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January 21, 2026
Vigil by George Saunders review
The ghosts of Lincoln in the Bardo return to confront a dying oil man’s destructive legacy – but this time they feel like a gimmick
TL;DR
- "Vigil" is George Saunders's first novel since "Lincoln in the Bardo" and revisits the Bardo, a space between life and death.
- The novel centers on the deathbed of KJ Boone, a wealthy oil man who profited from climate denial.
- Jill Blaine, a spectral death doula, attempts to guide Boone in his final moments, grappling with whether to comfort him or challenge his moral record.
- The book is compared to Dickensian elements like "A Christmas Carol" but notes Boone's lack of redemptive potential.
- It critiques the idea of corporate villains as satisfying antagonists for the climate crisis, suggesting the violence is structural.
- The character of Jill Blaine is presented as more compelling, having forgotten herself to tend to others.
- The article suggests Saunders's spectral shenanigans may be becoming a repetitive gimmick.
- The novel explores themes of grief, memory, and the loneliness of being forgotten.
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