The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell

I read The Sparrow on a recommendation from Mark's sister, Kelly, who said it is her favorite book. WOW! It is a masterpiece. Totally brutal without being vulgar, and wholly fresh and unexpected.

The story is told from both ends - an idealistic Jesuit monk bonding with his close-knit group of friends, and this same monk, broken almost beyond recognition, after his return from a first-contact mission gone horribly awry.

I don't want to say too much lest I spoil anything, but this is definitely a first-rate book, which I highly recommend! It is rough but very powerful and poignant.

Jesse's review here

Dad's review here

The Sparrow - 2

I finished reading The Sparrow, which Jesse wrote up a couple months ago. I figured I better make a new post rather than a comment, since the original Sparrow post rolled off the first page of the Blog into some semi-lost archive!

I liked this book better than Jesse seemed to - he described the plot very nicely, referring to the parallel stories told pro- and retrospectively, leading up to the reveal. Unlike Jesse, I was not disappointed in the reveal - rather, I was disappointed in the conclusion to the reveal! Without serious spoilers, it's sufficient to say that the main character, the Jesuit priest Emilio Sandoz, and his friends all experience the events leading up to their expedition to meet the alien species on a relatively nearby planetary system as a series of extraordinary "coincidences" that seem clearly to represent the will of God. These events nurture Sandoz' tentative faith, but his horrible experiences on the alien planet shatter it. After his return, some really likable members of The Society of Jesuits nurse him to some physical and emotional health, seeing his plight summarized in Matthew 10:29

Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.

I guess this says more about me than the book, but I found the shattering of Sandoz' faith more powerful and convincing than his semi-redemption. Still, I felt this book was very interesting and I liked grappling with this age-old question of why bad things happen to good people.

Jesse's review here

Lauren's review here

Sparrow

When I was a kid I really liked the sci-fi classics: Asimov, Herbert, Bradbury. I don't read much of it now, though I did love Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. But Ryan and Eunice listed Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow as a favorite on their website, so I thought I'd give it a try.

It's the story of a the discovery of alien life and an expedition to the nearby planet. It is a Jesuit party and it goes horribly awry. The stories of the discovery and the post-mortem investigation are told simultaneously, building toward the same climax. It is an effective storytelling device and the hero is a compelling figure. Ultimately, though, I was disappointed in the "reveal."

So, all in all, I'd say a pretty good quick read - maybe a 7 out of 10.

Dad's review here

Lauren's review here