Lincoln in the Bardo won the Man Booker Prize last year. When a friend in my book club lent it to me, I knew only the most cursory information when I began; the premise is that Abraham Lincoln's son has died. We read the events leading up to his death, and the cast of characters include several dead individuals in the graveyard.
The structure is innovative, with excerpts from news accounts and private correspondence inserted to carry the story, as well as frequent interruptions from the large cast of characters in the cemetery. It's an imaginative undertaking, although it's not for everyone. I enjoyed it, but I had another friend who abandoned it partway because she couldn't appreciate the format. It's a clever way to reflect on how the death of Lincoln's son may have impacted Lincoln's decisions in the war. Additionally, there is plenty to reflect on when it comes to our own ability to be in denial to the realities around us or the ways in which fear or grief can dictate our actions.
I have heard the audiobook narration is well done, with a cast of over 150 and I'm interested to listen to it down the road.
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