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In his "defiantly uncategorizable" (New York Times) debut, Andrew Davidson proves himself a consummate storyteller. He skillfully shifts from present to distant past while balancing the more fantastic elements of his plot (dragons and mysticism) with graphic depictions of the trauma and treatments endured by burn victims. Some critics found the novel mesmerizing, while others complained of awkward prose and unconvincing characters. The Gargoyle's debt to Dante's Inferno echoes throughout the nov

In his "defiantly uncategorizable" (New York Times) debut, Andrew Davidson proves himself a consummate storyteller. He skillfully shifts from present to distant past while balancing the more fantastic elements of his plot (dragons and mysticism) with graphic depictions of the trauma and treatments endured by burn victims. Some critics found the novel mesmerizing, while others complained of awkward prose and unconvincing characters. The Gargoyle's debt to Dante's Inferno echoes throughout the novel, and Davidson displays a thorough knowledge of medieval Christian symbolism and allegory. This understanding charmed some critics but alienated others, who considered such literary trappings heavy-handed. Those who enjoyed the novel most were able to suspend their disbelief and overlook a novice writer's gaffes. Readers who can do the same will not be disappointed.

This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.