A rollicking good ride
5 stars Oh, Vigil. What a tricksy thing you are. On one hand you are extraordinary, being in the vein of the much loved Lincoln in the Bardo. Lyrical, irreverent, fun, funny, linguistic gymnastics set to beautiful poetry. On the other hand, you felt ever so slightly like a sophomore slump by lacking in new, different energy. But, Vigil is stunning enough to excel on a different plane few dare to strive to achieve. It packs so much vigor that it is hard not to be won over by its pace and exuberance. I read this thinking K.J. Boone was the main character but he is not. All the humanity, tenderness and soul comes to the reader through the sweet, Pollyanna character of Jill "Doll" Blaine. She is the spirit who arrives to ferry Boone, an aged oil exec, into the afterlife. Doll is naive but unfailingly kind and helpful. It's her job to comfort. But in Boone she encounters someone who is unashamed of his life and wanting none of her comfort. She also has her hands full with o...
