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The Gargoyle (2008)

by Andrew Davidson

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
4,0512812,941 (3.96)1 / 289
A very contemporary cynic, physically beautiful and sexually adept, crashes his car into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over much of his body. As he recovers in a burn ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned, he awaits the day when he can leave the hospital and commit carefully planned suicide--for he is now a monster in appearance as well as in soul. Then a beautiful and compelling, but clearly unhinged, sculptress of gargoyles by the name of Marianne Engel appears at the foot of his bed and tells him that they were once lovers in medieval Germany.--From publisher description.… (more)
  1. 80
    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind (spiphany)
  2. 62
    Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (heidilove)
    heidilove: If the power of story compels you, you'll like this as well.
  3. 40
    The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (BookshelfMonstrosity)
    BookshelfMonstrosity: Both novels have a generally dark mood and complex characters who are searching for answers. The Gargoyle is more graphic and violent, but both weave together the past and present in an intricate plot that encourages self-reflection.
  4. 31
    The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (jujuvail)
  5. 10
    Diary: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk (twomoredays)
    twomoredays: Though very different, the entire time I was reading The Gargoyle I was reminded of Palahniuk's work. Marianne of The Gargoyle reminds me of some of Palahniuk's female characters, but at the same time everything is cast in such a different light in Davidson's work. It is certainly a book that fans of Diary should investigate.… (more)
  6. 00
    The Reincarnationist by M. J. Rose (leahsimone)
  7. 00
    Heart of Stone by C. E. Murphy (leahsimone)
  8. 00
    Avalon by Anya Seton (themephi)
  9. 00
    Ferney by James Long (shelfoflisa)
    shelfoflisa: Similar theme of a life repeated and two souls linked together through time, but less violent!
  10. 13
    Sunshine by Robin McKinley (leahsimone)
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Group TopicMessagesLast Message 
 Book talk: The Gargoyle2 unread / 2Bookmarque, August 2023

» See also 289 mentions

English (266)  Dutch (5)  Spanish (3)  German (3)  Italian (1)  Portuguese (Portugal) (1)  All languages (279)
Showing 1-5 of 266 (next | show all)
I loved the idea for this book, but bot the execution. The sad stories of tragic past loves were well executed, but I didn't find the 2 current protagonists that engaging. ( )
  cspiwak | Mar 6, 2024 |
La gárgolad
Andrew Davidson
Publicado: 2008 | 414 páginas
Novela Drama

Una noche, mientras conduce por una carretera oscura, un hombre pierde el control del coche al divisar una multitud de flechas que se acercan hacia él.Despierta en el hospital, con graves quemaduras en todo el cuerpo. Ahora es un monstruo; su vida parece haber terminado.Todo cambia cuando una inquietante paciente de psiquiatría comienza a visitarle. Su nombre es Marianne Engel y asegura ser una escultora de gárgolas que lo conoció en el siglo XIV, cuando él era un mercenario y ella una monja amanuense recluida en un monasterio.Durante días le relatará cómo se amaron en la Edad Media y, como si de Scheherezade se tratara, le contará cuatro historias de amor absoluto que le harán volver a la vida.¿Está loca Marianne o es cierto que tiene más de setecientos años y que su amor pervive en el tiempo y aún tiene algo por desvelarles? Un tributo al amor verdadero que te hará creer en la fuerza de lo imposible.
  libreriarofer | Dec 21, 2023 |
The unnamed narrator of this story is a drug addicted drunk pornstar who drives off the side of a road when distracted by what he thinks is a barrage of arrows coming from the side of the road. He suffers horrendous burns and ends up being treated in a burns unit. He starts receiving visits from an apparently schizophrenic/manic depressive woman, who insists that they have met before - the first time 700 years previously. [return][return]Over the next year and more, she tells him stories of their previous lives. Meanwhile Marianne continues to make her Grotesques (or Gargoyles) in the basement of her castle-style house. When he leaves hospital he moves in with Marianne and the relationship begins to change - the selfish drunk begins to look after Marianne who becomes more manic in making her statues. Finally it comes to an end, and the narrator has to make a decision.[return][return]The book is very descriptive - the previous lives, the food that they eat (Marianne is very generous, and cooks banquets fo food from around the world), the description of the journey into Hell.[return][return]The book is certainly different - whose reality is correct after all? Does thinking and believing different make you insane? Can you really love someone who is not the norm? ( )
  nordie | Oct 14, 2023 |
Dark yet light. Obscene yet innocent. Real yet fantasy. Old yet new. Ugly yet beautiful. Simple yet complex. A goodread. ( )
  MsTera | Oct 10, 2023 |
From the very beginning this book pulls you in and keeps you in. The vivid descriptions keep you on your toes, you are in the book with the characters. You experience the love and the pain between to two main characters. There are also side love stories that keep you interested and satisfied, if not a little sad. Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down, I didn't notice that the world was going around me. I can't find the correct words to describe the range of emotions I felt, but this book is wonderful and fulfilling and just a little heart-wrenching. ( )
  LinBee83 | Aug 23, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 266 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (26 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Andrew Davidsonprimary authorall editionscalculated
Biersma, OttoTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Gall, JohnCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hoppe, LincolnNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
"Love is as strong as death, as hard as Hell." Death separates the soul from the body, but love separates all things from the soul. - Meister Eckhart, German mystic. Sermon: "Eternal Birth".
Dedication
First words
Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, often violently, just like love.
Quotations
Someday you'll have to learn that your big mouth is the front gate of all your misfortunes.
Love is an action you must repeat ceaselessly.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Information from the Italian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
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Wikipedia in English (1)

A very contemporary cynic, physically beautiful and sexually adept, crashes his car into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over much of his body. As he recovers in a burn ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned, he awaits the day when he can leave the hospital and commit carefully planned suicide--for he is now a monster in appearance as well as in soul. Then a beautiful and compelling, but clearly unhinged, sculptress of gargoyles by the name of Marianne Engel appears at the foot of his bed and tells him that they were once lovers in medieval Germany.--From publisher description.

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Book description
The nameless and beautiful narrator of "The Gargoyle" is driving along a dark road when he is distracted by what seems to be a flight of arrows. He crashes into a ravine and wakes up in a burns ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned. His life is over - he is now a monster. But in fact it is only just beginning. One day, Marianne Engel, a wild and compelling sculptress of gargoyles, enters his life and tells him that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly burned mercenary and she was a nun and a scribe who nursed him back to health in the famed monastery of Engelthal. As she spins her tale, Scheherazade fashion, and relates equally mesmerising stories of deathless love in Japan, Greenland, Italy and England, he finds himself drawn back to life - and, finally, to love.
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Average: (3.96)
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Canongate Books

2 editions of this book were published by Canongate Books.

Editions: 1847671683, 1847671691

Penguin Australia

An edition of this book was published by Penguin Australia.

» Publisher information page

 

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