In the heart of a grieving America torn apart by civil war, George Saunders weaves a narrative as innovative as it is moving in "Lincoln in the Bardo." On a cold night in 1862, amidst the backdrop of national turmoil, President Abraham Lincoln faces a deeply personal tragedy—the death of his eleven-year-old son, Willie. Saunders transforms this historical moment into a profound exploration of grief and love, setting his tale in a Georgetown cemetery where Willie Lincoln finds himself in a peculiar limbo, the bardo, a Tibetan concept of a transitional state between death and rebirth. Here, in this twilight zone teeming with a spectrum of ghostly characters, Saunders crafts a story that transcends the boundaries of traditional storytelling. The novel unfolds over the course of this single, haunting night, narrated by an ensemble of voices—both living and dead—that weave a rich tapestry of history, humor, and humanity. Through a daring narrative structure that blends factual accounts with imaginative fiction, Saunders invites readers into an ethereal world where the young Willie Lincoln’s fate hangs in balance. In the midst of spectral quarrels and existential reflections, a battle for the boy's soul emerges, reflecting the wider turmoil of a nation at war with itself. "Lincoln in the Bardo" stands as a testament to Saunders' unparalleled ability to speak to the core of the human condition, crafting a tale that is as heartbreakingly tender as it is narratively audacious.