The Gargoyle is a bizarre and beautiful book. It’s a tale of redemption and about finding the true meaning of love.
On Good Friday, the nameless protagonist is on his way home after a drug-fueled night out. A porn star turned pornographer, he’s an addict who defines himself by his stunning good looks and sexual prowess. Paranoid and drunk, he’s convinced he sees a volley of flaming arrows shoot out of the woods and aim towards his car. Swerving to avoid them, he loses control over the vehicle and is involved in a horrific accident in which he’s burnt beyond recognition.
When he regains consciousness, he’s in the burns ward in agony and fighting for his life. Deserted by his so-called friends, he’s left facing numerous operations, skin grafts and other painful treatments. Not willing to start his new life in the outside world as a monster, he whiles away the hours by planning an elaborate suicide.
One day, he receives a visit from the mysterious Marianne Engel, a psychiatric patient being treated at the hospital for an unnamed condition, which he decides is probably schizophrenia. She tells him they were lovers 700 years previously in Medieval Germany and settles down to tell him the story of their life together. The protagonist is understandably skeptical but Marianne’s visits provide a welcome distraction from pain and thoughts of death. Through Marianne’s friendship, he slowly regains the will to live.
As the book moves from the hospital to the outside world, the protagonist is forced to ask himself if Marianne’s story is the invention of a madwoman, or did they really know each other in a previous life?
The Gargoyle is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The plot is original and Davidson’s writing is clear and unpretentious. The story moves seamlessly between the present day and Medieval Germany. As someone who knows a lot about this period, I was impressed by the accuracy of his historical, linguistic and literary details. He clearly did a lot of research on mysticism and religion at the time. He succeeds in providing just enough information to add authenticity to the book without it reading like a bibliography of all the worthy texts he’d read (so many literary authors do this and I find it obnoxious).
The anonymous protagonist transforms over the course of the book from a self-obsessed narcissist to someone capable of true love and friendship. His journey is a torturous one, but he retains his sense of humour throughout. Marianne’s fervour and obsession make her trying at times but they fit the story and her personality. The minor characters are also very well done, particularly Marianne’s agent, Jack.
One warning: I’m quite squeamish and I found the description of the burns harrowing. The graphic details mostly occur at the very start of the book, so once you get past that part and on to the protagonist’s recovery, it is far less distressing.
The Gargoyle is a rare find and one which I can imagine re-reading. As I don’t often re-read books, this is high praise indeed. Grade: A-
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Oh wow, this sounds so very interesting and unusual. I haven’t ever heard of it, but your review has me very curious. Thanks for the review!
@Jill D. I hope you enjoy it. It’s one of the most unusual love stories I’ve ever read. I didn’t want to go into too many details in my review as it would spoil the book for anyone who hasn’t yet read it.
I read this last year and really enjoyed it. It was so different but extremely compelling. I don’t know much about medieval Germany (England would be a different story) personally but I’m glad you do so that you can verify his research. =)
@Meghan It’s been a while since I read up on medieval mysticism but what Davidson wrote rang true.