bkpub's reviews
106 reviews

This novel is a mix of Southern bayou folklore meets racism and modern-day drug addiction. You are about to go on a journey with JoJo and his baby sister, Kayla, as their absentee and drug-addicted mother takes them on a road trip to pick up their father from prison. The trip is met by some personal and very real demons from the past, car-sickness and pit stops.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book. I found myself wanting more of the folklore that was spread throughout. The characters were real enough to take on the appearance of people that I know and it made the story much more heartful than I expected.

I definitely recommend this novel.

I found the formatting of this book more interesting than the book itself. The historical information in this book is presented as quoted passages from memoirs and letters. The conversations and present-day setting descriptions are given to us in blurbs of texts with the speakers (or thinkers) name underneath. It took me a few chapters to really figure out how to read it.

Once I got past the awe of the hodgepodge writing style, I enjoyed the novel. It was witty and the characters were endearing in all their weirdness. The story was heartfelt and brought to you through an interesting cast.

Although I enjoyed my time reading Lincoln in the Bardo, I also felt as though George Saunders cheated. I don't really know how to explain it. This was a rather short book where 60% (guestimate) of the book is cited from other sources. When I think about that, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.