The Gargoyle
I’m sure everyone has read at least one review of The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson by now, but I just finished it, so bear with me while I chime in with my opinion. Having just finished the book, I need to catch my breath and gather my thoughts, but I must say that I loved it. Thanks to Doubleday for providing me with a copy!
The narrator, whose name is never revealed, is a porn king who is badly burned in a car accident. The burns leave him grossly disfigured. He spends months in the hospital and is abandoned by his former friends. He can’t wait to get out of the hospital so that he can commit suicide, which he has elaborately planned. A woman, Marianne Engel, starts to visit him. She sculpts gargoyles and claims that she has known and loved him for 7 centuries. When the narrator leaves the hospital, he goes to live with Marianne. Through her, he learns about love and that life is worth living.
The book has several narratives intertwined – the story of the narrator’s rehabilitation, Marianne’s tale of their past life together and a few other love stories. It is very well done, so it all flows fluidly together. It makes for an extraordinary, thought-provoking book. I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned, once you start it, you won’t be able to put it down.
Andrew Davidson graduated from college in 1995 and worked in Japan for several years, as a teacher and as a writer for Japanese web sites. This is his first novel, and hopefully, it won’t be his last.
Other reviews of this book:
Bermudaonion's Weblog 
This is already on my list of books to buy. Also, I’m tagging you 🙂 Here’s a link to the meme http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/ive-been-tagged/.
I adored this book. It was hard to believe it would live up to the universal praise it was getting, but it did! It only gets better in memory.
Well believe it or not, this is the first review I’ve read of “Gargoyle!” All I’d heard about it was that the beginning was gruesome, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to slog through that to get to the heart of the book. I’m definitely more inclined to read it after reading your recommendation and clear description. Thanks!
Great review! I posted a link to it at the bottom of my review. If you would like to do the same, it would be very appreciated.
I can’t wait to read this!! It’s everywhere right now and has been getting so much buzz. It’s on my list.
I loved it too! Since I read it (in May, if you want to see my review), I’ve been telling everyone about it. I couldn’t believe the negative review from EW (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20216090,00.html).
Perhaps we all have “grotesques” that are awaiting to emerge out of us…
“… death is only the beginning”