Review of Lincoln and Rachmaninoff Walk Into a Bar

[Sarah Schmidt]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lincoln and Rachmaninoff Walk Into a Bar" by Cherie Magnus.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Lincoln and Rachmaninoff Walk into a Bar: A California Road Trip is a novella that recounts the author’s dream of a journey with Abraham Lincoln and Sergei Rachmaninoff, former American president and Russian composer, respectively. Tasked with guiding them to the SkyTrail from Los Angeles, our narrator brings a Lincoln for the journey. If they don’t reach their destination within five days to stop climate change on a mission bestowed by God, the world will be doomed. Cherie Magnus brings readers with her on a hyper-realistic journey to save the world.

This book has attained a rating of three out of five stars for a number of reasons. The first is that the actual direction of the plot was diverted away from its supposed and frequently restated aim. Sometimes, it read like a fangirl’s account of a backstage pass she had gotten to spend time with her idols. Readers barely get to see how the musician and 16th US president fulfill their mission, as the characters mostly tour the sights of current-day California and reminisce on their past lives. The actual carrying out of their mission—even the focus on it—was allocated merely a few abrupt pages.

The second reason for taking away a star relates to the number of mistakes that I found in the writing. These are largely noticeable, especially as the main body of the story spans about sixty pages, give or take a few. I do not believe that the book has been professionally edited as a result.

Abraham Lincoln and Sergei Rachmaninoff are two memorable figures from widely separate eras, fields, and backgrounds. Save for the hypothesis of their shared affliction with Marfan Syndrome, one would not think to place the two together in any setting. That’s what brings up the interesting factor of this book, I suppose. Readers will get some information on their individual life stories, so placing them as heroes in the world of today is not that much of a stretch.

Apart from its focus on the two historical figures, attention is also given to current issues plaguing the modern world. These primarily include global warming and climate change. I loved how there was simultaneously a mirror between the past and the present—what with the war between good and evil, red state and blue state, and north versus south still ongoing—and a contrast in how the advances in technology and unregulated pollution of the present differ from both Lincoln’s and Rachmaninoff’s times. It was also endearing to read about them getting used to the comforts of modern inventions and getting wide-eyed at each new fandangle.

I think this book would be enjoyable to admirers of Lincoln and Rachmaninoff. People who like reading about interesting dreams might also find this book engaging. As for its genre audience, my recommendations would go out to readers of low adventure with historical pieces tied in. A mature audience isn’t required, but they may be better able to understand the subliminal messages present in the book.

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Lincoln and Rachmaninoff Walk Into a Bar
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[Patty Allread]

Abraham Lincoln and Sergei Rachmaninoff are two memorable figures from widely separate eras, fields, and backgrounds. Save for the hypothesis of their shared affliction with Marfan Syndrome, one would not think to place the two together in any setting.

When I saw the title, I immediately thought it was an unusual combination of characters. Good review!

[ojukwu2]

It's always interesting to come across such wonderful review. I would love to commend the author for this master piece. Kodus

[NutellaBanana]

This is an interesting and well thought of book. This is also an interesting and well-written review. This is also a book that I would definitely love to try out. Thank you for this wonderful review.