Summary of The Physics of Sorrow
“The Physics of Sorrow” is a Bulgarian family history, interwoven with elements of Greek mythology (such as the myth of the Minotaur). It portrays life growing up in Communist Bulgaria and unfolds as a 20th-century labyrinth where a multitude of characters, memories, and anecdotes search for a way out.
Reasons to read The Physics of Sorrow
“The Physics of Sorrow” is an unconventional novel, composed of numerous anecdotes and short stories, rather than a single, linear plot. A complex and multi-layered work, it offers a glimpse into life in Eastern Europe during Communist times. “The Physics of Sorrow” won the Bulgarian National Award for Best Novel of the Year in 2013, and the Jan Michalski Prize for Literature in 2016. Georgi Gospodinov is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most prominent contemporary writers. His later book “Time Shelter” was awarded the Strega European Prize in 2021 and the International Booker Prize in 2023.
Setting: Bulgaria
Book set in Bulgaria: The novel does not specify an exact setting, but the town of “T.” is likely inspired by Topolovgrad in southern Bulgaria, where Gospodinov spent much of his childhood.
Original title: Физика на тъгата
Year of publication: 2012
Nr of pages: 283
