Kiran Desai Returns to the Longlist: A 19-Year Booker Prize Comeback

Renowned author Kiran Desai has been longlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize with her latest work, 'The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.' This achievement comes 19 years after Desai won the prestigious award with 'The Inheritance of Loss.'

The longlist, revealed on Tuesday, features 13 novels authored by seven women and six men from nine distinct nations. These books tackle various themes, including identity, both personal and national, and provide gripping narratives filled with intriguing characters. As the chair of the judges, Roddy Doyle, noted, the selection is diverse, comprising both short and lengthy novels that experiment with narrative form.

The expedition of Sonia and Sunny in Desai's novel explores themes of memory, language, and family dynamics across multiple cultures and generations. The Booker Prize ceremony, slated for November 10, 2025, will award the winner with GBP 50,000, following a shortlist announcement on September 23 at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in London.

(With inputs from agencies.)