The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

Sunday, Oct. 19. 2025--San Antonio

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai is a long, rambling, and often depressing novel that is a finalist for the Booker Prize.  Most of it takes place in India.  The story is of generations of two particular Indian families and those whose lives are a part of theirs including an American painter of European descent.  As a person who has traveled to India 6 times for months at a time interacting with Indian citizens more than a typical tourist (attending month- and year-after death celebrations, attending weddings, being a guest in homes and on farms, making friends throughout the country), there was so much in the details of this book that I know to be true about India and Indians.  It is a masterpiece in describing life and times in India.  At the same time, however, it zigs and zags (the aforementioned rambling) in a somewhat confusing manner.  It took longer to read because of the details and the largess of the stories.  I recommend the book to anyone who knows India quite well or who will read the book with great attention to the realistic details of life within India--relationships, feelings, resentments, traditions, etc.  I gave the book 4 stars out of 5.