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Saunders' New Novel: Climate Denier Faces Spiritual Reckoning
5 Feb
Summary
- Novel features a dying oil tycoon who denied climate change.
- A spirit guides the tycoon toward confronting his environmental impact.
- Critics are sharply divided on the novel's artistic merit.
George Saunders' latest novel, Vigil, presents a stark narrative beginning with a spirit's dramatic descent to Earth. This spirit, Jill Blaine, is tasked with confronting KJ Boone, a wealthy oil tycoon whose decades of environmental denial have had catastrophic consequences.
The novel unfolds over 172 pages, introducing a cast of characters determined to make Boone face his legacy before his death. Saunders masterfully combines high-concept ideas with dark humor, a signature style that often generates strong reactions.
Despite its timely theme, Vigil has divided literary critics. Some laud it as a "dazzling achievement," while others dismiss it as "gibberish." This polarization, however, may stem from the novel's ambitious attempt to grapple with significant global issues, echoing Anton Chekhov's belief that great novels should formulate problems rather than solve them.
