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loving finally. There aren't many books that I think have wide-appeal across all the various readers in TBB, but I think Lincoln in the Bardo is the closest that I've read. Do you crave literature that can be picked apart and thought about for hours? Or would you prefer a fun story with great characters that will give you some feels? This has both. What about ghost stories? What about a comedy? What about stories with hope in the face of despair? Do you want a love story or two? Or do you want some weirder poo poo, like ridiculous ghost orgies? Want something scary, like demons that disguise themselves as angels? Do you like a little history? Do you like experimental novels, but not so much as to be unreadable? This book has everything in it. I can keep going on and on about what makes it special, it's filled with wonderful imagination, but there's a lot for a new reader to discover, hopefully with a smile. I'm very excited for everyone who's reading this for the first time. Can't wait for discussion to start.
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Mar 7, 2018 19:13
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 00:08 |
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chernobyl kinsman posted:wait till you get to the dick jokes Or the ghosts that spend their afterlife distracted in an orgy. I want to talk about the demons disguised as angels that attack the ghosts. I believe that's near the end of Part 1. When we read it for my book club, I was pretty sure they were in fact demons disguised as the individual's definition of Beauty or Peace so they could lure them into the afterlife, specifically Hell, or to trap the souls in unrest like the little girl stuck in the fence trapped in an endless loop of shapeshifting, but I seem to have been the only one that thought that. Did I misread that section, or did anyone else glean the same thing?
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Mar 13, 2018 15:48
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Down With People posted:Oh yeah, totally. I mean the fact that they're offering things that appeal to the desires they had in life rather than acceptance of the truth that they're dead confirms that. See, I thought it was pretty clear, but of the five other people in my book club that read it, none of them figured that out.
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Mar 14, 2018 12:27
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OscarDiggs posted:Do we need to look up the little bits that say things like "In "Mr. Lincolns Washington" and "Leech, op. cit." or can they be ignored? They can be ignored. What's most important about those aspects is that you gain insights on the major characters perspectives, and that the different perspectives on Lincoln's life are different and sometimes contradictory (like the moon chapter or the different characters describing how ugly Lincoln is). You should have a firm grasp of who the major players are before the end of Book 1.
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Mar 19, 2018 22:18
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I mean, he does get propelled by the spirit of a black man who's out for revenge entering his body.
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Mar 19, 2018 22:57
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pleasecallmechrist posted:This is where the story really abandoned itself. I realize it was right at the end but there was never a natural transition. His realization of my God so many sons will die to then conclude well I'm gonna bury those fuckers hard rather any nuance of Jesus gently caress this is destroying a country. I think Saunders may have gotten swept up by the "herp derp we've gotta kill these slave having bastards" conviction which is also horrendous as it neglects any acknowledgement of structures of power and never recognizes that both sides had sons dying at the instructions of leaders. Much less be an acceptable step from the rest of the novel. He realizes that many sons will die on both sides. He also realizes that half of the sons are dying for the cause of owning other humans. He also also realizes that he's not winning any popularity contests at the time, and so would rather embrace the difficult but morally right thing and fight for what he believes will be best for the country. He also also also becomes influenced by the spirit of a black man who suffered at the hands of white people. The book slowly reveals the nature of how spirits can influence the living, and that spirits with stronger conviction/energy--whether that is love, hate or something else--have more influence on each other. He literally gains empathy for the minorities who will continue suffering if things don't change because one enters him. Sorry you don't like it, but the book didn't pull any deus ex gotchas with the ending. *reads book about Lincoln grieving the death of his son and the nature of the afterlife* "But where's the sympathy for the slave owners?!" Franchescanado fucked around with this message at 18:50 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 18:44
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Mel Mudkiper posted:There's also the fact that the narrative core of the novel is about abandoning the burden of desire and accepting reality. Lincoln, like the spirits, lets go of the things he wished were not true, and found the will to accept the reality of his situation. That's a good point as well.
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Mar 20, 2018 18:53
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 00:08 |
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How about Aristotle's Poetics?
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Mar 30, 2018 18:13
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