Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
A sad but a weird story about loss and grief – literally the weirdest I’ve ever read. The plot follows the death of Abraham Lincoln’s son William, who is buried in Oak Hill Cemetary. Lincoln comes to see him, holding his dead body in his arms. Other souls trapped in purgatory watch and vie for the soul of young Willie, as we read the voices of the ghosts and the people surrounding the events of Willie’s death.
It’s told in the tone of voice of the age, which was authentic, but a little distracting, and there are so many characters it’s hard to keep track. It is probably a brilliant book, as told by its literary success and awards, but there were long sections I became completely lost and didn’t understand what was happening.
