Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.
Matthew Ten, Verse Twenty-Nine
I read some time back, but I am reviewing it here only now. The book raises some uncomfortable questions about our perception of and our (according to the book, unfounded) expectations from God. Mary Russell does a spectacular job of blending science and religion in this book. For both agnostics and believers alike, this is a story that will send you reeling.
The Sparrow is set in the future, and revolves around Emilio Sandoz. Emilio is a devout Jesuit priest and a good man whose friends love him. Sandoz’s biggest strengths are his self-awareness, and his faith in God which can move mountains. But that faith is about to be tested.
The Plot
Emilio and a few of his closest friends travel to Planet Rakhat, as part of a top-secret space mission to search for extraterrestrial life. Our overly-optimistic group also succeeds in making “first contact” with the aliens there. Russell paints the outerspace life well: it is alien and eerily beautiful, and it’s our Earth group which is outlandish there.
But in the next 17 years, something goes horribly wrong. Only Emilio survives. When he finally returns to Earth, he is a broken and bitter man, facing accusations of prostitution and infanticide – grave crimes for a Jesuit. The media is out for his blood, and fellow Jesuits distrust him. Emilio himself has lost his staunch love for God.
My Thoughts:
Emilio thought that if he believed in God enough, prayed enough, worked hard enough, was good enough – God would reward his prayers. But the hard truth is that even if you do the best you can, you can still get screwed. Russell states thus in her author’s note:
“We seem to believe that if we act in accordance with our understanding of God's will, we ought to be rewarded. But in doing so we're making a deal that God didn't sign onto…
(But) God has a lot to answer for. God is a complex personality… God gives us rules but those are rules for us, not for God.
The risks have to do with believing that God micromanages the world, and with seeing what may be simply coincidence as significant and indicative of divine providence. It's very easy then to go out on a limb spiritually, expect more from God than you have a right to expect, and set yourself up for bitter disappointment in his silence and lack of action.”
It’s a harsh truth that each one of us may only be a speck (like a sparrow which falls) in the grand scheme of things, which may play out over eons. No matter how hard we try, many of our best-laid prayers are bound to remain unanswered. This message was so upsetting to me at first, but it’s also the truth, I think (most unhappily). As Marc, one of Emilio’s group, says, “Perhaps this is because we can’t understand the answers, because we are incapable of knowing God’s ways and God’s thoughts. We are … doing the best we can, but (we are) limited. Perhaps we must all own up to being agnostic, unable to know the unknowable.”
This brings me to the book title. Like the sparrows, we are mortal, expendable and fragile, but we are also beloved to God. So, take comfort in that, because God has not abandoned humankind:
“So God just leaves?” John asked, angry where Emilio had been desolate. “Abandons creation? You’re on your own. Good luck!”
“No. He watches. He rejoices. He weeps. He observes the moral drama of human life and gives meaning to it by caring passionately about us, and remembering.”
Rating: 10/10
I rate this book highly, but I probably would not read it again. And there is a sequel too, for which Jen at Introverted Reader has an important review.
13 replies on “The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell: A Tough Scifi Must-Read”
My mother reviewed and really liked this book when it first came out. We are big Jesuit fans in my family! About eight years ago I persuaded my book group to read it although some really dislike SF. I found it incredibly readable but so disturbing! There was talk about Brad Pitt playing Emilio in a movie but that never happened.
I have read at least one other book by the author but not, I think, the sequel.
I didn’t know about the movie talks, although I’m sort of glad Brad Pitt didn’t get cast as Emilio! I haven’t tried other works by Russell, should check them out.
So cool you read it. This was a tough book, you are right, but so so good. The sequel has a more positive view of things, but I don’t think it’s as masterful as this one. She’s an incredible author.
I read 3 other books by her, but this is my favorite
Tough book, very eye-opening too. And a bit of a shock to the system!
““We seem to believe that if we act in accordance with our understanding of God’s will, we ought to be rewarded. But in doing so we’re making a deal that God didn’t sign onto… ”
“The risks have to do with believing that God micromanages the world, and with seeing what may be simply coincidence as significant and indicative of divine providence”
I’ve thought about that before- how sometimes I feel like if I pray surely I’m being heard right, and may even be answered? Then I think- wait, there are billions of us and the universe is quite vast. what are the odds MY plea is getting through lol? Still, I pray anyway. 🙂 The alternative is… not so great haha. This sounds like a wonderfully thought provoking read!
Completely agree. I mean, I make dozens of small “unilateral” bargains all the time too. The alternative, as you said, is to not pray at all, to not hope at all… and I don’t think I can stomach that.
Same here. And I have things in my life where I’m certain prayers HAVE been answered. then I may have doubt and that’s where the comment about is it coincidence or actually divine providence comes into play? But yes I prefer to believe yes to some extent rather than the alternative, which seems rather random and perhaps hopeless…
I think that’s a very important point – to remember some of the prayers that HAVE been answered. And I would rather be grateful for them, than to discredit them as a fluke or coincidence or whatever. Since we won’t know the “Truth” anyways, why not err on the side of hope?
Exactly! 🙂
Hi Lex, what a brilliant review for a book I’ve never heard of, but sure did add to my TBR right now.
“No matter how hard we try, many of our best-laid prayers are bound to remain unanswered.” The hard truth, yes. But the truth.
I’ll see if I can get hold of this one. SF not my style at all, as you know – but I will read this one.
Elza Reads
Scifi is a one-off thing for me too, so I can understand. And fair warning again for the tough love message in this one. But I hope you’ll give it a try some time when things are lighter / easier.
Excellent review! I read this one a long time ago with a book group and I remember how unnerved I was by this book. It was so different than anything I had read and I have to say I would like to read this one some day even though I don’t do a lot of re-reading.
I keep looking for words to describe this book: “unnerving” would be another good descriptor. But no, I don’t think I’m going to read this again. Once is enough, it definitely got its message across!