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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Wow! Need I say more? Davidson is a captivating writer. I am very squemish, but I somehow made it through the extremely detailed descriptions of burn victims & their treatments b/c I was so captivated by his writing.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't believe this is Andrew Davidson's first novel! This was unlike anything I've ever read. Some parts were extremely graphic. The main character is severely burned in a car accident so it goes into detail about that. I would've given it five stars but I didn't care for the ending.
I haven't heard of this book before so I didn't have to worry about it living up to any sort of hype, unlike many other reviewers, evidently. I did, though, absolutely absorb this book. It's tragic, and it manages to incorporate so many stories that all weave together perfectly. It keeps me interested and the pace of the story is just right. I actually liked the way that mental illness was portrayed - to me, it seemed accurate yet awful. It wasn't like many books where when someone falls in love, they "cure" the mentally ill. My only downfall for this book was that some of the language was a little crude and seemed out of place. Other than that, this author has a stunning way with words and I think I would read anything that he ever put out. He is definitely very talented and is in the right career path. His characters had incredible depth, as did his story. I just love this book, and although I can see how it's not for everyone, it's definitely for those who like dark.
It takes some effort to get past the first few chapters, what with all of the graphic details of a burn victim's diagnosis and treatment. But once our protagonist meets his soulmate, the book gets wonderful. And weird. Really, really weird. But great. This was an airplane read, and I was doing a lot of traveling at the time, and it just made the hours whiz by like the landscape beneath my feet. Don't read it if you don't have a strong stomach, but if you do, you'll love it.
Rating: 4.5 stars
This book is so strange, unexpected and wonderful. It reminded me of Anne Rice's writing style and how she blends modern narratives with flashback stories to different historical settings within the same novel. The Gargoyle walks the fine line between being a supernatural or psychological mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; and apparently I have become accustomed to reading about a narrator with no name since I read Rebecca, because it didn't bother me at all this time.
This book is so strange, unexpected and wonderful. It reminded me of Anne Rice's writing style and how she blends modern narratives with flashback stories to different historical settings within the same novel. The Gargoyle walks the fine line between being a supernatural or psychological mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; and apparently I have become accustomed to reading about a narrator with no name since I read Rebecca, because it didn't bother me at all this time.
It took me until about a third of the way in to start caring about this book. At first, I picked it up because my brain wanted a break from nonfiction. I kept reading because I simply wanted something to read, but I could not have cared less about any of it.
It's an intense book--rather gross at first (I don't advise eating while you read the first chapters) and then emotionally intense with all the precious "love stories" that wind through.
Once I started seeing the book as a series of character studies, I started to become intrigued by the little community inside the pages. It was a book I could put down, and that's OK. It was a bit too much to digest all at once.
I like that things remain very open, that reality and dream never have a hard and fast line. In the end, it isn't my favorite book ever. It felt like a first book. At first. But it grew on me, and I came to respect the talent that led this story toward a rather good ending.
It's an intense book--rather gross at first (I don't advise eating while you read the first chapters) and then emotionally intense with all the precious "love stories" that wind through.
Once I started seeing the book as a series of character studies, I started to become intrigued by the little community inside the pages. It was a book I could put down, and that's OK. It was a bit too much to digest all at once.
I like that things remain very open, that reality and dream never have a hard and fast line. In the end, it isn't my favorite book ever. It felt like a first book. At first. But it grew on me, and I came to respect the talent that led this story toward a rather good ending.