The Anti Twilight

A new novel offers redemption for the gothic novel, taking us back to a time before vampires were kind, romantic and vegetarian

‘You will travel to Victorian England, and there, in the wilds of Yorkshire, you will meet a brother and sister alone in the world, a pair bound by tragedy. You will, in time, enter the rooms of London’s mysterious Aegolius Club—a society of the richest, most ambitious men in England. And at some point, we cannot say when, a trapdoor will open, the contours of reality will change, and the secrets of The Quick will reveal themselves.’

Stories from 200 years ago—when Lord Byron read ghost stories with poet Percy Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Claire Clairmont and John Polidori at his summer home, Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva—are proof that long before Stephanie Meyer woke up from her dream to pen the popular young adult vampire drama series Twilight, a certain English literary set was already obsessed with the macabre idea of the undead.

Polidori’s short story The Vampyre was the product of these conventions and may be considered, along with Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, a precursor to Meyer’s romantic vampire fantasy and other modern genre fiction. It was Polidori who successfully recast the character of the vampire from a common folk figure into an aristocratic fiend that preys on innocents. Lauren Owen, a student of Victorian literature, borrows heavily from such old-school gothic novels in the narrative style of her debut novel, The Quick.

Set in 1892 in London, the novel starts innocently enough with themes of parental alienation and the isolated life of a pair of siblings—James and Charlotte—in a ramshackle old house in the English countryside. The house is locked up after the children are orphaned and the story moves on to London. Having attended Oxford, James, now a shy wannabe poet, finds lodging with a gregarious aristocrat. His new friendship introduces him to the inner circles of high society and even love. Then he vanishes.

Distraught, his sister Charlotte sets out from their derelict country estate in search of him. Through her journey, the author paints a sinister portrait of London’s labyrinth. She uncovers secret after secret and meets some unforgettable characters through the muck- lined back-alleys and filth of the city’s under-sprawl. But the secret to her brother’s disappearance lies behind the closed doors of one of the country’s most prestigious and mysterious institutions, The Aegolius Club, whose members include some of the most influential and dangerous men in England. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel has many voices and it takes a while for the reader to figure out how each voice fits into the story.

The 19th century was an interesting time in England. It was a time when the privileged feared what they thought was the disintegration of society; when Oscar Wilde went from being a celebrated artist to a persecuted degenerate; when women were expected to conform to Victorian ideals of femininity—despite steadily building dissent. It is fascinating to read a 19th century tale from the perspective of a young woman author, who brings a unique perspective to the time and has created strong female characters who play realistic roles in the plot.

What makes The Quick different is not its plot but the author’s ability to transport you back in time. Unlike most period novels, not once does the novel give you a glimpse of any modern writing sensibilities. It is this obsession with detail that makes the book irresistible. Especially striking are her scenic descriptions of the fog that shrouds London, a dramatic backdrop used to hide and reveal the story.

Ironically, the weakest link in the novel also comes from the author’s ability to lay down so much. She introduces too many characters and fails to connect them to the story, or induce any empathy or understanding of their predicament. But the novel quickly recovers, thanks to its engaging story.

Despite the popularity of the genre, The Quick is not for everybody, in part because it takes you back to a time long before vampires were kind, romantic and vegetarian. Owen draws heavily upon the macabre gore and suspense of the gothic novel, perfectly fused together to offer you the horrors of an underworld full of feuding, aristocratic and merciless vampires.

Owen’s book is a redemption of the gothic novel genre and should be treated as such. Although its leisurely pace may deter some readers, those who read it will remember it for how effortlessly it places itself in its time and setting, and the terrifying fate of its central character.

About The Author

Gunjeet Sra