Let’s Read: Lincoln In The Bardo
*A note about my reviews. I don’t give away plot or details. I never want to spoil a good book! Also I like to tell you something I loved and something to be aware of in each review I do.*
Lincoln in the Bardo
By: George Saunders
I sat looking at my screen for a while contemplating this book review. It is a book unlike one I have read before. It is surprising, funny, deeply heartfelt, and strangely weird. It was an unexpected story that piqued my interest in Abraham Lincoln as well as caused me to think about our human condition. Not to mention how we treat others and ourselves in our world. I must say I read this with my bookclub and the consensus was that it was not an easy read. There is a lot going on, with quotes and many characters.
This is a story that takes place in a graveyard, all in one night. It is brimming with a full cast of characters. We slowly learn how they each ended up in the graveyard as the book unfolds. On this night the ghosts’ attentions all circle around a new inhabitant, young Willie Lincoln. They become fascinated and drawn to him when he turns up among the dead. Sprinkled into the story are actual excerpts from books written about President Lincoln, and his young son Willie. We get snippets of people’s perceptions of Lincoln and his family as well as actual firsthand stories and thoughts from the people who worked for the family and around them.
Certain chapters read like a play as the cast of ghosts take us along for an evening in their lives, or lack thereof. There are two main characters who carry the story along. Mr. Vollman and Mr. Bevins, two ghosts who have been in the graveyard for quite some time.
When young Willie arrives, they don’t want him to be stuck in that place with them; they want him to go on to something better. They urge him to go. But Willie feels as though he must wait there for his father. And so, the book essentially takes the reader through a whole night and all that would transpire in the land of the unseen. All the while we are learning about the ghosts, in their humanity and in their death and waiting.
It is a brilliant book and there are a few chapters that spoke so beautifully about really knowing and seeing each other. Walking in one another’s shoes if you will. Characters who were slaves, women abused, people who lived evil lives, and so many more. This story was thought provoking and beautiful.
I must admit it took me a few chapters to get into the flow of the way it was written. I ended up also getting the audio version from my library and absolutely loved the whole cast of characters reading this story. It brought the strange tale alive for me.
I was amazed by how George Saunders took a small piece of something said in the History of Lincoln and created an inspiring story of what might have happened in the realm not seen to us humans.
Something I loved: Listening to the book was like enjoying a strange play. So many amazing readers and actors serving up this story for our listening pleasure.
Something to be aware of: This story has plenty of curse words in it as well as some sexual language and situations where abuse and trauma are detailed.
