REVIEW: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Publishing Information: 1996 (first publishing) 2008 (current edition)
Publisher: Ballantine Books, Trade Paperback, 405 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-449-91255-3
Series: Standalone (w/ sequel)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from Amazon.com): In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet which will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question the meaning of being "human." When the lone survivor of the expedition, Emilio Sandoz, returns to Earth in 2059, he will try to explain what went wrong... Words like "provocative" and "compelling" will come to mind as you read this shocking novel about first contact with a race that creates music akin to both poetry and prayer.

The possibility of making contact with an alien race has captured the imaginations of human beings for quite some time. It is a story that has been told on countless occasions - from H.G. Wells - that great pioneer of science fiction, through Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, to Heinlein's Stranger From a Strange Land to Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I could continue to name innumerable others. Some of these stories feature malevolent extra-terrestrials seeking galactic conquest and the eradication and enslavement of humans, while others introduce us to benign celestial beings that have matured to levels that far exceed human development. The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell, is at its heart another contact story but its not simply just another contact story.

The Sparrow sets itself apart early by doing something that is so rare in science fiction - it introduces complex human characters. So many science fiction authors spend their time dreaming up fantastic alien civilizations or presciently foretelling future technological advancements, that they forget to portray the effects these elements have on human beings. Russell has instead introduced some of the most interesting characters I've encountered in all of science fiction, filled with with prejudices, idiosyncrasies, and self-deceptions. For example the protagonist, Father Emilio Sandoz is a Puerto Rican Jesuit who must constantly battle temptations to break his celibacy vow, while he believes God is guiding him on a mystical journey.

Now I know that as soon as some people hear that Christianity is a theme in this story, they will be quick to dismiss it. But, hear me out. The Sparrow raises more interesting questions about the existence of God and morality, then it does try to answer them. In fact it raises serious theological questions about God's silence in a universe full of cruelty, and how God's followers can often be misled by what they believe to be his infinite benevolence and his mysterious workings. When Sandoz sets out with a group of companions to land on an alien planet in Alpha Centuari, his faith is unbreakable. When he returns he is a man broken, spiritually, mentally, and physically. Russell delivers all of this up front by interweaving two separate time periods - from the time before the space mission and the time afterwards. This is a suspenseful way to tell the story as we are left wondering what the hell happened to this guy and why he is apparently the only survivor from the mission.

As a trained anthropologist, Russell's book is clearly influenced by her day job. Its fascinating to discover the biological and cultural differences with a planet that's atmosphere is so very similar to our own. Often meeting the intelligent life on Rakhat is like looking at a somewhat distorted mirror of ourselves, and that is part of what makes this a very dark story. The book is emotionally draining, partly because Russell is good enough to make you care about her characters. The story is tragic in many ways and I can only recommend it to readers who do not shy away from that sort of thing. Negatively speaking, some of the descriptions of the alien cities and environments were a bit thin. While Russell is a gifted developer of characters, she comes up short in her world-building abilities. I wanted to know much more about the alien cities that were visited by the characters and I wanted Russell to provide reasons why so much of their culture was so similar to our own but why other parts were so different. Russell's reverie ends up feeling somewhat myopic compared to other science fiction visionaries. However, this is a great story with a great cast of characters and would recommend to anyone looking for a thought provoking yet emotionally exhausting journey.


Plot……….9/ 10

Characters………9.5/10

Style………..8/10

Overall……….8.5/10