Okay, fine. I've heard it from the internet, people I know, and major award committees. I'll read *The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny* by Kiran Desai.

Honestly, I found "The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny" by Kiran Desai to be a bit of a slog – just too long and unfocused to really grab me. There were moments, certain sentiments about gender and nationalism, that resonated, but overall, there was just *so* much happening. I couldn't connect with the characters, and none of the core ideas really landed. The prose felt discursive, there were too many plot threads to follow, and clocking in at 688 pages, I was relieved to finally finish it. I also f...

It's a joy to immerse yourself in a novel that stretches to nearly 700 pages, knowing you'll have hours to lose yourself in the book's world, savor the lush descriptions, and truly connect with a whole universe of characters. "The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny" has its imperfections (primarily in the narrative voice and a touch too much whimsical magical realism), but it provides that fulfilling reading experience that's been scarce since the great novels of the 19th century. For example, Kiran D...

Sometimes less really is more. With a bit of tighter editing, *The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny* could've easily been a solid five-star read for me. Kiran Desai's writing is gorgeous, and I loved the themes of identity, migration, and loneliness. But it’s a long book, and after a while the uneven pacing, too many characters and points of view, and all the extra tangents started to drag it down. By the end, it just felt a bit bloated and all over the place. If you're looking for thoughtful book re...

Okay, so this highly anticipated literary comeback is a bit of a tangled mess of ideas, characters, and family drama. Every word feels like it was spontaneously written, and maybe Kiran Desai thought it was too precious to edit. \"I’m lonely and miserable,” says Sonia’s abusive partner for basically the first half of *The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny*. But the book isn't just about “loneliness,” and it doesn't just focus on “Sonia” or “Sunny.” It tackles a lot of stuff, mainly how time weighs on ...

I really thought I’d love this book, but I came away hating it, which is a shame because it started out so strong. I think Kiran Desai tried to do far too much and lost control of the material. While I appreciated the richness of the many ideas explored, I grew increasingly frustrated as the book went on and on. I was hoping for a great read, but it just didn't deliver. Check out my full review below for why I wouldn't recommend *The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny*. What began as a vibrant, intell...

3.5 stars, rounding down. This was #12 on my personal 2025 Booker longlist to read. Thanks to Netgalley, Random House/Hogarth, and Kiran Desai for the privilege of receiving an ARC a month before publication. First, the positives: Desai is a gifted writer, and her prose is consistently enjoyable. Her characters are well-developed, and while they sometimes flirt with South Asian literature/film stereotypes, they're often fun to spend time with. While the title characters in "The Solitude of So...

A must-read for Autumn/Winter 2025! 😊“Sunny broke the silence between himself and Babita by accusing Babita of bringing him up in such a Westernised manner that he’d always be a foreigner in his own country,”The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny is a powerful novel. This is the story of two individuals and their search for identity and belonging.Booker Prize 2025 nominated, and understandably so; this is a book rich in wonderful prose and narrative delights: a family saga; a tale of the deep binds be...

It's tough to sum up exactly what "The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny" is really about because it's just bursting with ideas. At the heart of it are Sonia and Sunny, the two characters in the title, of course. But along with them come a whole cast of family members who really fill out the story as it jumps from the mid-90s to the early 2000s and takes us across India, the U.S., Italy, and Mexico. It follows the lives of these characters who are all searching—for what, though? Connection? Purpose? I...

More like the loneliness of me, myself, and I for not having "The Solitude of Sonia and Sunny" in my hands already. Seriously, where has this Kiran Desai book been all my life? If you're looking for great book reviews, look no further.