Right at the start of The Quickening the character, Art or Arthur, warns readers that this might seem like a love story but readers shouldn't be fooled. It certainly seems like a love story when Art, a student at Oxford, goes to a party and sees a woman who immediately takes his attention. His friend, Sanderson, warns Art against her as, in his opinion, she's too opinionated but Art is curious about this lovely woman. He eventually gets the opportunity to speak to her and discovers her name is Dana. The two go for a walk or, more accurately, a run then lie on the grass chatting. So far, so good however the author, Talulah Riley, finishes the chapter with Art speculating on how easily he could have killed Dana and prevented everything that was to come. The next chapter is about Victoria, the Culture and Media minister in a world that seems to be governed by women whose view on men is that they should be given work to do and not give too much praise in case it inflates their ego. It's going to be interesting to read on and discover how Art feels he could have changed the future and if the new regime survives.