Review: The Sparrow

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This book earns a rare five stars from me. At first glance it is "Jesuits in space!" but that barely touches the outer fringes of this book. This is a novel first, and a tale of science-fiction second. I was struck by that while I was reading it because, while the first-contact aspects of the plot are critical to the story, this is clearly a case of an exploration of some themes made possible via a creative spin on science. The interview with the author at the back of the book confirmed my feeling that she didn't set out to write science fiction, but that does not mean that her creation didn't put her on solid footing within the genre!
The characterization is exquisite and heart wrenching -- Russell is as brutal as George R. R. Martin, but swaps the element of surprise for that of foreboding foreshadowing. The questions this book asks are deep and difficult. They are questions of faith (who would have thought I'd be interested in that?) and questions of morality and science and history.
I set out thinking I would have an escape from reality, and instead I found myself confronted with some of the most existential realities of life. And it was so well-written that I didn't even resent it for sneaking in serious topics when I had been looking for a lark!
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author, both in sci-fi and in other genres.



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