I thought this book would be like The DaVinci Code: fun but not great. Something good for the airport or sitting on the porch. But I think it actually was great. It starts out OK- it holds your interest but it's nothing special until Marianne Engel shows up (which I guess is the point). I appreciated its tone and pacing and unevenness as it mirrors the narrator's journey and the romantic mushy bits really hit me hard. You can tell the book was well-researched and is thorough without being ham-fisted with historical facts. The Gargoyle kept me guessing more than the thriller-type books I've picked up recently. It's mysterious and charming and sweet and funny and good and I feel like that even though I really liked it, there is even a deeper layer that I'm missing.