A review of “Virgil” in 100 words by Catherine Stover
At first glance, it seems this novel is about a greedy rich guy who is dying, while being comforted by a simple angel who is interrupted by comic-relief angels. If that were the case, you’d expect a Christmas Carol ending, where the Scrooge repents. But wait! This doesn’t happen. The ending is ambiguous. The central questions, “Who can judge?” and “What do we deserve?” are not answered. Saunders, like Chekhov, believes the novelist’s job is not to provide answers, but to formulate the questions correctly. But George, not everyone wants to be left hanging, which is why reviewers are divided.
Work cited:
Saunders, George. Vigil. Random House, 2026, p. 167.