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A review by casualblasphemy
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
2.0
i was so excited when mother purchased this for me at the local book seller! alas...
henry tompkins xxvii
she never opened it, did she? never bent a page to see what lie within?
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
Never bent a page. still, it’s not her fault.
henry tompkins xxvii
Not her fault.
mrs. fledermaus
Who could suspect? Not a reader, dearest mother. Not someone attuned to narrative arc, accustomed to a... certain kind of structure.
Structure. That’s the thing, the structure.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
And the content.
mrs. fledermaus
Content.
henry tompkins xxvii
A bardo is...?
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
A bardo is!
mrs. fledermaus
And once you know—
henry tompkins xxvii
Once you know...well what else is there?
mrs. fledermaus
Little enough.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
There are moments!
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, moments. There are moments that...
henry tompkins xxvii
That are tender. There’s tenderness. A man. A child. A loss.
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, but the structure?
henry tompkins xxvii
Structure.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
And the arc!
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, arc! The arc!
henry tompkins xxvii
Faugh.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
henry tompkins xxvii
she never opened it, did she? never bent a page to see what lie within?
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
Never bent a page. still, it’s not her fault.
henry tompkins xxvii
Not her fault.
mrs. fledermaus
Who could suspect? Not a reader, dearest mother. Not someone attuned to narrative arc, accustomed to a... certain kind of structure.
Structure. That’s the thing, the structure.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
And the content.
mrs. fledermaus
Content.
henry tompkins xxvii
A bardo is...?
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
A bardo is!
mrs. fledermaus
And once you know—
henry tompkins xxvii
Once you know...well what else is there?
mrs. fledermaus
Little enough.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
There are moments!
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, moments. There are moments that...
henry tompkins xxvii
That are tender. There’s tenderness. A man. A child. A loss.
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, but the structure?
henry tompkins xxvii
Structure.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul
And the arc!
mrs. fledermaus
Yes, arc! The arc!
henry tompkins xxvii
Faugh.
monsignor billie bob caterwaul