How does an innocent game of basketball cause Luther Banks to spend twenty years in prison for murder? After playing ball with a group of guys he didn’t know, Luther agreed to accompany the gentlemen to the store. Unbeknownst to him, these guys planned to take more than snacks. Now Luther stands over the clerk’s dead body as the police officers handcuff him. Behind bars, Luther grapples with the notion that he’s been wrongfully convicted. Thankfully, with the help of the Innocence Project, he is exonerated.
Now, at forty, Luther must learn how to reacclimate himself back into an exciting and scary world. And he’s doing that when his life takes another devastating blow as he’s accused of murder once again. A body is found on Dutch Bogart’s land, and deputies believe Luther is involved. Luther is staying at the residence with a group of others, and all parties involved feel Luther should leave for a while until things calm down and deputies find the actual culprit. Luther reluctantly agrees and sets his sights on New York, thanks to Jed (a friend of Luther’s). He meets up with Jed’s friend Finn, and both men embark on a memorable journey filled with laughs, heartache, honesty, love, friendship, and family in author Emily Gallo’s book Bardo.
I loved that this book showed readers that you are not your past. You can start life anew and create new memories, goals, friendships, etc. The dynamic and intricate relationship between Finn and Luther was beautifully complex, as it was honest. They are opposites in every sense of the word, but Finn opened Luther’s eyes to a world outside of what he once knew all those years ago, and Luther helped Finn to become more comfortable with being vulnerable. Bardo is about navigating life and the lessons, memories, and people you meet that help shape how you see the world and the various experiences you encounter past, present, and future.
Bardo started slow but picked up quickly as the chapters continued. There were a couple misspelled words, but nothing to deter the reader from enjoying and finishing the book. Colorful characters, picturesque scenes, and an engaging plot help make this novel a captivating, witty, and detailed read! Readers into fictional novels filled with self-discovery, friendships, loss, love, and family would enjoy reading Bardo! Emily Gallo’s Bardo was released earlier this year and is available everywhere books are sold.
Morgan Lee Reviews 