The Vulnerables: A Novel
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, HARPER'S BAZAAR, VOGUE, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICE, THE IRISH TIMES, NEW REPUBLIC AND KIRKUS REVIEWS
The New York Times–bestselling, National Book Award–winning author of The Friend and What Are You Going Through brings her singular voice to a story about modern life and connection
“I am committed, until one of us dies, to Nunez’s novels. I find them ideal. They are short, wise, provocative, funny — good and strong company.” —Dwight Garner, The New York Times
“With the intimacy and humor of a great conversation, this novel makes you feel smarter and more alive.” —People Magazine
“An ode to our basic need to connect with other beings, be they human or animal, even in a global crisis that told us to stay apart.” —NPR
Elegy plus comedy is the only way to express how we live in the world today, says a character in Sigrid Nunez’s ninth novel. The Vulnerables offers a meditation on our contemporary era, as a solitary female narrator asks what it means to be alive at this complex moment in history and considers how our present reality affects the way a person looks back on her past.
Humor, to be sure, is a priceless refuge. Equally vital is connection with others, who here include an adrift member of Gen Z and a spirited parrot named Eureka. The Vulnerables reveals what happens when strangers are willing to open their hearts to each other and how far even small acts of caring can go to ease another’s distress. A search for understanding about some of the most critical matters of our time, Nunez’s new novel is also an inquiry into the nature and purpose of writing itself.
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, HARPER'S BAZAAR, VOGUE, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICE, THE IRISH TIMES, NEW REPUBLIC AND KIRKUS REVIEWS
The New York Times–bestselling, National Book Award–winning author of The Friend and What Are You Going Through brings her singular voice to a story about modern life and connection
“I am committed, until one of us dies, to Nunez’s novels. I find them ideal. They are short, wise, provocative, funny — good and strong company.” —Dwight Garner, The New York Times
“With the intimacy and humor of a great conversation, this novel makes you feel smarter and more alive.” —People Magazine
“An ode to our basic need to connect with other beings, be they human or animal, even in a global crisis that told us to stay apart.” —NPR
Elegy plus comedy is the only way to express how we live in the world today, says a character in Sigrid Nunez’s ninth novel. The Vulnerables offers a meditation on our contemporary era, as a solitary female narrator asks what it means to be alive at this complex moment in history and considers how our present reality affects the way a person looks back on her past.
Humor, to be sure, is a priceless refuge. Equally vital is connection with others, who here include an adrift member of Gen Z and a spirited parrot named Eureka. The Vulnerables reveals what happens when strangers are willing to open their hearts to each other and how far even small acts of caring can go to ease another’s distress. A search for understanding about some of the most critical matters of our time, Nunez’s new novel is also an inquiry into the nature and purpose of writing itself.
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Community Reviews
In my first encounter with Nunez's writing, I initially felt uncertain whether the style would resonate. However, after a few chapters, I became fully engaged; the unconventional structure, which reads more like an essay or a collection of thoughts rather than a traditional narrative, truly captivated me. The book, a reflection on experiences during the pandemic, evokes good and bad memories, touching on themes we all encountered during lockdown. One standout aspect was the inclusion of Eureka the parrot, whose presence highlighted the therapeutic role animals can play in challenging times. I'm now eager to explore more of her previous works.
disappointed but it wasn't bad exactly. i liked "The Friend" a lot so i was hoping this book would be just as good. it's also about a person and a pet which is on the cover and not owned by the mc but taken care of by them. but i did not like it much. i also didn't dislike it. maybe i just didn't get it? nothing much caught me about it. the main character is just doing a lot of retrospection and it feels like it's nunez herself talking to you about her thoughts, but i didn't find that any of the musings really grabbed at me. there's some stuff about writing itself, and i just found myself playing a sort of game with the writers and books mentioned (if i'd heard of them, if i'd read something by them, if i knew the exact quote she mentioned). i won't give up on nunez yet though because i really enjoy her style of writing.
i wonder if in the future pandemic novels will be a whole genre. like wwii novels or movies are lowkey a genre in and of themselves within historical fiction. sea of tranquility also kinda alluded to covid but i know i've read other books where it's more starkly mentioned. i think this book could be really interesting for someone to read in the future who was born post 2015.
category: roomie book bracket #2
rating: 2.5 rounded up
i wonder if in the future pandemic novels will be a whole genre. like wwii novels or movies are lowkey a genre in and of themselves within historical fiction. sea of tranquility also kinda alluded to covid but i know i've read other books where it's more starkly mentioned. i think this book could be really interesting for someone to read in the future who was born post 2015.
category: roomie book bracket #2
rating: 2.5 rounded up
Reading this brought back memories of being quarantined during the COVID pandemic. I'm not entirely sure if that's a good or bad thing, but I did enjoy reading this book overall, even though I would have preferred more closure regarding Eureka and the protagonist's relationship, as well as more of the author's literary insights. It was enjoyable, but not especially profound. I’d give it 3.75 out of 5.
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