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1. Dante’s Inferno
First published in 1314, this epic poem is the first “song” in Dante Alighieri’s three-part Divine Comedy; subsequent canticles describe Purgatory and Paradise. In The Inferno, Virgil guides Dante through the underworld, comprising nine concentric circles that represent varying degrees of condemnation, from the unbaptized in Limbo to traitorous Satan at the center.
Dante begins his tour of hell on Good Friday, 1300, the suggested day and year of Marianne’s birth. The day of Christ’s crucifixion, Good Friday makes additional appearances in The Gargoyle: It is Sister Christina’s birthday and the day of the narrator’s car accident.
Like Dante, The Gargoyle’s narrator begins his journey in the woods, at the age of thirty-five. Contemplation of suicide occurs in early passages of The Inferno as well as The Gargoyle.
For Discussion: In The Inferno, condemned souls receive punishments that correspond to their sins. The Gargoyle’s narrator loses his ability to consummate sex, but he retains his ability to feel intense desire. What other forms of hell does he suffer? What do Dante’s images signify to Marianne? What sort of tailor-made suffering might Dante have invented for you? What do a society’s beliefs regarding the afterlife say about that society’s values in general?
2. The Medieval Church
The founding of the Dominican monastery Engelthal occurred as described in The Gargoyle. In its strictest definition, “monastery” can refer to a religious retreat for bothwomen and men, though Engelthal nuns did not preach as friars did. The nuns’ predecessors, the beguines, were also sometimes seen as a threat to ecclesiastical authority. The women who worked in the renowned Engelthal scriptorium in the fourteenth century are said to have produced more extant texts than any other religious house of their era.
At the time of Father Sunder’s death in 1328, he and Brother Heinrich had lived together for thirty-eight years. Father Sunder was said to have had very special status, and was called a “pope in heaven” with the Power of the Keys, effectively granting him the authority to forgive any sin at any time.
Heinrich Seuse’s extreme, self-inflicted physical suffering captures a medieval Christian approach to the opposition between body and spirit, and to the desire for God and man to achieve a metaphysical union. Meister Eckhart, who explored similar questions, was declared a heretic under trial by Pope John XXII.
The Three Masters are derived from Heinrich Seuse’s attempts to control his tongue. He called on three spiritual masters, Father Dominic, St. Arsenius, and St. Bernard, and would not speak without receiving their permission in a vision.
Marianne’s assertion in Chapter Five that “God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere” was commonly invoked by medieval theologians.
Continually persecuted by religious and political entities, the Jews of medieval Germany lived in two worlds: one of segregated self-governance and Talmudic codes, and one of utter dependence on the whims of papal authority.
For Discussion: How does medieval Catholicism compare to the other forms of faith – religious or otherwise – captured in the novel? In what ways does contemporary society still struggle with the tandem between body and soul? Was it easier for you to relate to Marianne’s mysticism or to the narrator’s atheism?
3. Gargoyles
The legend describing the creation of the first gargoyle, recounted in Chapter Three, is just one of many versions. Andrew Davidson invented the battle scene between Romanus and La Gargouille; it does not appear in published legends.
The concept of using a sculpture depicting an animal’s mouth to divert water from buildings dates well before medieval Europe. Ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture is rife with apparatuses that would qualify as “gargoyles.”
As Marianne says in Chapter Twenty, medieval gargoyles were indeed sometimes painted bright colors. Oranges, reds, and greens were popular, and some gargoyles were gilded. They were made from a variety of materials, including limestone, marble, lead, or metal, and they usually weighed several hundred pounds.
Scholars debate the intended message behind medieval gargoyles. Perhaps they were meant to ward off evil spirits, or to depict evil forces. Early Gothic examples easily convey a moral lesson, while later ones can frequently be interpreted as comical.
For Discussion: In Chapter Five, Marianne describes herself as “a vessel that water is poured into and splashes out of, a flowing circle between God and the gargoyles and me.” In Chapter Sixteen, the narrator realizes that Marianne “loved [the gargoyles] out of the stone.” What mandate is she fulfilling in both of these descriptions? What makes Marianne’s mandate relevant to the modern world? What traits does the narrator share with medieval gargoyles?
4. Legendary Lovers
The author incorporated the four Greek classical elements of the physical world when writing Marianne’s legends: Sei lived as a glassblower (Air) and died by being buried alive (Earth). Victoria lived as a farmwoman (Earth) and died by drowning (Water). Sigurðr lived as a Viking (Water) and died in a burning longhouse (Fire). Francesco lived as an ironworker (Fire) and died by breathing in the Plague (Air).
