Mary Doria Russell

The sole survivor of a crew sent to discover a new planet, Jesuit priest Emilio Sandoz discovers an alien civilization that raises questions about the very essence of humanity, an encounter that leads Sandoz to a public inquisition and the destruction of his faith. A first novel. 35,000 first printing.

The Sparrow

"A NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT . . . Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense." --USA Today "AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED . . . If you have to send a group of people to a newly discovered planet to contact a totally unknown species, whom would you choose? How about four Jesuit priests, a young astronomer, a physician, her engineer husband, and a child prostitute-turned-computer-expert? That's who Mary Doria Russell sends in her new novel, The Sparrow. This motley combination of agnostics, true believers, and misfits becomes the first to explore the Alpha Centuri world of Rakhat with both enlightening and disastrous results. . . . Vivid and engaging . . . An incredible novel." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "POWERFUL . . . Father Emilio Sandoz [is] the only survivor of a Jesuit mission to the planet Rakhat, 'a soul . . . looking for God.' We first meet him in Italy . . . sullen and bitter. . . . But he was not always this way, as we learn through flashbacks that tell the story of the ill-fated trip. . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence." --San Francisco Chronicle "SMOOTH STORYTELLING AND GORGEOUS CHARACTERIZATION . . . Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them." --Entertainment Weekly

This book should have been 200 pages shorter. The concept is brilliant and the characters are likable, even though they lean heavily into dated stereotypes. I did not find the themes of faith to be all that inspiring or challenging. The prose is also downright dreadful and nears unreadable at times. The pacing is very obnoxious. You are given little breadcrumbs and then, quite literally decades of events are summarized in like 20 pages. This continues until the conclusion and you end up getting a summary of events that should be the climax.  I still enjoyed it because of the characters and the concept of space jesuits, but I would not read it again nor am I interested in the sequel. 

Landen Angeline

Really moving story. It was so captivating I read it all in one day! I read this book because I went to a musical performance by Aidan Ward-Richter based on this book. https://vimeo.com/91349839. If you love this book, you'll probably love the Sparrow Suite.

Lily Elizabeth Labella

Cody Degen

** spoiler alert **
           3.5 stars. Really weirdly structured book, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. But feels like two or three different novels stitched together. Probably need to sit with this one for a bit, as the back quarter is so emotionally draining.

I tore through this in seven hours. What a horrible and beautiful story. I don't know what to say, and I don't know if I can recommend it.

Matthew ten, verse twenty-nine: "Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it."

But the sparrow still falls.

Jeremy Wang

octavia butler is that you? i was surprised by the extent of this book’s religious focus, but in hindsight i really shouldn’t have been. if the first few chapters show you a maimed and clearly traumatized (ex?) catholic priest, that’s just a slight hint that the problem of pain will figure prominently. 

the whole heavily psychological first contact narrative, elaborate alien social structure designed to comment on our own, and odd obsession with sexuality were very very reminiscent of butler, but i appreciated that the final question was one of God’s existence and goodness rather than something merely sociological. unfortunately, the characters aren’t quite as strong; they have this blandly american cavalier humor and brazenness that reminded me of a dan brown cast *shudder*. objectively, they were pretty richly developed (500+ pages will let you do that), but i just couldn’t quite stomach them, especially with their supposedly diverse backgrounds. 

still five stars because my primary qualm is very personal, and it’s generally a very well-built book with serious emotional and theological weight. a great reminder of the grandeur that american literature is capable of, relative to quieter, humbler jplit

'The Sparrow is one of my favourite science fiction novels and it destroyed me in the best way when I read it. It is so beautifully written and the construction of the narrative is masterful.' Emma Newman, acclaimed author of Planetfall Set in the 21st century - a number of decades from now - The Sparrow is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and talented linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who - in response to a remarkable radio signal from the depths of space - leads a scientific mission to make first contact with an extraterrestrial culture. In the true tradition of Jesuit adventurers before him, Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, suffering - even death - but nothing can prepare them for the civilisation they encounter. Or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a devastating end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth horrifically maimed, both physically and spiritually, the mission's sole survivor - only to be blamed for the mission's failure and accused of heinous crimes. Written in clean, effortless prose and peopled with memorable characters who never lose their humanity or humour, The Sparrow is a powerful, haunting fiction - a tragic but ultimately triumphant novel about the nature of faith, of love and what it means to be 'human' and widely considered to be a classic of the genre.

didnt know what to expect when i picked this up, personally i am not a religious person, but this still took my mind and my spirit on an incredible and exhilarating journey

maximilian becht

 is one of those books that I’ve been meaning to read for literal years, but something always holds me back. It sounds exactly up my alley. Speculative fiction of any sort with religion at its center always appeals to me. But something about the premise of this both drew me in and repelled me in equal measures. It sounded fascinating, yes, but it also sounded heavy and devastating and tough. And to be honest, I just haven’t been in the right mindset for something that weighty in the past few years. I’ve read plenty of dense and dark, plenty that made me think deeply. But it’s been a hard few years where my faith has been my solace, and I didn’t feel comfortable having that source of solace so ruthlessly examined when I was already so raw. 

