The Gargoyle

By: Andrew Davidson

Narrated by: Lincoln Hoppe

Length: 19 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

An extraordinary debut novel of love that survives the fires of hell and transcends the boundaries of time.

The narrator of The Gargoyle is a very contemporary cynic, physically beautiful and sexually adept, who dwells in the moral vacuum that is modern life. As the book opens, he 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 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.

A beautiful and compelling, but clearly unhinged, sculptress of gargoyles by the name of Marianne Engel appears at the foot of his bed and insists that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly injured mercenary and she was a nun and scribe in the famed monastery of Engelthal who nursed him back to health. As she spins their tale in Scheherazade fashion and relates equally mesmerizing stories of deathless love in Japan, Iceland, Italy, and England, he finds himself drawn back to life - and, finally, in love. He is released into Marianne's care and takes up residence in her huge stone house.

But all is not well. For one thing, the pull of his past sins becomes ever more powerful as the morphine he is prescribed becomes ever more addictive. For another, Marianne receives word from God that she has only 27 sculptures left to complete - and her time on earth will be finished.

Already an international literary sensation, The Gargoyle is an Inferno for our time. It will have you believing in the impossible.

©2008 Andrew Davidson (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

I’ve listened to it over 50 times🤯

Andrew Davidson: WOW! I would love to meet you in person! Seriously thought out & researched. I love the way it was written👍🏼 The many facets of the story. The story has a rhythm, that flows & the narrator Lincoln Hoppe is great! He brings the story to life. The back n forth of historical adding in another great story of Inferno by Donta. I’ve had 3rd degree burns from fingertips up past my elbow… the medical & terminology. I didn’t find love or a companion. However, this story has gotten me through some tough times. And probably saved my life… There’s so much more that could be said. Yet this is better when experience for yourself. There’s more true to life than the writer may have realized. And yep ya can’t tell a book by it’s cover. This captures me over & over.

Great Book

I listened to this book based I a review I heard on NPR. I enjoyed it tremendously and hated for it to be over. I am listening to another book now and can hardly understand the narrator half the time, which really makes me appreciate the narrator of Gargoyle. The main plot is intriguing, as are the stories with the main story and the way the author brings them all together and finishes the book is very satisfying. I highly recommend this book.

Interesting Journey!

This is a thought-provoking, grown-up novel with real substance. Excellent writing guides the reader through an interesting journey, in first person with the main character, toward what you might call redemption after a horrible accident. A mysterious woman becomes his benefactor and helps prod his motivation through therapy and recovery. She is an eccentric character with stories to tell of the past, and she may or may not just be the love of his life. The narration by L Hoppe is excellent and (spot-on) in nurturing our acquiantance with the main character...a man who is decidedly flawed and who some might say has led a "sinful" past, but still is somehow likable. This is most likely due to his cutting honesty and his sharply acerbic, yet slightly humorus, observations and outlook on things and people around him, in which he does not spare himself being included. The narrative shows his humanity and the growth and transformation of his character throughout the story. Definitely worth a listen!

Amazing !

Such a great book! The author has just and incredible ability to describe the details. The car crash to start was unforgettable ! I Highly Recommend this book !

excellent book

I really love this book I have read it twice and will read it again. you will laugh , cry and fall in love with it.

It makes you ponder and ponder

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a book for someone who likes to participate. Have to pay close attention. Not a light beach read.

What other book might you compare The Gargoyle to and why?

Crime and Punishment.... it's not a light read.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Lincoln Hoppe?

not really.

Wonderful listen.

Would you listen to The Gargoyle again? Why?

Yes. Someone please tell Guillermo del Toro that this should be his next movie.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Gargoyle ?

no comment

What about Lincoln Hoppe’s performance did you like?

no comment.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

no comment.

Any additional comments?

no additional comment

Exceptional

This is an exceptional book. The story is absolutely captivating. The writing is beautifully descriptive. The ending is incredibly satisfying. I want to especially note the talent of the narrator; Lincoln Hoppe's voice allowed the reader to completely immerse themselves in the story, hearing believably different people through his vocal acting. Some language accents might not have been perfect, but they were solid nonetheless. Loved it. Not to miss.

Loved it... Unlike any other book!

Loved it...
Unlike any other book, I cannot compare this with any other, that is also why I liked it so much!

Not for Me

While we'll written and with good character development, the actual story fluctuated between being grimly interesting to pointless and boring. Great galloping gobs of pain and suffering.