Brandeis and his fellow mercenaries served during a tumultuous time for the Holy Roman Empire. Between 1314 and 1347, Louis the Bavarian served as Duke of Bavaria, the German king, and the Holy Roman Emperor, meeting with constant resistance from the papacy (including excommunication).
Marianne’s fairy tales are Davidson’s inventions. Though the novel’s depictions of Engelthal incorporate many figures from true history, none of the incarnations of Marianne and the narrator are based on such characters.
Marianne’s copy of The Inferno was found among the possessions of the archer Niccolò, later revealed to be the father of metalworker Francesco.
Sei is stung by the Asian giant hornet, the world’s largest wasp (and among the deadliest).
Sigurðr’s “fine boat grave” refers to a highly honorary burial style used in the Vendel era and by the Anglo-Saxons, the Merovingians, the Vikings, and occasionally the Ancient Egyptians. This form of burial was thought to enable passage to Valhalla. In Norse mythology, the paradise of Valhalla is the great hall where war heroes greet the afterlife. The less fortunate are relegated to a cold, dismal kingdom of death ruled by the goddess Hel.
Tom’s ill-fated voyage is alluded to in the story of Sigurðr and Einarr, when Bragi stumbles off his sleeping bench during the fire while the floor seems “to lurch like a boat deck during a storm.”
In Chapter Seven, Marianne tells the narrator that he must do nothing for her in order to prove his love. This foreshadows her final scene on the beach in the novel’s closing passages.
For Discussion: Throughout each liaison, how do the novel’s lovers honor their fate? In each case, who or what is the greatest threat to their happiness? Do you agree with Meister Eckhart’s descriptions of love and death in the novel’s epigraph? Which of Marianne’s tales was the most memorable for you?
5. Linguistic Curiosities
Translated into English, Sei’s name means “pure” or “clean.”
Bragi’s name is derived from the Norse god of poetry.
In Chapter Nine, the narrator wonders whether he can trust Sayuri’s translation of her conversation with Marianne. In fact, he can. Sayuri gave him a faithful rendering of their words.
The names of the nun-nurses of Engelthal echo those of the nurses who tend to the narrator in the present time: Mathildis, Elisabeth, and Constantia versus Maddy, Beth, and Connie.
While the word gargoyle is related to a French word meaning gargle, the word grotesque (a non-aquatic gargoyle) is derived from the Old Italian grottesca, meaning “cave painting,” from which the English word grotto evolved.
Marianne’s linguistic abilities are an allusion to the New Testament’s Book of Acts 2:3, in which the apostles speak in tongues when preaching the gospel.
Gertrud’s German translation of the Bible is one of Andrew Davidson’s inventions.
When Sayuri asks the narrator if he is genki, she is asking him if he is feeling energetic. “Genki desu ka?” is a common Japanese greeting, essentially asking “Are you feeling well?”
For Discussion: How does the multilingual aspect of The Gargoyle shape the novel, giving voice to the universal aspects of the human experience? How do Marianne’s vignettes offer a testament to the power of words and language?
6. The Gargoyle begins with arguably one of the most stunning opening scenes in contemporary literature. How was the author able to make horrifying details alluring? What was your initial reaction to these images?
7. How were you affected by the narrator’s voice and his ability to address you in an intimate, direct monologue? How did his storytelling style compare to Marianne’s? In what ways did these tales balance reality and surrealism?
8. Arrows form a recurring symbol throughout the novel. What are their various uses as tools of war and of love? What makes them ideal for Marianne’s stories?
9. What medical aspects of the narrator’s treatment surprised you the most? Did his gruesome journey change the way you feel about your own body?
10. How did Marianne’s experience of God evolve and mature throughout her life? How do you personally reconcile the concept of a loving God and the reality of human suffering?
11. Marianne uses her body as a canvas. What messages does it convey? How does the narrator “read” bodies before his accident, both in front of the camera and while picking up less-dazzling strangers?
12. Discuss the role of ghosts and memory in The Gargoyle. In what ways does the past repeat itself? How are the characters shaped by past circumstances? When are their painful cycles to be broken?
13. What does Marianne’s copy of The Inferno indicate about the value of books beyond their content? In what way can a book also be an art object, or an artifact of history?
14. Eventually, Nan reveals her own burn scars. What motivates the novel’s healers – including Nan, Marianne, Sayuri, and Gregor? Whom does the narrator heal?
