Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

3 reviews

brenna_kcw's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I’m not sure exactly how I feel about this book. I think it is a fascinating reflection on the concept of “first contact” with a new culture or species, and a beautiful reflection on God and faith. However, knowing that the author saw this book in some sense as a way to bring empathy to the colonizers and conquistadors of humanities past, I don’t find it adequately recognizes their abject cruelty towards the people they met. It is possible to have misunderstandings but the enslavement and genocide of many indigenous people’s was intentional by the people who literally stole them away in ships to be sold in Europe. Those actions can not be misconstrued as anything other than unnecessary and unprecedented cruelty, so I’m still unsure what Russell really hoped to achieve. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, War, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Murder, Vomit, Sexual assault, Body horror, Torture, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Colonisation

The book includes a lot of descriptions of a character with intense and ongoing mental and physical illness including vomiting, body horror/medical consent stuff, which would be more difficult for some audiences. There is a VERY explicit although I wouldn’t say gratuitous description of rape. It centers the fear and horror of rape which is better than the often creepy sexualisation of rape, but it’s really awful to read so pls be aware, it’s within the last 2 chapters that any graphic description is made, the rest is vague.

lesbegays's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Car accident, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, and Xenophobia

scoulson2011's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Grief

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness