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Mar 11, 2019DBRL_IdaF rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
In 1862, President Lincoln makes middle of the night visits to the crypt where his beloved young son, Willy, lies interred. Willy and his father stir things up for the spirits inhabiting the cemetery. Most of the story is told from the point of view of the spirits who have not been able to move on, for one reason or another. There are shades of Spoon River Anthology, as we learn a lot about the lives of the cemetery residents through their alternating narration. In a fascinating literary technique, scenes outside the cemetery are formed using stitched-together historical quotes about Lincoln and the times. Some of the quotes contradict each other, yet Saunders manages to create a coherent narrative from them. Worth the read. Humor and heartbreak in equal measures, about like life.