15. Discuss the role of money throughout The Gargoyle. What kept Jack honest? What did it mean for Marianne, a woman, to have far more money than the men in her life, both in the 14th century and in the contemporary storyline?
16. How did you interpret the narrator’s own Dante-esque tour, described in Chapter Twenty-nine? Was he hallucinating, in the throes of withdrawal while he kicked the bitchsnake of morphine, or did he journey to an underworld? Or both? Was Marianne a mere mortal?
17. The novel closes with Marianne’s departure and the marriage of Gregor and Sayuri. The narrator grapples with guilt, trying to understand whether he could or should have saved Marianne. What enabled Gregor and Sayuri to recognize and nurture their love for one another? What determines whether a relationship will become exhausted or perpetually revitalized? Is fate or willpower the greater factor?
18. An old adage, evidenced particularly in Shakespeare’s works, states that a comedy ends with a marriage, while a tragedy ends with a death. Given that The Gargoyle ends with both a marriage and a death, what does it say about the work?
1. Dante's Inferno
First published in 1314, this epic poem is the first “song” in Dante Alighieri's three-part Divine Comedy; subsequent canticles describe Purgatory and Paradise. In The Inferno, Virgil guides Dante through the underworld, comprising nine concentric circles that represent varying degrees of condemnation, from the unbaptized in Limbo to traitorous Satan at the center.
Dante begins his tour of hell on Good Friday, 1300, the suggested day and year of Marianne's birth. The day of Christ's crucifixion, Good Friday makes additional appearances in The Gargoyle: It is Sister Christina's birthday and the day of the narrator's car accident.
Like Dante, The Gargoyle's narrator begins his journey in the woods, at the age of thirty-five. Contemplation of suicide occurs in early passages of The Inferno as well as The Gargoyle.
For Discussion: In The Inferno, condemned souls receive punishments that correspond to their sins. The Gargoyle's narrator loses his ability to consummate sex, but he retains his ability to feel intense desire. What other forms of hell does he suffer? What do Dante's images signify to Marianne? What sort of tailor-made suffering might Dante have invented for you? What do a society's beliefs regarding the afterlife say about that society's values in general?
2. The Medieval Church
The founding of the Dominican monastery Engelthal occurred as described in The Gargoyle. In its strictest definition, “monastery” can refer to a religious retreat for both women and men, though Engelthal nuns did not preach as friars did. The nuns' predecessors, the beguines, were also sometimes seen as a threat to ecclesiastical authority. The women who worked in the renowned Engelthal scriptorium in the fourteenth century are said to have produced more extant texts than any other religious house of their era.
At the time of Father Sunder's death in 1328, he and Brother Heinrich had lived together for thirty-eight years. Father Sunder was said to have had very special status, and was called a “pope in heaven” with the Power of the Keys, effectively granting him the authority to forgive any sin at any time.
Heinrich Seuse's extreme, self-inflicted physical suffering captures a medieval Christian approach to the opposition between body and spirit, and to the desire for God and man to achieve a metaphysical union. Meister Eckhart, who explored similar questions, was declared a heretic under trial by Pope John XXII.
The Three Masters are derived from Heinrich Seuse's attempts to control his tongue. He called on three spiritual masters, Father Dominic, St. Arsenius, and St. Bernard, and would not speak without receiving their permission in a vision.
Marianne's assertion in Chapter Five that “God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere” was commonly invoked by medieval theologians. Continually persecuted by religious and political entities, the Jews of medieval Germany lived in two worlds: one of segregated self-governance and Talmudic codes, and one of utter dependence on the whims of papal authority.
For Discussion: How does medieval Catholicism compare to the other forms of faith-religious or otherwise-captured in the novel? In what ways does contemporary society still struggle with the tandem between body and soul? Was it easier for you to relate to Marianne's mysticism or to the narrator's atheism?
3. Gargoyles
The legend describing the creation of the first gargoyle, recounted in Chapter Three, is just one of many versions. Andrew Davidson invented the battle scene between Romanus and La Gargouille; it does not appear in published legends.
The concept of using a sculpture depicting an animal's mouth to divert water from buildings dates well before medieval Europe. Ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture is rife with apparatuses that would qualify as “gargoyles.”
As Marianne says in Chapter Twenty, medieval gargoyles were indeed sometimes painted bright colors. Oranges, reds, and greens were popular, and some gargoyles were gilded. They were made from a variety of materials, including limestone, marble, lead, or metal, and they usually weighed several hundred pounds.
