Anonymous wrote:I am starting The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and see it's a 3.76 on Goodreads but the waitlist at MCPL is nearly 300 people long.

I've seen cases where a book was mentioned in Sunday's Post, and the waitlist on MCPL skyrockets that same day. It's just luck with publicity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is far from "mediocre." I read it, and would not only put it as #1 of the books I read last year, but maybe #1 of all of the books I've read the last several years.

And I have an MFA in creative writing with a fiction concentration that I got in a 3-yr program with a lit-heavy component. And my mentor was a relatively famous lit critic. So I feel like I know when a novel could fairly be described as "mediocre."

But to put Sonia and Sunny aside ...

In case you aren't trolling ... why are mediocre books often popular? Because people like an easy read. And brilliant literature is often not an easy read (although sometimes it is).

I'm a NYT bestselling author. I think "good fiction" frequently only shines a light on an experience, rather than taking the reader on a journey from start to finish. Good fiction that does really well not only shines a light, but grabs the reader and takes them on a journey that has some sort of payoff at the end -- be it good, bad or sad. Beyond that, in a social media world filled with constant dopamine hits, most readers don't have the patience anymore for good fiction if it isn't written with a driving narrative.

I'm not saying this is good or bad, just accepting what I have found to be true.

Plenty of readers have "the patience" for books that aren't "written with a driving narrative." People still read Proust, FFS. But I can see where a "NYT bestselling author" might be confused about that.

This made me smile. Plenty of us who are NYT bestselling authors come out of highly regarded MFA programs. I know all about people reading Proust, "FFS." But you are kidding yourself to think that "plenty" of people are reading Proust for enjoyment. That cohort is older and mostly no longer buying books. Some? Sure. Plenty? No. Beyond that, we are talking about popular books that are deemed literary in this thread. Not classics. Those are two very different categories of books. This is a discussion about why some people rave about Sonia and Sunny and others think it's boring. That has nothing to do with Proust.

So did you, a "NYT bestselling author" (along with the "plenty of you" that "came out of highly regarded MFA programs" lol), read The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny or not? Perhaps if you had you would understand why it was shortlisted for the Booker even without what I think you mean by a "driving narrative" (which in my experience most in "highly regarded MFA programs" aren't too concerned with, and I have more experience with MFA programs than you could guess at, but whatever). Oh, and it's a NYT bestseller as well. Kinda like Fifty Shades of Gray and everything written by Colleen Hoover (and you?).

Other people on this thread: If you like literary fiction, especially sweeping narratives that explore cultural inheritance and the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma, loneliness and the human drive toward connection, or the contemporary immigrant experience, you should read this beautifully crafted book. If you normally can't handle anything longer than 250 pages and need a "driving narrative" such as is found in a James Patterson novel, the Sonia and Sunny probably isn't for you (or the PP here).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

+1M clearly there is an agenda with the books being published these days.

And no obama doesn't read these he endorses whom ever pays him the most to.

I hadn't heard anything about Obama being paid. But he, like many, have an agenda on what he (his team) thinks people should read that furthers their beliefs. And many of the young editors who are buying these days are progressive. As a result, they are buying progressive and/or diverse manuscripts.

Some of you are very naive. Celebrities get paid endorsements including Obama.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is far from "mediocre." I read it, and would not only put it as #1 of the books I read last year, but maybe #1 of all of the books I've read the last several years.

And I have an MFA in creative writing with a fiction concentration that I got in a 3-yr program with a lit-heavy component. And my mentor was a relatively famous lit critic. So I feel like I know when a novel could fairly be described as "mediocre."

But to put Sonia and Sunny aside ...

In case you aren't trolling ... why are mediocre books often popular? Because people like an easy read. And brilliant literature is often not an easy read (although sometimes it is).

I'm a NYT bestselling author. I think "good fiction" frequently only shines a light on an experience, rather than taking the reader on a journey from start to finish. Good fiction that does really well not only shines a light, but grabs the reader and takes them on a journey that has some sort of payoff at the end -- be it good, bad or sad. Beyond that, in a social media world filled with constant dopamine hits, most readers don't have the patience anymore for good fiction if it isn't written with a driving narrative.

I'm not saying this is good or bad, just accepting what I have found to be true.

Plenty of readers have "the patience" for books that aren't "written with a driving narrative." People still read Proust, FFS. But I can see where a "NYT bestselling author" might be confused about that.