But I decided that I was finally ready, and I’m very glad I did. I was correct; this book was more than tough, it was occasionally torturous. There were times I had to step away from the story for days at a time and read something, anything else, because I was so upset by Emilio’s story and experiences. But it was a very rewarding read. I feel stronger in my faith for having held it under such intense scrutiny alongside Emilio, as he relived that which no one else could imagine, because no one else had survived. 

Intelligent life outside of our planet has been verified through our picking up of musical transmissions from the Alpha Centuri system. But instead of first contact being made by scientists or some kind of interplanetary delegation representing Earth’s political powerhouses, the Jesuits sent a crew as ambassadors from Christ. We know from the very beginning that, of the 8 original crew members who embarked, only one returned alive. And that one, a priest named Emilio Sandoz, is incredibly broken in mind, body, and spirit. As the Jesuit Society begins to slowly and painfully extract the truth from Emilio, we see exactly what highs he experiences and to what incredulous lows he was sentenced. In the midst of all of this, the loss of the family he had built for himself, the horrid suffering and the hateful misunderstanding of his fellow man when he returned alone but alive, where was God? That is the central question of the book, and it’s one that Emilio struggles with desperately.

There are no easy answers here, no neat bow tying up the story at the end of the book. Russell did a phenomenal job of balance the triumph and the tragedy, the belief and the pain and the loss, in such a way that her own personal worldview never took centerstage. Instead, the questions she presented were open-ended and unflinching. If Emilio had embarked on this mission under the prompting of God, leading everyone he loved to so violent an end, then what God could be so cruel and why should He be worshipped? But if God had not ordained all of this suffering, then how could Emilio continue to exist under the weight of blame he must shoulder alone? These are intense questions that we, alongside Emilio, do not find answered at the end of The Sparrow. But my hope is that some of these, at least, will be answered in the sequel, 

. Which I began reading as soon as I closed 

Outside of the intense religious and philosophical questions raised by the book, there was also a fantastic world full of fascinating beings. They were very original in ways, but I was reminded of Wells’ 

 in others. Which I won’t go into for fear of spoiling the book. Suffice it to say that I was never bored when we finally reached Rahkat. The writing was also incredible. While I found the pacing maddeningly slow at times, especially in the first half of the book, the prose was always beautiful. Russell has a serious way with dialogue that made these characters, especially those comprising this found family of space-traveling missionaries, feel like real people. I grew incredibly attached, even knowing how things would end.

 is a brilliant novel. It’s not perfect; there are some definite pacing issues, at least in my opinion. And while I did appreciate the questions raised, the weight of them was often tough to stomach. But the ideas and the writing and the characters, and those questions that I struggled with so much, are all exceptional, and exceptionally well executed. I’m both excited and filled with trepidation to see how Emilio’s story wraps up in 

. Hopefully there are answers and peace waiting there, in the ruins.

Celeste Richardson

The Sparrow is one of those books that I’ve been meaning to read for literal years, but something always holds me back. It sounds exactly up my alley. Speculative fiction of any sort with religion at its center always appeals to me. But something about the premise of this both drew me in and repelled me in equal measures. It sounded fascinating, yes, but it also sounded heavy and devastating and tough. And to be honest, I just haven’t been in the right mindset for something that weighty in the past few years. I’ve read plenty of dense and dark, plenty that made me think deeply. But it’s been a hard few years where my faith has been my solace, and I didn’t feel comfortable having that source of solace so ruthlessly examined when I was already so raw. 

But I decided that I was finally ready, and I’m very glad I did. I was correct; this book was more than tough, it was occasionally torturous. There were times I had to step away from the story for days at a time and read something, anything else, because I was so upset by Emilio’s story and experiences. But it was a very rewarding read. I feel stronger in my faith for having held it under such intense scrutiny alongside Emilio, as he relived that which no one else could imagine, because no one else had survived. 

