Gargoyle (Canongate Books Ltd)

In this extraordinary debut novel, the narrator, a contermporary cynic driving along a dark road crashes into a ravine and suffers horrible burns over much of his body. He awaits the day when he can leave the hospital and commit carefully planned suicide-for he is now a monster in appearance as well as in soul. Then a beautiful sculptress of gargoyles appears at the foot of his bed and insists that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. As shespins their tale in Scheherazade fashion he finds himself drawn back to life-and, finally, in love.