Scholars debate the intended message behind medieval gargoyles. Perhaps they were meant to ward off evil spirits, or to depict evil forces. Early Gothic examples easily convey a moral lesson, while later ones can frequently be interpreted as comical.
For Discussion: In Chapter Five, Marianne describes herself as “a vessel that water is poured into and splashes out of, a flowing circle between God and the gargoyles and me.” In Chapter Sixteen, the narrator realizes that Marianne “loved [the gargoyles] out of the stone.” What mandate is she fulfilling in both of these descriptions? What makes Marianne's mandate relevant to the modern world? What traits does the narrator share with medieval gargoyles?
4. Legendary Lovers
The author incorporated the four Greek classical elements of the physical world when writing Marianne's legends: Sei lived as a glassblower (Air) and died by being buried alive (Earth). Victoria lived as a farmwoman (Earth) and died by drowning (Water). Siguror lived as a Viking (Water) and died in a burning longhouse (Fire). Francesco lived as an ironworker (Fire) and died by breathing in the Plague (Air).
Brandeis and his fellow mercenaries served during a tumultuous time for the Holy Roman Empire. Between 1314 and 1347, Louis the Bavarian served as Duke of Bavaria, the German king, and the Holy Roman Emperor, meeting with constant resistance from the papacy (including excommunication).
Marianne's fairy tales are Davidson's inventions. Though the novel's depictions of Engelthal incorporate many figures from true history, none of the incarnations of Marianne and the narrator are based on such characters.
Marianne's copy of The Inferno was found among the possessions of the archer Niccolò, later revealed to be the father of metalworker Francesco. Sei is stung by the Asian giant hornet, the world's largest wasp (and among the deadliest).
Siguror's “fine boat grave” refers to a highly honorary burial style used in the Vendel era and by the Anglo-Saxons, the Merovingians, the Vikings, and occasionally the Ancient Egyptians. This form of burial was thought to enable passage to Valhalla. In Norse mythology, the paradise of Valhalla is the great hall where war heroes greet the afterlife. The less fortunate are relegated to a cold, dismal kingdom of death ruled by the goddess Hel.
Tom's ill-fated voyage is alluded to in the story of Siguror and Einarr, when Bragi stumbles off his sleeping bench during the fire while the floor seems “to lurch like a boat deck during a storm.”
In Chapter Seven, Marianne tells the narrator that he must do nothing for her in order to prove his love. This foreshadows her final scene on the beach in the novel's closing passages.
For Discussion: Throughout each liaison, how do the novel's lovers honor their fate? In each case, who or what is the greatest threat to their happiness? Do you agree with Meister Eckhart's descriptions of love and death in the novel's epigraph? Which of Marianne's tales was the most memorable for you?
5. Linguistic Curiosities
Translated into English, Sei's name means “pure” or “clean.” Bragi's name is derived from the Norse god of poetry.
In Chapter Nine, the narrator wonders whether he can trust Sayuri's translation of her conversation with Marianne. In fact, he can. Sayuri gave him a faithful rendering of their words.
The names of the nun-nurses of Engelthal echo those of the nurses who tend to the narrator in the present time: Mathildis, Elisabeth, and Constantia versus Maddy, Beth, and Connie.
While the word gargoyle is related to a French word meaning gargle, the word grotesque (a non-aquatic gargoyle) is derived from the Old Italian grottesca, meaning “cave painting,” from which the English word grotto evolved. Marianne's linguistic abilities are an allusion to the New Testament's Book of Acts 2:3, in which the apostles speak in tongues when preaching the gospel.
Gertrud's German translation of the Bible is one of Andrew Davidson's inventions.
When Sayuri asks the narrator if he is genki, she is asking him if he is feeling energetic. “Genki desu ka?” is a common Japanese greeting, essentially asking “Are you feeling well?”
For Discussion: How does the multilingual aspect of The Gargoyle shape the novel, giving voice to the universal aspects of the human experience? How do Marianne's vignettes offer a testament to the power of words and language?
6. The Gargoyle begins with arguably one of the most stunning opening scenes in contemporary literature. How was the author able to make horrifying details alluring? What was your initial reaction to these images?
7. How were you affected by the narrator's voice and his ability to address you in an intimate, direct monologue? How did his storytelling style compare to Marianne's? In what ways did these tales balance reality and surrealism?
8. Arrows form a recurring symbol throughout the novel. What are their various uses as tools of war and of love? What makes them ideal for Marianne's stories?
