The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

"Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, often violently, just like love.
It was Good Friday and the stars were just starting to dissolve into the dawn. As I drove, I stroked the scar on my chest, by habit. My eyes were heavy and my vision unfocused, not surprising given that I’d spent the night hunched over a mirror snorting away the bars of white powder that kept my face trapped in the glass. I believed I was keening my reflexes. I was wrong."

this is the first chapter from the book which kept me hooked all the way till the end. the book is special in the sense that I've never read any love novels before (love novels are just not my "thing").. but The Gargoyle is indeed a different kind of love novel which transcend boundaries dictated by the usual writing style.. man meet woman, fall in love, issues arises.. bla bla bla.. boring... but not so with The Gargoyle..

main characters are the narrator and Marianne Engel.. the rest are supporting characters which spices up the flow of the story... its about a man who was badly burnt in a car accident being nursed to health by an eccentric woman who claimed to be his lover during the medieval era... turn the pages as you read and you'll be able to savour the intricacies of their relationship and be amazed by the sheer determination of their believe in love and perhaps God too.. the beauty of this novel is the ability of the author to present multiple facets of the narrator and Marianne in totally different perspective but still in line with the flow of the story line...

in my opinion, the front parts were fast moving and page turning but towards the end, it gets a bit boring especially when he recovers from his drug addiction... it should be noted that this novel has sad ending.. so, for those looking for happy ending kind of book, please buy this book with caution :-)

Andrew Davidson managed to pull the reader by putting cliff-hangers on every end of the chapter, thus, readers (myself included) will be tempted to read more in order to link the whole story up...

i would highly recommend this book to those who're looking for a different kind of reading experience.

Note: Look for the initial print because the edges of the page are stained black. a lot of people commented (when i read the book) that it has really cool cover and quirky coloured edges; look at the scanned layout of the book and you'll be amazed :-)

Personal rating: 9 out of 10 (recommended buy)

Cons:

1) Slightly boring end part

2) sad ending

Pros:

1) Cool cover, quirky edge colour

2) different kind of love novel

3) multi-faceted characters

4) appropriate cliff-hangers on every end of chapters