Book: The sparrow
Jul. 17th, 2005 05:21 pmAuthor: Mary Doria Russell
Details: (c) Mary Doria Russell 1996; Pub Black Swan 1997; ISBN 0-552-99777-3
Verdict: The sparrow provides an interesting take on the first contact theme and an exploration of religious ideas, but it's let down rather by weak writing.
Reasons for reading it: Various people have raved about it. The major reason I wanted to read it is that R Mark Solomon spoke highly of it, when he was giving a talk to an interfaith group in Dundee. R Solomon is a great man in many ways, and also my teacher, and I would have to pay attention to a novel recommendation, especially when he was talking about how reading SF can give important insights into religion and cited this as an example.
But![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wychwood also recommended the book in a discussion on my journal ages ago, and coalescent raves about it. ozarque speaks highly of the book, both for its handling of linguistics and its handling of religion. (rysmiel has been pretty negative about the book, but I decided that shouldn't put me off when balanced against so many strong positives.)
How it came into my hands: The extremely successful charity shop raid in Ely a couple of weeks ago.
( detailed review )
The Sparrow has moments of greatness, I think, despite having an awful of lot of technical problems. I can see why it provokes strong feelings in readers, but as a work of art it falls quite a way short.
Details: (c) Mary Doria Russell 1996; Pub Black Swan 1997; ISBN 0-552-99777-3
Verdict: The sparrow provides an interesting take on the first contact theme and an exploration of religious ideas, but it's let down rather by weak writing.
Reasons for reading it: Various people have raved about it. The major reason I wanted to read it is that R Mark Solomon spoke highly of it, when he was giving a talk to an interfaith group in Dundee. R Solomon is a great man in many ways, and also my teacher, and I would have to pay attention to a novel recommendation, especially when he was talking about how reading SF can give important insights into religion and cited this as an example.
But
wychwood also recommended the book in a discussion on my journal ages ago, and coalescent raves about it. ozarque speaks highly of the book, both for its handling of linguistics and its handling of religion. (rysmiel has been pretty negative about the book, but I decided that shouldn't put me off when balanced against so many strong positives.)How it came into my hands: The extremely successful charity shop raid in Ely a couple of weeks ago.
( detailed review )
The Sparrow has moments of greatness, I think, despite having an awful of lot of technical problems. I can see why it provokes strong feelings in readers, but as a work of art it falls quite a way short.
