Lincoln in the Bardo follows Abraham Lincoln’s son, William “Willie” Lincoln, while he is in the Bardo, a state between life and afterlife. Willie died of a typhoid fever when he was 11 years old, as the doctor in the white house though he merely had a cold. He was sick during a dinner at the white house and died a few hours later.
When Willie wakes up in the Bardo, he is greeted by other people that had died in the same cemetery as him. Hans Vollman and Roger Bevins III are both dead, older men. The people in the Bardo believe that they are sick, and not dead. Hans and Roger know that if Willie doesn’t pass to the afterlife, he might get trapped there forever, since that was what happened to a young girl that had appeared there once.
As all the people in the Bardo can see the cemetery, but aren’t seen by those alive, they are like ghosts. The dead see Abraham hug his dead sons’ body. This makes the people in the cemetery believe that it might be possible for Willie to resurrect, with the help of his father, which is what he decides his new quest will be. His plans are further stopped, as he starts getting caught by “tendrils”, that bind him to the Bardo. These are the same things that took a hold of the other young girl that became trapped in the Bardo.
As Hans and Roger try steering Abraham Lincoln back to the cemetery, towards his son, he turns back with his own mind, remembering that he forgot something. A reverend that knows he is dead helps Willie escape and is then let into the afterlife for his heroic works. When Willie finally merges with his father, he realizes that he too, is dead. He then goes to the afterlife, inspiring many others in the Bardo to do the same.
