Reviews

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

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znnys's review against another edition

5.0

For the most part, I found this book engrossing and beautifully written. It was difficult to put down - the author does a fantastic job at pacing mystery and enticing her audience to keep reading. However, it's also incredibly haunting and I'm not sure how likely I'd be to recommend it to someone. Not without giving some major trigger warnings first.

That said, I felt like the last 50 or so pages were incredibly rushed.

I understand (and am honestly grateful) that some details towards the end were better left without much detail, but it was frustrating to me that there's a significant amount of thought and prose gone into Alan Pace's death (arguably the least developed of the entire team), but the subsequent deaths are more or less glossed over - especially those of Sofia and Anne, who felt more or less like secondary protagonists considering how often the book was written from their perspective. You're told everyone but Emilio dies from the beginning, but it's frustrating to have it done in such an abrupt fashion. I felt like I got to know and like these characters, and they weren't even given the dignity of deaths that felt like closure.

That, I think, frustrated me the most, though it didn't detract from the overall emotional turmoil I felt by the book's end. As I said before, I'm not sure if I could recommend it, but it's given me a lot to think about - in terms of religion, and in terms of what chaos could erupt from a simple, and even benevolent act.

lilylikesbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

Lord have mercy (except He won’t).

sawyer_obrien's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kaetiii's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is one of my favorites. What's not to love about Jesuits in space?

usedtotheweather's review

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from 2009: " | When I first read this book at the end of middle school, I was so stunned and horrified by the events in the novel that I thought I would never read it again, and I gave the book away. But the story has haunted me ever since; I decided to reread it. The story is no less riveting or horrifying than the first time. But the beauty of the story is more evident. Exploration of religion, philosophy, love, mixed together with a compelling plot--the what-ifs of meeting a new intelligent species. "

theremharth's review

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I struggled in rating this book. At times I wanted to throw it out of the window. At times it moved me. The characters are generally well constructed, but they can be cartoonish in how they are evoked. The world-building of the planet they go to is excellent, but how that is brought into the story is a bit bizarre. The pacing is weird. The whole conceit of being told everything is going to go wrong at the start just left me feeling uneasy through much of it. But I still really felt for Emilio - especially in the earlier parts of the book, and right at the end. When I finished it I cried, and went to stroke my cats for a while.

I'm glad I've read it, but I won't read it again. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you are already into this type of thing.