Vigil

by George Saunders

Vigil is a kaleidoscopic, electric novel by Booker‑Prize‑winning author George Saunders. The story follows Jill “Doll” Blaine, a spirit tasked with comforting the dying oil‑tycoon K.J. Boone in his final hours. As Boone lies on his deathbed, a surreal cast of characters—birds, a black calf, a drought‑stricken villager, and former cronies—converge in his mansion, turning the bedside into a chaotic liminal arena. Through dark humor and high‑concept imagination, Saunders tackles corporate greed, climate denial, capitalism’s toll, and the environmental crisis, while also probing themes of mortality, redemption, and the possibility of change at the eleventh hour. The novel has been hailed as a modern “Christmas Carol” for the climate age, praised for its daring blend of satire, magical realism, and moral inquiry, though it has also divided critics with its audacious style.