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The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

A Novel

by Kiran Desai

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About The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

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, New York Post, Kirkus Reviews, Elle, Library Journal, Libby, Chicago Public Library, Lit Hub LONGLISTED FOR THE MARK TWAIN AMERICAN VOICE IN LITERATURE AWARD • A LIBBY BOOK AWARD NOMINEE • 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.

Reader guide at a glance

Use these edition facts and spoiler-light notes to decide whether this book fits your mood, time, and preferred reading experience.

Audience
Adult/general
Commitment
Standalone or self-contained
Estimated reading time
17.0 hours at about 40 pages per hour
Length
Long read
Best for
Readers seeking emotional, reflective, literary fiction

Why readers are finding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai, published in 2025, is a 689-page book for readers who prefer to browse by the experience of a story, not only by its sales category. Its strongest discovery signals include Emotional, Reflective, Literary Fiction.

Each book can belong to several shelves at once, making it easier to move from a broad genre to a specific trope, mood, community recommendation, or series. Use the linked shelves above to compare related books, then choose print or audiobook from the edition information on this page.

Print ISBN
978-0-307-70015-5
Published
2025
Pages
689

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