The gargoyle

Review

How much does truth matter?  And, if it does matter, how do you define it?  Truth is the theme of The Gargoyle, a remarkable first novel.  We meet our nameless narrator on a cocaine high, driving too fast and hallucinating.  His inevitable, catastrophic wreck leads to horrific burns and a lengthy recovery -- devastating for anyone, but particularly for this emotionally damaged individual.  While in hospital, he meets the extraordinary Marianne Engel, an artist who claims that she was once his wife, in 14th-century Germany.  Obviously, she's delusional, right?  Maybe.  Or maybe truth is more ephemeral than we typically suppose. 

Lovers of medieval mysticism, Dante, unusual love stories, and plain good storytelling will be enthralled.