What Are You Going Through

What Are You Going Through is a 2020 novel by American writer Sigrid Nunez published by Riverhead Books.

What Are You Going Through
AuthorSigrid Nunez
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherRiverhead Books
Publication date
8 September 2020
Pages224
ISBN978-0593191415

Background and writing

The novel's title comes from an essay by French writer Simone Weil from her book Waiting For God.[1] The novel was published during the COVID-19 pandemic, though Nunez wrote the book before it began.[2] Like her earlier book, The Friend, the book involves a suicide.[2] Despite the difficulty of the themes explored in her books, Nunez deliberately includes comedic moments in her work, and has said "when [comedy is] left out of a work, something essential is missing."[1]

Reception

Critical reception

The novel received positive reviews, according to literary review aggregator Book Marks.[3] Heller McAlpin, writing for NPR, praised the novel as a "[...] deeply humane reminder of the great solace of both companionship and literature".[4] Critics compared the book favorably to Nunez's The Friend. McAlpin referred to the book as a "worthy followup" and "companion piece" to the 2018 book.[4] Dwight Garner made a similar comparison, and praised the book as "[...] as good as 'The Friend,' if not better.".[5]

References
  1. Elias, Naomi (10 September 2020). "Sigrid Nunez's "What Are You Going Through" Asks What We Owe to Other People". Electric Literature. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  2. Muchnick, Laurie (8 September 2020). "Sigrid Nunez: Writing Friendship Into Literature". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  3. "What Are You Going Through". Book Marks. Literary Hub. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  4. McAlpin, Heller (9 September 2020). "Attachment Brings Joy, And Inevitably, Loss In 'What Are You Going Through'". NPR. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  5. Garner, Dwight (31 August 2020). "Sigrid Nunez Follows 'The Friend' With a Sorrowful, Funny Novel About Death". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
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