This made me smile. Plenty of us who are NYT bestselling authors come out of highly regarded MFA programs. I know all about people reading Proust, "FFS." But you are kidding yourself to think that "plenty" of people are reading Proust for enjoyment. That cohort is older and mostly no longer buying books. Some? Sure. Plenty? No. Beyond that, we are talking about popular books that are deemed literary in this thread. Not classics. Those are two very different categories of books. This is a discussion about why some people rave about Sonia and Sunny and others think it's boring. That has nothing to do with Proust.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

+1M clearly there is an agenda with the books being published these days.

And no obama doesn't read these he endorses whom ever pays him the most to.

Yes, he does. He's always been a big reader and was a champion of local independent bookstores in the DMV when in the White House.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is far from "mediocre." I read it, and would not only put it as #1 of the books I read last year, but maybe #1 of all of the books I've read the last several years.

And I have an MFA in creative writing with a fiction concentration that I got in a 3-yr program with a lit-heavy component. And my mentor was a relatively famous lit critic. So I feel like I know when a novel could fairly be described as "mediocre."

But to put Sonia and Sunny aside ...

In case you aren't trolling ... why are mediocre books often popular? Because people like an easy read. And brilliant literature is often not an easy read (although sometimes it is).

I'm a NYT bestselling author. I think "good fiction" frequently only shines a light on an experience, rather than taking the reader on a journey from start to finish. Good fiction that does really well not only shines a light, but grabs the reader and takes them on a journey that has some sort of payoff at the end -- be it good, bad or sad. Beyond that, in a social media world filled with constant dopamine hits, most readers don't have the patience anymore for good fiction if it isn't written with a driving narrative.

I'm not saying this is good or bad, just accepting what I have found to be true.

Plenty of readers have "the patience" for books that aren't "written with a driving narrative." People still read Proust, FFS. But I can see where a "NYT bestselling author" might be confused about that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

+1M clearly there is an agenda with the books being published these days.

And no obama doesn't read these he endorses whom ever pays him the most to.

I hadn't heard anything about Obama being paid. But he, like many, have an agenda on what he (his team) thinks people should read that furthers their beliefs. And many of the young editors who are buying these days are progressive. As a result, they are buying progressive and/or diverse manuscripts.

Anonymous wrote:BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

+1M clearly there is an agenda with the books being published these days.

And no obama doesn't read these he endorses whom ever pays him the most to.

Anonymous wrote:The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is far from "mediocre." I read it, and would not only put it as #1 of the books I read last year, but maybe #1 of all of the books I've read the last several years.

And I have an MFA in creative writing with a fiction concentration that I got in a 3-yr program with a lit-heavy component. And my mentor was a relatively famous lit critic. So I feel like I know when a novel could fairly be described as "mediocre."

But to put Sonia and Sunny aside ...

In case you aren't trolling ... why are mediocre books often popular? Because people like an easy read. And brilliant literature is often not an easy read (although sometimes it is).

I'm a NYT bestselling author. I think "good fiction" frequently only shines a light on an experience, rather than taking the reader on a journey from start to finish. Good fiction that does really well not only shines a light, but grabs the reader and takes them on a journey that has some sort of payoff at the end -- be it good, bad or sad. Beyond that, in a social media world filled with constant dopamine hits, most readers don't have the patience anymore for good fiction if it isn't written with a driving narrative.

I'm not saying this is good or bad, just accepting what I have found to be true.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sonia and Sunny was good! I think it’s the people rating it who are mediocre in this case.

No, I understand good editing.

No. Clearly you don't. DP

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is far from "mediocre." I read it, and would not only put it as #1 of the books I read last year, but maybe #1 of all of the books I've read the last several years.

And I have an MFA in creative writing with a fiction concentration that I got in a 3-yr program with a lit-heavy component. And my mentor was a relatively famous lit critic. So I feel like I know when a novel could fairly be described as "mediocre."

But to put Sonia and Sunny aside ...

In case you aren't trolling ... why are mediocre books often popular? Because people like an easy read. And brilliant literature is often not an easy read (although sometimes it is).

Anonymous wrote:Sonia and Sunny was good! I think it’s the people rating it who are mediocre in this case.

No, I understand good editing.

Anonymous wrote:Are you implying The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is mediocre? I have not read it myself, but I am one of those waiting for a library copy.

NP. I didn’t enjoy it and thought it was too meandering and too long.

Sonia and Sunny was good! I think it’s the people rating it who are mediocre in this case.

Just like everything else in life, it's all fake. Everything is an illusion.