The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

BOOKER PRIZE LONGLIST - KIRKUS PRIZE FINALIST

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 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 grand and stirring love story, written in exquisite prose."--Namwali Serpell

"Magnificent . . . 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)

One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Fall: The New York Times, Oprah Daily, Time, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Associated Press, Vulture, Ms. Magazine, Book Riot, Publishers Weekly

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.

Author: Kiran Desai
Publisher: Hogarth Press
Published: 09/23/2025
Pages: 688
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.08lbs
Size: 9.37h x 6.41w x 1.35d
ISBN: 9780307700155


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 05/01/2025 pg. 2
Booklist 07/01/2025 pg. 23
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2025
Publishers Weekly 07/21/2025
BookPage 09/01/2025

About the Author
Kiran Desai is the bestselling author of the novels Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard and The Inheritance of Loss, which won both the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Born in India, she came to the United States when she was sixteen and now lives in New York City.