The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny: A Novel
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW’S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
ONE OF PEOPLE’S TOP 5 BOOKS OF THE YEAR
BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLIST
KIRKUS PRIZE FINALIST
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Oprah Daily, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, Harper’s Bazaar, The Globe and Mail, BBC, Kirkus Reviews, Elle, Library Journal, Libby, Chicago Public Library, Lit Hub
ONE OF BOOKPAGE’S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A spellbinding story of two young people whose fates intersect and diverge across continents and years—an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity, by the Booker Prize–winning author of The Inheritance of Loss
“A transcendent triumph . . . not so much a novel as a marvel.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
“A magnificent saga.”—Washington Post
“Lavish, funny, smart, and wise, this is a novel that will last.”—The Boston Globe
“A spectacular literary achievement. I wanted to pack a little suitcase and stay inside this book forever.”—Ann Patchett
“A novel so wonderful, when I got to the last page, I turned to the first and began again.”—Sandra Cisneros
“Devastating, lyrical, and deeply romantic . . . an unmitigated joy to read.”—Khaled Hosseini
“A masterpiece.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A sweeping page-turner, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is a kind of Romeo and Juliet story for a modern, globalized age.”—Publishers Weekly (Top 10 New Fall Books)
When Sonia and Sunny first glimpse each other on an overnight train, they are immediately captivated yet also embarrassed by the fact that their grandparents had once tried to matchmake them, a clumsy meddling that served only to drive Sonia and Sunny apart.
Sonia, an aspiring novelist who recently completed her studies in the snowy mountains of Vermont, has returned to her family in India. She fears that she is haunted by a dark spell cast by an artist to whom she had once turned for intimacy and inspiration. Sunny, a struggling journalist resettled in New York City, is attempting to flee his imperious mother and the violence of his warring clan. Uncertain of their future, Sonia and Sunny embark on a search for happiness together as they confront the many alienations of our modern world.
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is the sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their lives: country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next. A love story, a family saga, and a rich novel of ideas, it is the most ambitious and accomplished work yet by one of our greatest novelists.
ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW’S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
ONE OF PEOPLE’S TOP 5 BOOKS OF THE YEAR
BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLIST
KIRKUS PRIZE FINALIST
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Oprah Daily, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, Harper’s Bazaar, The Globe and Mail, BBC, Kirkus Reviews, Elle, Library Journal, Libby, Chicago Public Library, Lit Hub
ONE OF BOOKPAGE’S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A spellbinding story of two young people whose fates intersect and diverge across continents and years—an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity, by the Booker Prize–winning author of The Inheritance of Loss
“A transcendent triumph . . . not so much a novel as a marvel.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
“A magnificent saga.”—Washington Post
“Lavish, funny, smart, and wise, this is a novel that will last.”—The Boston Globe
“A spectacular literary achievement. I wanted to pack a little suitcase and stay inside this book forever.”—Ann Patchett
“A novel so wonderful, when I got to the last page, I turned to the first and began again.”—Sandra Cisneros
“Devastating, lyrical, and deeply romantic . . . an unmitigated joy to read.”—Khaled Hosseini
“A masterpiece.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A sweeping page-turner, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is a kind of Romeo and Juliet story for a modern, globalized age.”—Publishers Weekly (Top 10 New Fall Books)
When Sonia and Sunny first glimpse each other on an overnight train, they are immediately captivated yet also embarrassed by the fact that their grandparents had once tried to matchmake them, a clumsy meddling that served only to drive Sonia and Sunny apart.
Sonia, an aspiring novelist who recently completed her studies in the snowy mountains of Vermont, has returned to her family in India. She fears that she is haunted by a dark spell cast by an artist to whom she had once turned for intimacy and inspiration. Sunny, a struggling journalist resettled in New York City, is attempting to flee his imperious mother and the violence of his warring clan. Uncertain of their future, Sonia and Sunny embark on a search for happiness together as they confront the many alienations of our modern world.
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is the sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their lives: country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next. A love story, a family saga, and a rich novel of ideas, it is the most ambitious and accomplished work yet by one of our greatest novelists.
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Community Reviews
I first heard about this book on Fresh Air book review done by Maureen Corrigan. She praised the book for the way that the author managed multiple main characters in several stories of self discovery. I hesitated to read this book because of being intimidated by the length and the possiblity the story would be too sad for me.
I bought it while on vacation and I used the opportunity to go for it! I was celebrating an independent bookstore in the city I was born and I was also feeling pretty good about the adventure we were on.
I procrastinate! There were multiple characters, multiple settings, and complexity to the ways in which everyone's paths were starting out in different places and yet carefully and meticulously come together. I know based on the review the wealth of story was purposeful for the author based on Corrigan's description. I have not felt this way about a story since I was a young girl reading Jane Eyre. Multiple stories occurring at the same time, what am I looking for? Sonny and Sonia were silly and immature at times, what am I saying! All the time! However, I observed as Sonia matures, her own story is woven tighter and tighter through her experiences in the book. Sonny is like to me most young men, full of guilt, blame, and frustration. The nuclear family cracked me up. The aunt, I felt for her, she is every woman abandoned by society because the rules are terribly unrealistic for every girl. The family members take life as it comes, but the mothers of Sonia and Sonny, well in their own ways, they each push back. The journeys of the mothers are sincere and with Sonny's mom, a little clumsy and funny. Sonia's mom, her journey is more of a quiet struggle. She holds back even with herself.
As I settle into the lives of the characters I felt the subtle sadness when an older character passed, almost as if I knew this person, I laughed at something ridiculous the characters would do or say, and I wanted to strangle Sonia and Sonny when they were just dumb. Desai brings the story together into a quiet and good place in the end, but she makes us all earn it. Read this book if you want a story that keeps you connected to characters for more than a quick read. The story is thoughtful, meticulous and holds you through the highs and lows. Desai took me to India, Vermont, NYC, and Italy. I invite you to go on this journey to. But remember is not for the faint of heart. It is a robust reading experience.
I’ve never written a review for a book before but this book compels me to share my thoughts.
This book is HIGHLY overrated and over marketed. It does not deliver at all. Desai attempt to weave together some lofty ideas within her storyline but falls flat on all fronts. From colonialism, to women’s lib, to racism, to modern-day immigrant challenges (and so many more themes) - most of which I can relate to firsthand - there are so many great ideas here, but none of the themes are tackled well. The character development is poor, along with the storyline/plot (or lack there of). It feels like she tried to cram too many elements into too little space, yet the book is so long!
If you like Hemingway, you may like this book. It meanders and tries too hard while not trying at all. Saying so much, yet nothing at all. Very disjointed.
This is my second, and last, Desai book. While I don’t remember exactly why I didn’t like the last book of hers that I read - I do remember having a similar feeling as I do now.
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