This week on the Friday Book Club we’ve wandered beneath our library’s gothic arches and trailed our fingers along its dusty shelves to choose The Gargoyle.

First published in 2008, The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson is an epic novel that casts its narrator into a physical and psychological Inferno and challenges him to find redemption.

Following a horrific car crash, a drug-addicted porn star lies in hospital, burnt beyond recognition. His only driving force—the urge to recover sufficiently to commit suicide. As he endures the agony of treatment he comes to appreciate the mysterious Marianne Engel, a sculptress of gargoyles, who sits regularly by his bedside. Gradually she reveals not only her life story, but the story the two of them shared—seven hundred years ago. Her sweeping sagas of love across centuries and continents kindles the flame of life within him, but can he believe her, or are these the tales of a madwoman?

Davidson has created a dazzling love story that embraces the power of storytelling. It challenges notions of good and evil, explores the healing power of friendship and asks you to believe in the impossible. The Gargoyle explores the human condition and its relationship with love, sex, religion and art. It looks at how society—both modern and medieval—constructs, shapes, and constricts its citizens. This could just be the book to ignite discussion in your group.

Visit our resources page to download the reading notes that may help generate discussion within your groups.

Every Friday we’ll be suggesting titles for your book club and providing accompanying resources, so visit us on our website, Facebook or Twitter to find out which title we’ve chosen as our Friday Book Club pick of the week.