The most basic premise is this: 

Intelligent life outside of our planet has been verified through our picking up of musical transmissions from the Alpha Centuri system. But instead of first contact being made by scientists or some kind of interplanetary delegation representing Earth’s political powerhouses, the Jesuits sent a crew as ambassadors from Christ. We know from the very beginning that, of the 8 original crew members who embarked, only one returned alive. And that one, a priest named Emilio Sandoz, is incredibly broken in mind, body, and spirit. As the Jesuit Society begins to slowly and painfully extract the truth from Emilio, we see exactly what highs he experiences and to what incredulous lows he was sentenced. In the midst of all of this, the loss of the family he had built for himself, the horrid suffering and the hateful misunderstanding of his fellow man when he returned alone but alive, where was God? That is the central question of the book, and it’s one that Emilio struggles with desperately.

There are no easy answers here, no neat bow tying up the story at the end of the book. Russell did a phenomenal job of balance the triumph and the tragedy, the belief and the pain and the loss, in such a way that her own personal worldview never took centerstage. Instead, the questions she presented were open-ended and unflinching. If Emilio had embarked on this mission under the prompting of God, leading everyone he loved to so violent an end, then what God could be so cruel and why should He be worshipped? But if God had not ordained all of this suffering, then how could Emilio continue to exist under the weight of blame he must shoulder alone? These are intense questions that we, alongside Emilio, do not find answered at the end of The Sparrow. But my hope is that some of these, at least, will be answered in the sequel, Children of God. Which I began reading as soon as I closed The Sparrow.

Outside of the intense religious and philosophical questions raised by the book, there was also a fantastic world full of fascinating beings. They were very original in ways, but I was reminded of Wells’ The Time Machine in others. Which I won’t go into for fear of spoiling the book. Suffice it to say that I was never bored when we finally reached Rahkat. The writing was also incredible. While I found the pacing maddeningly slow at times, especially in the first half of the book, the prose was always beautiful. Russell has a serious way with dialogue that made these characters, especially those comprising this found family of space-traveling missionaries, feel like real people. I grew incredibly attached, even knowing how things would end.

The Sparrow is a brilliant novel. It’s not perfect; there are some definite pacing issues, at least in my opinion. And while I did appreciate the questions raised, the weight of them was often tough to stomach. But the ideas and the writing and the characters, and those questions that I struggled with so much, are all exceptional, and exceptionally well executed. I’m both excited and filled with trepidation to see how Emilio’s story wraps up in Children of God. Hopefully there are answers and peace waiting there, in the ruins.

Really fascinating. Dark in ways that made it hard for me to love (hence the 4 stars instead of 5). 

Sarah Erle

A.L.L.

What a ride this book has been. I am not sure what to think of it, and I don't know if I can handle the sequel, but that was a really good read.

I don't know I have ever experienced a story this way before.

 I didn't want to like any of the characters but was compelled to, even as their flaws and ugliness were illustrated, even as the impact of their actions came into sharper and sharper focus.This book raised so many questions, made me simultaneously uncomfortable, wary, curious, speculative, and content. 

The exposition and pacing of this book was perfect...and I rarely think that of any book. 

The character development was highly compelling. I kept expecting to hate the characters, I was waiting to...but I just couldn't. Mary did much too good a job making her characters ones you could understand.

The alien species and their world was interesting. Made me think a lot about the Avatar movie, even though this came out before then. That they were so similar to us was a tad too convenient, but I understand that it is not so much about the actual alien species as the conversation their existence in relation to us creates. 

There were no true surprises in this book, Mary tells you from the very first page basically what happens. You know from the get go things went sideways, that only one survives, that Emilio's hands are wrecked...yet each new piece of the story you get feels like a big reveal. There were some parts of the book that felt like a long, slow release of held breath, or a hard slap to the face, or a gut wrenching cry. 

This book is an experience.

Gabrielle F Fiihr

Wow I can’t even put into words how much I love this book. I read it for a class but now I’m completely obsessed. It broke me in all the best ways and now I can’t stop thinking about it. 

