emmarj's review against another edition
4.0
A pornographer crashes his car into a ravine while driving intoxicated and suffers third degree burns over his entire body. While he's recovering in the hospital a woman comes to his bed and claims to have loved him for 700 years.
The Gargoyle is the recounting of the stories the mysterious woman told him and the narrator's recovery.
I liked this. The problem lies in the fact that I liked the stories within the story but not the actual story. Follow me? Marianne's storytelling was beautiful and sucked me right in. I completely lost myself in her stories. The rest of the book I could leave or take. Meh.
The Gargoyle is the recounting of the stories the mysterious woman told him and the narrator's recovery.
I liked this. The problem lies in the fact that I liked the stories within the story but not the actual story. Follow me? Marianne's storytelling was beautiful and sucked me right in. I completely lost myself in her stories. The rest of the book I could leave or take. Meh.
books_and_tea_with_me's review against another edition
2.0
It was very different and unexpected. Lots of graphic detail, maybe too much at times.
sandeestarlite's review
4.0
A wonderfully woven story about a burn victim who is befriended by a sculptor who says she knows him. She tells him wonderful stories (although they don't always have happy endings) about their past lives together.
I usually like a more linear storyline but liked the way the side stories enhanced the present day of the characters, helping the amoral narrator to heal, both physically and emotionally. Definitely recommended.
I usually like a more linear storyline but liked the way the side stories enhanced the present day of the characters, helping the amoral narrator to heal, both physically and emotionally. Definitely recommended.
wlkrmlss's review
5.0
This was a beautifully told and completely compelling story! I wasn't sure what to make of it during the first couple chapters, but as I went on, I grew into the story! It is an amazing story of a beautiful relationship, and I recommend it to one and all!
halfcentreader's review against another edition
4.0
At first it is easy as a reader to be put off by the depravity that the narrator describes as his pre-Marianne Engel life. But I can see how it was necessary to paint this self-portrait in order to see how her love becomes a redeeming factor. I enjoyed the love stories she told him and the trip to Hel. Very unusual book and I think it will stick with me for a long time to come.
findingthefantasticstory's review against another edition
4.0
This book had been on my to read list for years. I was sop happy when I found it in oxfam! I had forgotten what the book was about but I think going into this book blind is probably the best thing you could do. It basically follows a man who was badly burnt in a car crash and the lady who appears to save him. I have to say the description is the crash and the burns is very vivid. would say this is a modern love story with some historic fiction mixed int here as well. I don't think I've read a book like it and I'm so glad I did. The only reason why I didn't give this 5 stars is because there were a few chapters where I lost interest or forgot where it was going. But overall it was such a good book!
jessthebookworm's review
5.0
This book follows an unnamed narrator, as he ends up in a horrific car accident after being completely drugged up. His car catches on fire and he suffers terrible burns on his whole body. He ends up in hospital and meets a psychiatric out patient, Marianne, who claims to have been born in the 1300s in Germany, and who claims to have known the narrator since that time period. Marianne says that this is not the first time that he has been burnt, and she proceeds to tell him their history.
Along the way Marianne also tells him other fairytales, of sacrifices made in love, set all over the world. He finds out about her obsession with carving gargoyles, saying that they call out to her to be completed.
This was just so unique. It was a mixture of medical fiction, medieval history and fantasy all thrown into one. I really enjoyed all of Marianne's story telling as it kept it fresh and kept me interested throughout the novel. The narrator was also so three dimensional, and so wonderfully flawed. I really loved this one and battled to put it down.
Along the way Marianne also tells him other fairytales, of sacrifices made in love, set all over the world. He finds out about her obsession with carving gargoyles, saying that they call out to her to be completed.
This was just so unique. It was a mixture of medical fiction, medieval history and fantasy all thrown into one. I really enjoyed all of Marianne's story telling as it kept it fresh and kept me interested throughout the novel. The narrator was also so three dimensional, and so wonderfully flawed. I really loved this one and battled to put it down.
jackelynvb's review
5.0
There is no such thing as a perfect book, but a book can be perfectly written. The Gargoyle falls under this category. Every page of the book delves the reader deeper into a magical world of reality. Magical? Reality? Let me explain.
The book revolves around an ex-porn star and drug addict who is severely burned in a car accident and an eccentric - to put it mildly - woman who comes to him in the hospital out of the blue and claims to have been his lover for the past 700 years. For a living, she carves gargoyles from stones.
All the while the reader is wondering if she is crazy and if she is just crazy how is she making reality and such a tragic situation so magical? If this is the case can any situation be made magical? She recounts to him the story of how they met and because he comes to like her company and he knows to anyone else he looks like a monster, he listens. He checks out her incredulous story and comes to find that it doesn’t have as many holes as he would expect.
A modern telling of Dante’s Inferno, a glimpse into a medieval German monastery, and a whirlwind of love that transcends time, The Gargoyle will affect anyone who dares open its pages.
The book revolves around an ex-porn star and drug addict who is severely burned in a car accident and an eccentric - to put it mildly - woman who comes to him in the hospital out of the blue and claims to have been his lover for the past 700 years. For a living, she carves gargoyles from stones.
All the while the reader is wondering if she is crazy and if she is just crazy how is she making reality and such a tragic situation so magical? If this is the case can any situation be made magical? She recounts to him the story of how they met and because he comes to like her company and he knows to anyone else he looks like a monster, he listens. He checks out her incredulous story and comes to find that it doesn’t have as many holes as he would expect.
A modern telling of Dante’s Inferno, a glimpse into a medieval German monastery, and a whirlwind of love that transcends time, The Gargoyle will affect anyone who dares open its pages.
fribooks's review
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Read this years ago purely on a judging a book by its cover scenario as the edges of the pages were black and I thought the cover looked cool. Turns out was a great choice and absolutely not the normal type of book I would pick up. The various stories told throughout by Marianne are great - really found myself buying into them. I found the whole book absorbing.
rindra_r's review
5.0
This was really the best I read. I love all the stories told by Marianne, they're so beautiful ! And the main character is really insteresting.