Lincoln in the Bardo

Has a novel ever been more jam-packed with characters and dialogue? George Saunders has written a terrific first novel; heretofore previously known for his short stories (which are also terrific and I'm not a short-story fan), he has tackled and conquered the novel form.
A fantastical setting (one setting for the entire novel), populated with hundreds of "souls" who do not realize they are dead, engaging in sometimes hysterical, sometimes heart-breaking conversations, as they await their "recovery" from whatever injury/catastrophe/illness they last recall: wow, quite the entertaining storyline.  This setting is the "Bardo" referenced in the title: a Tibetan term for just that in-between world between the living and the dead.
And "Lincoln" is indeed Abraham Lincoln who, tortured by grief over the death of his young son, Willie, visits the Bardo to grieve and seek solace by remaining close to his son's remains.  Willie Lincoln is one of those souls lost in the Bardo and much of the dialogue and story centers around a cast of eccentric souls advising and comforting Willie to the best of their abilities. In so doing, they share their life stories and it's these stories that are tremendously engaging.
As Saunders beautifully explores the concept of grief, especially at the loss of a child, he takes us inside President Lincoln's processing of this grief.  As Lincoln plumbs the depths of his grieving, he is struck by the tremendous loss of life he considers his responsibility: the thousands of Union soldiers recently killed in battle, and that heavy weight nearly does him in completely.
Such a heavy topic and yet moments of lightness and humor occur and somehow don't feel out of place; what a talented writer Saunders is to have woven all these threads together!
While I strongly recommend this outstanding novel to others, one note: the style of writing Saunders has chosen takes a little getting used to but don't give up! It's well worth the effort!

My rating: **** (4 stars)