Gargoyles

by BillGaston

In this remarkable collection, Bill Gaston crafts his fiction around the idea of the gargoyle — the concrete representation of extremes of human emotions. This marvelous, riotous, Rabelaisian world contains gargoyles that are physical manifestations of the disfigurements and contortions to which human beings subject themselves. Each of the collection's 12 stories has a strange and unique guardian spirit whose sometimes benevolent, sometimes malevolent presence informs the characters and their actions. A boy struggles with self-image and the need to fit in. A grieving parent tries to prevent others from making his mistake; tragedy ensues. A vengeful son settles a score with mom and her new lover. Other stories focus on familial delight, as well as discord in the lives of an over-the-top artist, a drunken uncle, and a bitter writer. All show one of Canada’s finest writers at the top of his form.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Canada, Literature

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Magdelanye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another impressive collection of short fictions from the fertile imagination of BG, some quite creepy and a few very creepy, all with a vein of humour that bubbles just below the surface.
This is particularly true for the story The Kite Trick which has changed forever my idea of fun at the beach.
Even the story The Beast Waters his Garden...., in a dialogue format not appealing to me, had me, by about the middle, laughing off my chair.
Gargoyles aren't used so much anymore to protect our castles.
its a good name for a collection that treats so fondly all the grotesque and subtle misfits that might have come down from their ancient cornices to surprise us all with their fragile resilience

[A Savatdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of stories gets better and better. There are three sections, and the last four stories were my favourite by far. I especially enjoy how Bill has this incredible ability to end his stories in the perfect choice of words. One sentence to leave you thinking yet content.

[Sandy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent short story collection. Creepy at times.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed most of this collection of short stories. They had a very human feel. Resolutions were not always realized but seen as works in process. I found the situations and treatments of them glaringly real. This collection has the 'Everyman' feel to it. A wonderful read if you're rooted in the real world and enjoy human character studies.

[Pauly · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books that I can re-read over and over again. An inspiring, humorous and sometimes disgusting look at the different aspects of human emotions as portrayed through a number of short stories.

[beentsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really beautiful stories, The Kite Trick and The Gods Take Off Their Shirts in particular. Still wishing I could go back in time and not read Honouring Honey though. Shudder.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

These rank among the best short stories I've read.