by: Kiran Desai
Goodreads Synopsis:
The spellbinding story of two young people whose fates will intersect and diverge across continents and years—an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity
Behind every love story are the myriad stories of two families.
In the snowy mountains of Vermont, Sonia is lonely. A college student and aspiring writer homesick for India, she turns to an older artist for inspiration and intimacy, a man who will cast a dark spell on the next many years of her life. In Brooklyn, Sunny is lonely, too. A struggling journalist originally from Delhi, he is both beguiled and perplexed by his American girlfriend and the country in which he plans to find his future. As Sonia and Sunny each becomes more and more alienated, they begin to question their understanding of happiness, human connection, and where they belong.
Back in India, Sonia and Sunny’s extended families cannot fathom how anyone could be lonely in this great, bustling world. They arrange a meeting between the two—a clumsy meddling that only drives Sonia and Sunny apart before they have a chance to fall in love.
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is the sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next.
Helen says: 🤓🤓🤓🤓 1/4
A slog but worth reading…I have a soft spot for novels set in India. I just like all of them…I am not sure why. Maybe I was Indian in a former life? This book had spot on narrative description and perfectly framed story telling. About halfway through, it struck me how verbose and long this novel is/was. It definitely could have been revised for conciseness! I switched over to listening on Audible to make it less daunting. It was very entertaining, but WAY too long.
Holly says: 🤓🤓🤓3/4
This book took me FOREVER to read. It could be 200 pages shorter; however, it is a very good book. The most compelling part is the expression and depth of loneliness within each of the characters. Imagine as a teenager or young adult going half-way around the world to school or work and trying to fit in in a society that is so different from the one in which you were raised. Well, different in some ways, similar in others…The parental relationships with Sonia and Sunny and their parents was my favorite part of the book, especially the clashes between traditions and modern life. If you have perseverance and dedication, read it. It really is a lovely story, but it takes a while.
Helen and Holly Hit the Books 