A review by rsoccer70
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

I read this novel for the first time more than 20 years ago, but I didn't really get the deep and challenging exploration of the essential theological question of why does God allow suffering? As an older and wiser man, I understand and resonate much more now with this struggle.  The novel is structured with a mystery at it's heart-what happened on a distant planet to cause to entire crew to perish and why is the lone survivor physically and spiritually shattered? The answers unfold as the story proceeds to a gripping and gut-wrenching resolution of the mystery. I listened to the expertly read audiobook and it greatly enhanced my experience of the story. Be warned that the narrator of the sequel - "Children of God" isn't the same person - and is one I found so difficult to listen to that I immediately turned it off and picked up the book to read rather then to listen to it. 
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