of the book focuses on the brother of the two siblings who are the center of this story, and the rest of the book focuses on the sister (and a few other characters). It is very much a story about the dynamics of the relationship between the siblings. What I truly liked about this book was the writing. The picture Lauren Owen painted of the victorian era London is so vivid that I could almost picture the carriages and narrow streets and dark alleyways while reading this book.
It's an adult, dark, gothic fantasy, and I suppose you'll need to be into this particular genre for having true appreciation. I, while not all that into fantasy, do not dislike it either. What I mean is that, while usually I do not pick out a fantasy book to read, I can still enjoy reading one if I happen to come across a well written one.
The Quick
By Lauren Owen
Hardcover, 523 pages. Random House. June 17, 2014.
Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Gothic Literature.