Kali Olson

When radio telescopes on Earth first pick up the strange and beautiful alien singing, it is the Society of Jesus that puts together a mission to the extraterrestrial world. That’s right—Jesuits in space. It’s a startling notion, one that certainly captures a reader’s attention. But really, who better? Author Mary Doria Russell shows us that the Jesuits are a scholarly bunch, prepared to suffer greatly for what they believe is right and with a long history of making first contact with new cultures. And the group that Russell creates in The Sparrow is much more than a bunch of Bible-toting missionaries. Her story centers on Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit priest and a highly skilled linguist, who collects a charismatic group of friends (believers and non-believers) to accompany him on an interstellar mission that results in earth-shattering revelations. The twists of fate, triumphs, and tragedies of this group are revealed slowly and with great suspense as the story alternates between the year 2019 when the alien songs are detected and the mission is planned, and the year 2059 when Emilio Sandoz returns from the faraway planet to be questioned by his Jesuit superiors. The stories merge gracefully, and even as readers finally learn what happened to the humans and aliens on the planet of Rakhat, new questions of faith, science, fate, coincidence, family, and humanity are proposed. More literary fiction than science fiction, The Sparrow is intense, unsettling, gripping, and new. And it has a few more qualities that are sure to appeal to anyone who has ever searched the skies above—as strange as it is, The Sparrow is hard to resist and impossible to forget. Russell wrote a sequel in 1999, Children of God, which reunites Emilio Sandoz and the planet of Rakhat.

Autumn 

"But the sparrow still falls."
Is it better to be a macabre but empathic voyeur to suffering or is it better to not exist? That's what this story comes down to but the answer is rather vague. I have an answer for it. I think a significant number of people on earth will dislike that answer and take offense. 
This is perhaps one of the most amazing and strange novels I have ever read. I was completely transfixed by it and I couldn't stop reading while also dreading what was to come. It's worth noting that there's a lot of religious baggage attached to this book and depending on the reader's personal views one might be more or less lenient towards it. I declare my utter adoration for this book by putting my personal opinions aside and only enjoying the map of events and ideas drawn by the book. It was brilliant. Almost a visceral experience. The use of linguistics and language, the characterizations, the development of an entire planet, it was all done beautifully. 
What a harrowing experience though. If I'm being cheeky, I would say this book is such a good cautionary tale for why we should not go to another planet. Ever. For whatever reason!
If I put the jokes aside, I would say this is a sublime science-fiction work that manages to gnaw at some dark corners of the mind and exposes the shortcoming of "being" while maintaining an engaging storyline. 
Plus, last time I read a book with a priest in a significant role, I developed a severe phobia towards them so the fact that Emilio Sandoz is now one of my favorite characters says a lot about the damage control this book managed to perform. (I do have a soft spot for linguists, so maybe that did it too!)
Warning for sexual assault content.

Kaitee Tredway

I loved this book. This little strange thought provoking and chilling and oh so human book.

Thank you Maggie Steifvater for the recommenDation!

JESUITS IN SPACE - just saying.

Luna

the author was SO close to understanding and representing this specific type of pain/trauma in a non-condescending or alienating way ,,, and then she spends 500 pages talking about how “fundamental” it is to do the things that cause you extreme pain and make you throw up all day. not one star because i like aliens and anne’s criticisms of religious ignorance were very quotable but ,, i can’t believe she actually WENT there and still didn’t get the message.

Emily S

Oof. This book. The feels. The dread. The horror. 

I am going to take it upon myself to inform whomever is reading this that this book is DARK. There are SERIOUS CONTENT WARNINGS that I might suggest familiarizing yourself with before you read if you’re sensitive (notably to violence). 

Brief synopsis: After hearing music from another planet, a group of Jesuit friends decides to travel to this planet and befriend this alien species. However, when only one member of the crew comes back ~40 years later, he has to answer A LOT of questions, all while working though his own grief…what went so terribly wrong on their mission? 

I feel like I have a love/hate relationship with this book. For the most part, I was completely captivated. It made me feel things and consider things deeply, and when a book does that, it’s surely special. I will say that there is some serious suspension of disbelief that needs to happen as we go (would a group of friends really just up and go to space? Would they truly be able to walk around without space suits and eat the vegetation on that planet? Wouldn’t they have planned more? Were they not worried about INFECTING ALIENS WITH EARTHLY DISEASES?). But…if you’re able to get past that…and the content warnings…I think it makes it worthwhile.

One of these days I’ll read the sequel, because I want to see how Emilio (our main character) deals with the long-term aftermath of everything he’s experienced. But…we will wait awhile until we fully recover from this one.

Pam Sartain

Altogether, I found this to be quite a hard book to read. It was very well written, but I have a lot going on at the moment, so cosy mysteries are my genre of choice for the moment, and this was anything but that!

I found it quite haunting and uneasy making to read in bed, my normal time for reading, so have had to spent some of the weekend deliberately reading this book. It was very well written, a very unusual story, and will stay with me for a while! Thank you to Sword and Laser for making me try something so out of my current comfort zone!

Daryl Houston

This one didn't really get good and interesting until about halfway through, and I nearly abandoned it a time or two. In the end, it's worthwhile, but so far I've much preferred Russell's historical fictions about the old west.