The Gargoyle in Around the Year in 52 Books

Mar 12, 2010 Liz rated it really liked it

Shelves: ni-group-read, 2010-book-list

When I think about Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle, the words that come to mind are grotesque, graphic, disturbing . . . magical, beautiful, unforgettable. After hearing so many wonderful things about this book, I was really excited to read it. But I have to admit it was difficult for me to get into, & I was kind of disappointed. Don't get me wrong - I think Davidson is an INCREDIBLY talented & creative writer, & I ended up changing my tune, but I struggled at first with the slower pace & quite d When I think about Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle, the words that come to mind are grotesque, graphic, disturbing . . . magical, beautiful, unforgettable. After hearing so many wonderful things about this book, I was really excited to read it. But I have to admit it was difficult for me to get into, & I was kind of disappointed. Don't get me wrong - I think Davidson is an INCREDIBLY talented & creative writer, & I ended up changing my tune, but I struggled at first with the slower pace & quite depressing subject matter. I was shocked by the narrator's career as a porn star & didn't care for the explicit descriptions involved, (You've been warned!) but was glad I continued reading after some encouragement from my friends.

I found the description of the accident, burns, & medical procedures horribly disturbing & had to skim through parts. At the same time, Davidson's descriptions were so real, uncensored & blunt that I found them surprisingly beautiful!

I very much enjoyed the stories within the story as they transported me to the past & to different lands: Japan, Italy, Iceland, Germany, England; relating the difficult yet beautiful accounts of human love & devotion. It was a constant battle trying to distinguish between a storyteller's wild imagination & the possible reality of a love that had truly lasted through the ages.

The haunting imagery from Dante's Inferno ran throughout the book & was definitely the highlight for me. I also loved the way the character's mindset & horrific situation had me reflecting on my own attitude & appreciation for life, my feelings of self-doubt, the worth of a soul, & the redeeming power of love.

I highly recommend this book (if you can get past some of the difficult-to-read parts). It was one of my favorite reads of the year!

5/5

"None are here by accident. Hell is a choice because salvation is available to anyone who seeks it. The damned choose their fates, by deliberately hardening their hearts."
~ The Gargoyle, Andrew Davidson

Through the Pages ...more

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Nov 04, 2008 Nancy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: still-owned

I was fortunate enough to receive this book to review via this site. It is a very attractive looking hardcover, with a dramatic dust jacket and black edged pages. The story inside, however, was mixed - like my feelings towards it. Some parts were so originally clever, I marvelled at the author's imagination. Others were so clichéd and saccharine sweet that I was ready to put the book down.

It is an unusual story, set partly in the present day, partly in the fourteenth century, and partly in a Dan ...more

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Mar 10, 2025 Ketutar Jensen rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: aty25, magic, it-should-have-been-good

FINALLY, I'm finished! YAY!

I hate this book. I hate Andrew Davidson. I hate the MC. The other characters are... uninteresting. They all exist for the MC. Every one of them, even the dog.
(BTW, warning for all kinds of isms. It's racist, misogynist, ableist, etc. in the "but it's true that all Japanese people/gay people/women/vikings/whatever are like that, just ask themselves! I'm not racist/sexist/whateverist, my best friend is a ---!"

The story sounds interesting. Unfortunately, it's bad.
The wr ...more

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Sep 11, 2008 Karianne rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, 4-5-stars

This book took me forever to finish but I'm so happy that it was my first completed read in 2010. Nothing like starting off the year with a good book. ...more

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