The Sparrow

by Mary Doria Russell | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0449912558 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingmyrtilluswing of Pori, Satakunta Finland on 8/10/2007
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingmyrtilluswing from Pori, Satakunta Finland on Friday, August 10, 2007
First Ballantine Books Edition: October 1997
This Edition: December 2004

"The Sparrow, an astonishing literary debut, takes you on a journey to a distant planet and to the center of the human soul. It is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a twenty-first-century scientific mission to a newly discovered extraterrestrial culture. Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, hardship and death, but nothing can prepare them for the civilization they encounter, or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a catastrophic end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth physically and spiritually maimed, the mission''s sole survivor--only to be accused of heinous crimes and blamed for the mission''s failure.

In clean, effortless prose and with captivating flashes of wit, Russell creates memorable characters who navigate a world of exciting ideas and disturbing moral issues without ever losing their humanity or humor. Both heartbreaking and triumphant, and rich in literary pleasures great and small, The Sparrow is a powerful and haunting book. It is a magical novel, as literate as The Name of the Rose, as farsighted as The Handmaid''s Tale and as readable as The Thorn Birds."


Journal Entry 2 by wingmyrtilluswing from Pori, Satakunta Finland on Friday, February 22, 2008
What a thought provoking story! Mary Doria Russell is a great storyteller. The book is not a literal masterpiece, but I enjoyed reading it yet. It’s a journey to space as well as to human soul. It tells about friendship, love and faith and about loosing them. While reading I considered why the title is The Sparrow. I found the answer in p. 401, Matthew ten, verse twentynine: “Not one sparrow can fall to the growd without your Father knowing it.”

Maybe I’ll read the sequel Children of God as well.

The Sparrow is in development at Warner Brothers.

I’ll send the book to thy.


Journal Entry 3 by thy from Nurmijärvi, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The book arrived yesterday, thank you onniManni!

Journal Entry 4 by thy from Nurmijärvi, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I thought the story was quite original and found the idea of a group of Jesuits & co flying with an asteroid to space to meet new species and looking for god quite amusing. The plot was gripping, when you know from the beginning that the journey had failed, you have to keep reading to find out what went wrong. Otherwise, I was disappointed, I could not like the characters much and there was something with this book that gave me the shivers.

Journal Entry 5 by VariC from Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
A surprise from my wish list was waiting at today's meetup. Thanks an awful lot, thy!

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.