9. What medical aspects of the narrator's treatment surprised you the most? Did his gruesome journey change the way you feel about your own body?
10. How did Marianne's experience of God evolve and mature throughout her life? How do you personally reconcile the concept of a loving God and the reality of human suffering?
11. Marianne uses her body as a canvas. What messages does it convey? How does the narrator “read” bodies before his accident, both in front of the camera and while picking up less-dazzling strangers?
12. Discuss the role of ghosts and memory in The Gargoyle. In what ways does the past repeat itself? How are the characters shaped by past circumstances? When are their painful cycles to be broken?
13. What does Marianne's copy of The Inferno indicate about the value of books beyond their content? In what way can a book also be an art object, or an artifact of history?
14. Eventually, Nan reveals her own burn scars. What motivates the novel's healers—including Nan, Marianne, Sayuri, and Gregor? Whom does the narrator heal?
15. Discuss the role of money throughout The Gargoyle. What kept Jack honest? What did it mean for Marianne, a woman, to have far more money than the men in her life, both in the 14th century and in the contemporary storyline?
16. How did you interpret the narrator's own Dante-esque tour, described in Chapter Twenty-nine? Was he hallucinating, in the throes of withdrawal while he kicked the bitchsnake of morphine, or did he journey to an underworld? Or both? Was Marianne a mere mortal?
17. The novel closes with Marianne's departure and the marriage of Gregor and Sayuri. The narrator grapples with guilt, trying to understand whether he could or should have saved Marianne. What enabled Gregor and Sayuri to recognize and nurture their love for one another? What determines whether a relationship will become exhausted or perpetually revitalized? Is fate or willpower the greater factor?
18. An old adage, evidenced particularly in Shakespeare's works, states that a comedy ends with a marriage, while a tragedy ends with a death. Given that The Gargoyle ends with both a marriage and a death, what does it say about the work?
Anonymous
Posted September 22, 2008
A story that starts in the Fourteenth Century and ends in ours, a love story between the enigmatic sculptor Marienne Engles and the narrator of the book . After surviving a horrendous car accident in which leaves him badly burned and injured beyond belief our narrator meets our heroine Marrianne Engles a world renowned sculptor who begins telling him stories about her life and how they first met. She then beguiles him with other love stories over the centuries. As he recovers we meet other people who influence the characters and add to the story. This is a definite must read.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ti-amo
Posted July 1, 2010
Such a unique and well written story! One I won't soon forget. I agree with other reviewers that it is hard to pick up another book right away after finishing the Gargoyle. It is a book in which the characters are so well developed you can't stop thinking about what they are doing now. That to me is great writing, to transform words on paper to feeling like you have a relationship with these people. Such a complex novel that was well thought out and thoroughly researched. When I purchased the book, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to remain interested in it, being that it does switch back and forth between present and past. But that was not an issue AT ALL, it flowed perfectly. I enjoyed it so much that I wish it was a series. So great job Mr. Davidson, I anxiously await your next book!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 9, 2009
If I had only one word to describe this book it would have to be intriguing. If I had only one category it would have to be a love story; however, it is so so much more than just any love story. It transcends centuries, cultures, and lifestyles. It made me believe in the everlastingness of the soul, and the love you have is taken with you throughout eternity. The story is quirky, at times smutty, a little bit sci-fi, containing some aspects of action-adventure, yet achingly human.
A vain porn star is burnt in a fire caused by his own actions. Looks and daily functions gone, pain his company and addiction to pain-killers present, he is nursed back to health by a woman of questionable sanity. As she nurses him to health, he learns of her past encounters with life which span centuries. She convinces him that their love has been since before his present life, and as he increases she decreases.
I can't recommend this book to children or teenagers due to language and content; however, those aspects should not influence an open minded person from enjoying one of the better books written in the last 20 years.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 9, 2008
This story transcends generations and time. I listened to it on tape and then read it. Wasted lots of gas driving around to hear the end of the story. The descriptions of the accident at the beginning make you feel as though you have gone through it with the main character. It begs to be read again. The history is accurate, the language is beautiful and the writing is elegant. a must read.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.A beautiful and sensual story. A must read, so I will not give away any of the story (read the editor notes for a synopsis). I recommend this to anyone; you will not be able to put it down. Usually after finishing a book I can move on the next one within a couple of days, but this one moved me so much and stuck with me, I couldn't pick up another book for a couple of weeks! My mind still wanders to the story and the characters on occasion. Simply amazing.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Really you gotta get through the first few chapters then you are really in for a beautiful sensual story of love and redemption. The first few chapters really paint how utterly abhorrant the main character is, which delves and explains his own self hatred. Allusions to Dante's Inferno where the hell is within the madness of our own minds and self destruction. Supernatural elements has you wondering what is reality or a twisting of the mind. Very lovely story with grief, excruciating pain, and exquisite blissful love.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 27, 2009
This is an amazing book, it is one of the very best book i have every read. Thank you Andrew Davidson!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2009
I Also Recommend:
I'm a lover of fiction/romance/history and this satisfied all my appetites! The characters were unforgetable and mesmerizing, and the ending will stay with you for a long time. Highly recommended!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 9, 2010
I tried to read it and it started out pretty good and then I could not get into the relationship. The converations between the two "in love" became annoying and I gave up on it. The stories she told ... Ughhh I could care less.
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MissBethie313
Posted July 9, 2010
I just bought this book because it was on sale at Barnes & Noble, the buy 2 paperbacks and get one free deal and it looked interesting. Little did I know the story that I picked up would be so riveting or so powerful and moving. An amazing story with a bittersweet ending that you wish didn't end and then it did. A definite keeper among my hundreds of favorites among my library of favorites!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The Gargoyle is the thought provoking story of a man on so many journeys. The book is so well-written and so deftly woven together. It isn't a story I will ever forget. Only a few times in my life have I read something so powerful. It's a must read and then a re-read. Fantastic author on the rise!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I rarely rate books, however this one was pretty incredible. This book is so incredible that it will keep you up at night just thinking about it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I got this book without giving it much thought, I just wanted something for the road and I was pleasantly surprised. If you like dark stories and graphic descriptions that will make you feel the character's suffering, this is your book. It was different, refreshing and well written. Great read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Yanagi
Posted January 10, 2010
I bought it based on the cover, summary, and reviews and it did not disappoint! As a lover of thick books, I must say this is the best I've read in a very long time. This is the kind of book that can only come as a labor of intense research and academia, it will have you reaching for a dictionary every few pages. The wordplay and sentence structures themselves are reason enough to buy it! It's a triumph of the English language. As far as the plot, it's quite intricate and undoubtedly beautiful as you witness the nameless main character develop and transform before your very eyes. No praise is high enough! Many books pale in comparison.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 9, 2010
The characters are interesting and believable. The author skillfully wove the story through time. The eras and settings of the story varied clearly and cleverly. I could not put this book down.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I picked up this book because it sounded interesting. It was fabulous! I was sucked in from page one. It is a book that not only has romance and humor, but it gives an insight into life and love. I have quotes from this book underlined and all of my friends have loved it too. If your looking for a cute romantic novel that has meaning-buy this book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This brilliant love story unfolds through the telling of a series of timeless love stories. As someone who really only dabbles in the fantastic, I loved the framework Davidson created -- it made me willing to suspend my disbelief so I could savor each tale at it urged the main romance forward. Furthermore, the allusions to Dante truly make this highly enjoyable read and intelligent piece of fiction.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 6, 2009
I Also Recommend:
A dark yet thoughtful look at ever enduring love. This book took hold of my imagination and took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. From loathing to sympathy to admiration. A pure escape I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a not so normal romance..
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 1, 2009
I've never read anything quite like this. If you can make it through the first fifty pages or so of addiction and depression, you will not want to put it down and will want more when it's finished... Write on!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book left me absolutely speechless. I'm the type of girl who picks up a new vampire romance and squeals with glee, so this book was a little out of my genre. But I'm so glad I read it! This story is about a man with 3rd degree burns who meets a woman who claims to be hundreds of years old and a lover in his past lifetime. This story is beautifully written with fantastic stories within the novel that lead you into a world where the impossible is possible. This novel leaves you believing that absolutely anything can happen. This is one of my favorite novels and i recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good book. =]
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
An extraordinary debut novel of love that survives the fires of hell and transcends the boundaries of time.On a burn ward, a man lies between living and dying, so disfigured that no one from his past life would even recognize him. His only comfort comes from imagining various inventive ways to end his misery. Then a woman named Marianne Engel walks into his hospital room, a wild-haired, schizophrenic sculptress on the lam from the psych ward upstairs, who insists that she knows him – that she has known him, in fact, for seven hundred years. She remembers vividly when they met, in another hospital ward at a convent in medieval Germany, when she was a ...